Perdido Key offers year-round saltwater fishing. The wide variety of recreational fishing options on Perdido Key is one of its most remarkable and distinctive features. If you know what to look for, this is one of the best experiences. Here’s a simple guide on the best fishing experience.
Inshore Fishing
Unlike the adventure lover’s favorite offshore fishing, the inshore activity is a more relaxed sort of fun, mainly for people prone to sickness.
There are a lot of spots in Perdido Key for inshore fishing for inshore fishing. Here are a few you can try.
Big Lagoon State Park
This open space provides free access to the mangroves and grassy flats on the Big Lagoon’s northern shore. A variety of fish, including redfish, trout, flounder, and sheepshead, can be found in this sizable saltwater lagoon.
Perdido Bay
Fish of many kinds, including redfish, trout, flounder, and black drum, can be found in Perdido Bay.
Perdido Key Bridge
This bridge, which divides Perdido Key from Pensacola and draws a variety of inshore fish for you to target, should not be mistaken with the Perdido Pass Bridge, which is located just over the border in Alabama. It’s an excellent place to go redfish, trout, and mackerel fishing.
Johnson’s Beach
This beach, which makes up the majority of Perdido Key’s coastline, divides the Big Lagoon from the Gulf of Mexico. It’s common to fish for bluefish, pompano, and mackerel off this jetty.
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf is a must-visit if you want to enjoy an authentic inshore fishing experience in Perdido Key. There’s endless fishing here, from the reefs to the deep oceans, you will for sure enjoy this one.
Popular Inshore Fishes
If you are wondering what to catch in inshore fishing, there are a lot, but here are a few common and popular inshore fish to look out for. Redfish and Speckled Trout are two of the most dominating fishes when it comes to inshore fishery, and they are in all sizes and shapes in Perdido Key. While you can wait and enjoy fishing them, there are a few others you can plan to catch.
Redfish
Known for their tough battles and succulent flesh, redfish are the most common and famous fish varieties.
Flounder
Known for its moderate flavor and adaptability in cooking, flounder is a flatfish.
Sheepshead
Known for its sharp teeth and capacity to change color, sheepshead is a rare species of fish.
Spotted Seatrout
Known for its exceptional flavor, spotted seatrouts are yet another well-liked game fish.
Black Drum
Large fish with a moderate flavor, black drummers are prized for their strong runs.
Offshore Fishing
Because of the experiences it provides, offshore fishing in Perdido Key can be extremely fulfilling. There is a 4- to 72-hour time span for these trips. They might be private or shared, and they aim for bigger fish than inshore excursions.
Some of the famous spots to try offshore fishing are The Desoto Canyon, The Nipple and The Swordfish Banks, which are also home to a variety of huge fishes.
The Desoto Canyon
Located about 40 miles offshore, you can find a variety of large fish, including tuna, marlin, and sailfish in this canyon. This one is especially deep and has a lot of fish.
The Nipple
About 15 miles offshore, this artificial reef is a treat if you are looking for fish such as wahoo, tuna, and mahi mahi.
The Swordfish Banks
As the name suggests, these spots are a well-liked location for swordfish fishing, and are situated roughly 60 miles offshore.
Popular Offshore fishes
Tuna and Wahoo
Known for their intense battles and superb flavour, tuna are big, strong fish. Likewise, the swift, hungry Wahoo is known for its succulent meat and can be easily found on your offshore adventures.
Billfish
Billfish are a diverse species of fish that are notable for their long bills and acrobatic jumps.
Mahi Mahi
Distinguished by their vivid hues and succulent flesh, Mahi Mahi are a famous game fish.
Besides these, there are multiple fishes you could go hunting for. Two special ones that are not the top preference but are a nice catching experience are Bluefish and Pompano. Especially, the former is available year-round.
Know The Seasons
Perdido, known for the fishery, is actually famous all year round and is open to people. But based on whether you prefer inshore or offshore fishing, the available fish and the best time to enjoy this varies.
Peak Season
The season for the best is mostly said to be in Summer, with fishes like Red Snapper and Tarpon making their way in.
Best time for Offshore fishing
Until October, it’s great fun to be out there fishing. But the common and famous redfish and trout can still be found during the wintertime.
Season-wise understanding of the fishing adventures
Summer
Summer is one of the best times because due to high water temperatures, several species move closer to shore. The kinds of fish you can find are Spanish Mackerel, Bluefish, Red Drum, etc. Summer is mostly from May to August.
Fall
September to October, the Fall season is a cool time for especially Mahi Mahi, Flounder and Speckled Trout. Amberjack and Grouper are still active through September. If you are visiting a little later, at the beginning of December, you can also find some Tuna.
Spring
You can find Amberjack, Grouper, Snapper, Trigger Fish, and King Mackerel.
Winter
The months of winter are popularly known as Snowbird Season where Sheepshead, Redfish, Flounder and Triggerfish are found in abundance.
PS: February is often considered the dead month in saltwater fishing. You can fish a lot in freshwater lakes and rivers.
Plan your vacation based on the season of your preference and what you want to catch. While summer is generally considered the peak season, some may enjoy spring because the weather is nice. However, whatever season you pick, ensure you have a proper plan and have made bookings in advance.