BlueWater Outriggers Fishing Report 7-3-2025
Well folks it’s been another good week here in the big little fishing town of Port St. Joe, Florida. There’s a certain bustle in the air this Independence Day Eve as city workers are putting up final decorations, mowing the easements, and preparing for the 4th of July fireworks display. The atmosphere at the Bluewater Outriggers is electric as customers are coming in with their buckets for live shrimp or minnows and bringing in their trusty reels for new braided line to hold “the big one” they just know is out there. Paige is offering a friendly “hello” to the customers while constantly punching those cash register keys in such a continuous and melodic fashion you could swear you’re listening to Pink Floyds hit song, Money. Chris Bell, the manager, is readying the troops for the Big Tent Sale that starts on Friday morning. Jake Harpe and I have been privy to the absolute multitudes of rods and reels that are going on sale, and if I were to mention how low they were priced the pandemonium that would ensue would be so intense you may say I caused yet another shot heard round the world. Now everybody knows I give Jake a hard time but it’s all in good fun; the fact of the matter is the ol’ boy can fish. This last week he and a crew went way on out there to around the 800 ft mark and caught some great fish. Their haul included Yellow Edge and Snowy Grouper, Vermillion, and Golden Tile Fish. Usually, I wouldn’t care to mention Bonita, but Jake got a hold of one so big I just had to mention it. You can see Jake’s Bonita (above center) along with Yellow Edges caught by Dean Carrington (left) and Spencer Wheeless (right). The Red Snapper bite is still on within 18 miles and if you’re looking to get out there, this week could be a good one to do it. NOAA is predicting seas around 2 feet through Saturday and dropping to 1 foot or less Sunday and Monday.
This last week staring at the bay looked as if you were looking into a watered-down glass of Coca-Cola. The good news is, it’s clearing right up. Nonetheless, the conditions made things a little tricky. Folks have been getting some nice trout in the early morning hours before things heat up so much. You’ll want to head towards the back of the bay and look for conditions that allow for as little floating turtle grass as possible. I wouldn’t plan on throwing treble hooks as you will most likely end up raking in about ½ a pound of floating grass. There were some flounder that moved into the marina and people had a hay-day catching them on bull minnows. Given the tide and the wind conditions I was unable to wade the Intracoastal Waterway per my normal routine with my three-year-old. Deeming these waters unsafe, yet knowing I needed to get some energy out of the boy, I carried him over to the ol’ washed out Butler’s Bridge. Now I know it’s not the place to come home with a cooler full, but a fisherman’s going to fish. Spotting minnows was next to impossible given the color of the water, so I decided to take advantage of the vast amounts of fiddler crabs roaming the edge of the water. The boy was wary of the little crabs at first, but with some guidance and to my great surprise it wasn’t long before my little golden headed boy was holding his hot pink plastic net in the air saying to me, “I got a crab for you, Daddy.” Sensing the pride I felt, my son put all his fears aside and really started to think he was something. He told me to keep fishing and he was going to get me more crabs. With his newfound confidence, he headed off to do just so. About the time I unhooked the little mangrove I caught, I heard a blood curdling scream that filled me with a parent’s dread. I was worried he had fallen or stepped on a shard of glass or something horrible! The boy had found a fiddler crab so wretchedly large and mean it could’ve won the fiddling contest between Johnny and the devil in the classic song, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Anyhow, he grabbed that crab for Daddy, and the crab let him have it. I put the rod down and picked up my wailing child. I knew that was it for fishing that day, and that’s all for this week, folks! On behalf of myself and the whole crew at Bluewater Outriggers, have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July weekend. I hope to see you out there!
-Jeremiah Beasley