BlueWater Outriggers Fishing Report 8-21-2025

Well, it’s another beautiful day here in the big little fishing town of Port Saint Joe, Florida.  In last week’s news the Bluewater Outriggers was getting ready for the start of Saint Joseph’s Bay annual scallop season.  Chris Bell, the manager, had the employees show up extra early on Saturday to prepare for the masses of customers.  Now Chris Bell is the type of person that gets things done.  He’s excellent at forming a plan, then executing said plan.  When he says, “jump,” we say, “how high?”  It’s kind of funny how as he stood there in his Bluewater issued tan button up shirt, amidst a backdrop of red and white dive flags giving his marching orders for the day, one could easily liken him to George C. Scott in his portrayal of General Patton in the classic 1970 film. Our preparations paid off though as this scallop season, according to several locals, has been the best they’ve seen in years.  One of these locals just happens to be an employee of Bluewater Outriggers.  Chris Kelly showed me the picture, seen above, of her haul.  She said there were plenty of scallops out there and that they have been able to limit out over multiple days.  If she can run that FryDaddy as well as she can run a warehouse, I know they’re eating good!    

This upcoming week looks as if it could be very good for those wishing to go offshore.  NOAA is forecasting waves at one foot or less for the next five days.  According to Bluewater employee, Daniel Coleman, now would be an excellent time to go out there and drop for some big Red Grouper.  He went with a few buddies over the weekend and did very well. Craig Sage, another friend of mine, told me he had found a good spot for Red Grouper as well.  This can’t just be coincidence; it sounds as if this would be the species to target in the upcoming week.   

Now when I needed a favor from Jake last week, I was informed that he had fallen ill and requested the day off.  Red flags went up immediately as I knew he had the following two days off after that.  It sounded to me like the classic case of giving yourself a three-day fun-filled weekend.  Chris Bell informed me that he had spoken to Jake on the phone and he indeed did sound very sick.  I still wasn’t quite buying it because I know Jake can be very slick at times.  That silver tongued devil once sold me a $50.00 lure that looked like a big sewer rat.  He claimed it was the latest trend in catching bull Reds and gator trout.  He and Doug still mercilessly laugh at me to this day.  That’s why I took his claim with some skepticism.  Admittedly, I was wrong to doubt him.  For as I write this article, I’m sitting here with plenty of liquids and mounds of tissue paper trying to fight off an illness of my own.  One I’m sure I picked up from Jake (at least it didn’t cost me fifty bucks). That being said, I am light on inshore tips this week, as I was not feeling well enough to get out there.  I stopped under the Tapper Bridge and spoke with an old friend.  They had momentarily got into some specks and black drum, but it died off very briefly.  I’ve noticed in the mornings, after I drop my boy at school, the tide has been way up.  I love those falling high tides and had I felt up to it I would have been heading towards the Eagle Harbor area, away from the scallopers, trying to get into some big specks.  It’s a certain kind of torture when conditions are right for fishing, yet you’re confined to the blanket and couch watching re-runs of Judge Judy.  The good news is, I think I’m on the mend.  It was touch and go this morning; I was very close to picking up that phone and sounding pitiful and taking the day off, but I powered through it, as we must sometimes do.  With a little bit of luck and some answered prayers, I’ll be right as rain next week where as always, I hope to see you out there. 

-Jeremiah Beasley