BlueWater Outriggers Fishing Report 11-07-2025

It’s been a relatively quiet week here in our little fishing town of Port St. Joe.  Except for a handful of our usual snowbirds, most of the tourists have headed out, taking their hustle and bustle with them, allowing us to settle back into that cozy small town feeling for the next several months.  One can usually get a feel for how many people are in town by the ease with which they can find a parking space at the local Piggly Wiggly. It’s been fairly easy lately.  Having a little more time on her hands, Misty took the opportunity to get a jump-start on decking out the Pig with all sorts of whimsical Christmas decorations, that to my delight, sparks my preschooler’s imagination and brings to life a certain magic for the holidays that can only be experienced through the eyes and mind of a four-year-old child.

The Bluewater Outriggers was closed on Tuesday as we did our annual storewide

inventory.  Chris Bell, the manager, put a lot of preparation into it this year and things went very smoothly for the most part. We did, however, have to turn a few poor souls away that showed up at the door holding their shrimp buckets. The inventory is over for now, and we are back to our usual hours, and we have all the live shrimp you’ll need. The only problem is, you’ll have to find a live fish to throw your live shrimp in front of.  I hate to say it folks, but the red tide is still very present here in our bay, making fishing very difficult.  Most of the guides who fish for a living are taking their clients elsewhere.  Jake Harpe and I fished the marina several days ago, and we were looking at a seascape littered with dead fish, from speckled trout to mullet to redfish; you name it.  Just like last week, the only thing that gave me a pull were some juvenile gags and one sheepshead. At least this week the number of positive red tide samples didn’t rise in the bay; they stayed the same, and the Mexico Beach canal didn’t show any positive numbers.  The fishing has been very lackluster there, however, with only a few reports of some whiting and smaller pompano.  This same scenario seemed to be true as well for those fishing off the cape this last week.

For those going offshore, it’s a completely different story.  The bite is on!  J.D. Dillon and Jeff Harpe landed two Wahoos on the same day; one was an absolute monster.  Jeff’s son, Jake, had to work that day, and when he got the pictures, he fell into a funk the depths of which no one could bring him back.  Bless his heart, I saw him in the store this morning buying wahoo tackle.  He thinks he’ll get them on Saturday. I didn’t want to bust his bubble, so I refrained from giving him a hard time and let him make the expensive purchase that will help Bluewater through the slow season.  It’s a little-known fact, but half of our staff’s salaries are paid through Jake’s shattered dreams.  Captain Kenny Mosley of Reel Magic, along with his wife Lynn and “Uncle” David Payne had a great trip offshore. They ran into Red Grouper, Gags, Red Snapper, and big Triggerfish.  Kenny and Lynn can be seen above with their catch.  Just look at that haul on the cleaning table!

Starting on Monday we will see a cold front come through our area.  I as well as many other inshore anglers hope to see it halt the spread of this insufferable red tide and maybe bring some trout into the deeper holes.  I know it’s a long shot, but we need something to happen quickly. Here’s hoping for the best.  I hope to see you out there.