Panacea Fishing Report: Sept. 2014

The whole gang shows off Nate's 25lb. 9oz king fish!
The whole gang shows off Nate’s 25lb. 9oz king fish!

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]eptember is here and maybe, just maybe, we will start to see a break in our sauna-like temperatures. Fish continue to feed early and late in the day and in deeper water, but as the water temperatures drop they will start working their way back shallow to chase food. Trout are biting all the way to the Ochklockonee Shoals and at Shell Point sand bars but start moving out to 4-6 feet of water as the day progresses. Jig heads with yellow Thrasher paddle tails and new penny Gulp shrimp are bringing trout, flounder and mackerel to the landing net for the dinner’s main course.

Sonny has a nice catch,tag and release cobia!
Sonny has a nice catch,tag and release cobia!

Redfish are working the deep edges and bars in Levy Bay on the high tide but have been very scattered and hard to pattern. Keep your eyes peeled for large spotted eagle rats that are jumping or cruising offshore, and get ready, because the cobes are following close behind and and will eat just about anything you put in front of them. The kingfish bite continues to be steady and several in the 30+ pound range are being caught in 35-50 feet of water slow trolling live baits. They’re a tasty fish when baked on the grill or used in a smoked fish dip.

Capt. Steve’s Fish School

1. 2 King Mackerel per person per day, minimum 24 inches to the fork
2. 15 Spanish Mackerel per person per day, minimum 12 inches to the fork
3. Red Grouper is now max. 3 per person per day, out of 4 grouper aggregate, 20 inches total length. Season closes at 12:01am on September 16, 2014
4. Gag Grouper max. 2 per person per day, out of 4 grouper aggregate, 22 inches total length. 5. Season closure: Dec.1st, 2014
6. Scallop season closes September 25, 2014

Good luck, have fun and take a kid fishing to expand their knowledge of the outdoors!

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