Santa Rosa Sound Weather Forecast
Fishing reports straight from our guides in Santa Rosa Sound
Offshore fishing has been great! Plenty of Vermillion snapper, triggerfish and a few scamp grouper. Red snapper season opens up May 22nd for the inshore/nearshore boats and June 1st for the Offshore boats
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Inshore has been on fire with 4 inshore slams in the last 4 trips! Some stud flounder and bull reds mixed in as well. Dock lights have produced consistent trout after the sun sets
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Pensacola — this week’s fishing report (early May)
Overview
- Strong, multi-area bite right now: surf, inshore/backwaters, nearshore reefs/wrecks and offshore all producing when conditions allow.
- Water temps are warming (upper 60s–low 70s reported), bait is moving in, and fish are active from the beach out to the wrecks and ledges.
- Wind and frontal passages will still create short weather windows — plan trips around calmer days.
What’s biting
- Surf / Beach: Pompano run in full swing (also whiting, some drum). Spanish mackerel are showing up along the beach; king mackerel will be more common as the...
Overview
- Strong, multi-area bite right now: surf, inshore/backwaters, nearshore reefs/wrecks and offshore all producing when conditions allow.
- Water temps are warming (upper 60s–low 70s reported), bait is moving in, and fish are active from the beach out to the wrecks and ledges.
- Wind and frontal passages will still create short weather windows — plan trips around calmer days.
What’s biting
- Surf / Beach: Pompano run in full swing (also whiting, some drum). Spanish mackerel are showing up along the beach; king mackerel will be more common as the...
Overview
- Strong, multi-area bite right now: surf, inshore/backwaters, nearshore reefs/wrecks and offshore all producing when conditions allow.
- Water temps are warming (upper 60s–low 70s reported), bait is moving in, and fish are active from the beach out to the wrecks and ledges.
- Wind and frontal passages will still create short weather windows — plan trips around calmer days.
What’s biting
- Surf / Beach: Pompano run in full swing (also whiting, some drum). Spanish mackerel are showing up along the beach; king mackerel will be more common as the month progresses.
- Pier: Spanish mackerel and early kings near mid-to-end of the pier; night fishing around lights can produce.
- Inshore / Bays / Flats: Big spotted trout and redfish are active on the flats and around grass edges; flounder and slot reds in some areas.
- Nearshore / Reefs & Wrecks: Vermilion (vermilion) snapper, amberjack, grouper and a steady reef/wreck bite. Mangrove snapper and scamp show on structure.
- Offshore / Deep-water: When weather permits, bottom fishing and deep drops are producing tilefish and solid bottom action. Trolling lanes are starting to produce kings in places.
Baits, tackle & techniques
- Surf: Bottom rigs with fresh shrimp or sand fleas for pompano/whiting; small jigs or gotcha plugs for Spanish.
- Pier: Cut bait for bottom species; live bait for kings and bigger pelagics.
- Inshore: Live shrimp, soft plastics, or topwater/traction plugs around bait pods and grass edges for trout and reds.
- Nearshore/Offshore: Sabiki rigs for tink
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Night bite is super hot right now. Trout and redfish.
Daytime fishing has been producing a ton of Spanish mackerel and some bull reds showing up
Daytime fishing has been producing a ton of Spanish mackerel and some bull reds showing up
Daytime fishing has been producing a ton of Spanish mackerel and some bull reds showing up
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Same as it's been lots and lots of vermillion for the table and amberjacks for the fun.
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Both inshore and offshore bites are good right now
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This is the last couple weeks
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Inshore has been getting good!
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Great day mingos and a bunch of Amberjack released
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2 boat limit of vermillion snapper and a few others mixed in. Around 120 fish.
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