In this week's Northwest Florida Fishing Report, host Joe Baya is joined by Butch Thierry and Angelo DePaola for a wide-ranging Gulf Coast report covering a massive 790-pound bluefin tuna, improving swordfish and dolphin action offshore, heavy sargassum in the blue water, kayak-accessible inshore trout and redfish patterns, nearshore reef opportunities, and the kickoff of Gulf billfish tournament season. This episode features Capt. Adam Peeples with One Shot Charters, Brandon Barton with Emerald Waters Kayak Charters, and Jim Cox with the Orange Beach Billfish Classic.
Capt. Adam Peeples gives the offshore report after landing a 113-inch, 790-pound bluefin tuna while live baiting with blackfin tuna on Penn 70s, 150-pound hollow core braid, 130-pound mono, 200-pound fluorocarbon leader, and a 12/0 Mustad Perfect Circle hook. He also reports strong dolphin action, an improving swordfish bite, 78-degree blue water, and scattered sargassum that is making trolling difficult. Adam explains how anglers can adjust by avoiding grass-catching plugs and divers, using single-hook rigs, fishing live baits differently, and staying disciplined about keeping lines clean.
Brandon Barton gives the kayak fishing report from the Pensacola area, where trout and redfish are active on open grass flats, sand potholes, and shallow-to-mid-depth areas in the sound. He breaks down topwater, wake bait, jerk bait, weedless shrimp, and paddle tail tactics for trout and redfish, along with how he uses kayak mobility and electric propulsion to reach less-pressured water. Brandon also talks nearshore reefs, where amberjack, snapper, grouper, king mackerel, and even mahi are becoming realistic kayak targets as summer patterns build.
Jim Cox recaps the Orange Beach Billfish Classic, the first leg of the Gulf Coast Triple Crown, with a record 62 boats and a $1.6 million tournament purse. He covers the long runs teams made in search of current, the strong blue marlin catch-and-release results, giant tuna weighed during the event, and how Gulf Coast tournament fishing continues to become more technical with sonar fishing, live baiting, fuel range, and advanced boat technology shaping the modern game.
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