Going down with the fam this weekend, got a place with a boat slip. Any one ever fished Choctawhatchee Bay or maybe done trolling right outside Destin pass? Don't want to fool with the party people at crab island. Any tips appreciated

You wanting to just have fun and get your string stretched or are you looking for eating fish?

Little of both really. I'd like to get on some Specks and Reds, but as long as we catch something we'd be ok. Just never fished here before

Not sure what your experience level is so I'll be fairly specific.

Keeper Specks and reds have been hit or miss lately. Smoke them one day and then cannot find them the next. The bull reds (well over slot) are on the menhaden schools in the middle of the bay right now. If it is calm just run along and look for the menhaden schools on top with them blowing up on the bait balls in 10-20 ft of water. Big jacks will be mixed in with them as well. Most of the big bait schools have been east of the mid bay bridge. I've been catching them on the north side of the bay near Alaqua Creek, but the whole area from the HWY 331 bridge back to what we call Choctaw Beach has been good. I'm sure they are on the south side too I just havent had to run that far to catch them. When you see them blowing up, ease up to them and throw any big paddle tail swimbait (we use the big 5" berkley powerbait pre-rigged) into the general area and hang on.

Specks will be on any grass flats you find early in the mornings but lately, we've been having to weed through a pile of shorts to get a few keepers. You can catch as many as you want twitching a 17MR CFPR mirrodine (be sure to tie a loop knot on it) over the grass but most will be under slot right now. I prefer to fish artificals (mirrodine or a bone colored zara spook on top) but lately, to catch the slot reds and specks, I've been forced into cast netting and using 3-6" croakers, tail-hooked and free-lined or knocker-rigged on a 2/0 Owner Mutu Light circle hook. You'll still catch some shorts but that will help weed through the junk and the smaller pinfish and junk fish won't mess with that bigger bait. The slot reds (mostly 4-8lbs) have been hanging around the docks and pilings on the clean sand, just keep running docks til you find one that has a school around it. They've been getting pounded on by the inshore guides so this past weekend they were super spooky. Stay off the docks as far as you can and approach as quietly as you can. I'll pull up and stay as far off of it as I can cast and toss a croaker about 5' out in front of the dock and see if they are willing to come out to eat (makes it a lot easier to land them). If they are not willing to come out to get the bait, I'll move in a little closer and skip/pitch that croaker back under the dock structure itself and directly into the pilings and they will usually hit it quick if they are there. Hit them quick and have your drag locked down. You'll either pull them out or they will cut you off on the pilings.

Assuming you dont have any bottom numbers for the Destin area: Offshore right now, I'd do basically the same thing. I'd catch a well full of livebaits there at destin pass or just outside of it on a sabiki rig. I'd ease out to the buoy in front of the pass and bump troll that general area. That is normally good for at least a couple kings if they are around. Then I would run the beach in about 30-40' of water looking for the bait schools on top and getting blown up on. Find them and pitch a live bait in there and you can catch kings, big spanish, bluefish, jacks and bonito depending on what's working them. If you dont see the bait on top getting hit. Get in about 30-40' of water or right on the color change and rig up a 24-30" steel leader with a 2/0 3x treble, nose hook a livebait and toss a couple out both sides of the back of the boat, long and short, and then just bump troll along with the current meandering between 30 and 50' and wait for a rod to go off. Lastly, I have not fished them myself but I've heard from several guide buddies that there are big schools of reds running the beach in between the first and second bars in the morning just west of the Destin pass. You can sight fish them with a pompano jig or any kind of swimbait and that's a lot of fun too.

Best of luck. PM me if you have any specific questions.

Thanks so much! That's great info!!

Was stationed at the Coast Guard Station there. Just pay attention. That bay has some sandbars.

Will do. Appreciate all the help guys. I'll follow up with some results hopefully. Wife and kids are going so it's not a strictly fishing trip, but hopefully I'll be able to get a pretty good amount of time on the water!

The grass flats on the east side of Eglin AFB is hold specs and reds.....