FL Panhandle Bream Busters

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Comment by J. B. Hillard on March 4, 2016 at 10:51am

The 'ol Choctawhatchee River is still in flood stage and will be that way for a while longer so long  as we keep getting rains every few days.  Pond fishing has been the name of the game for me over the past few months. 

My latest discovery were some sand hill ponds on the Fitzhugh Cart Tract at Greenhead on hwy 77.  Fished there only twice....3 big crappie the first trip and 36 crappie and one bull bream on second trip.  This is  unique tightly controller property that is managed by FWC and the Water Management District. No boats, trailer, or motors of any kind. Free Jon boats are provided.

You can find more info here   http://myfwc.com/viewing/recreation/wmas/cooperative/econfina-creek...

Comment by J. B. Hillard on February 6, 2016 at 7:47am

With the Choctawhatchee River still flooded I have switched to small lake fishing. Latest sojourns have been to some Alabama state lakes that area not far from the Florida line.  

I fished Leon Brooks Hines lake near Wing, Ala. on Monday and Friday of this week. The lake was closed Dec and Jan, gut opened Feb 1 and I was there with a buddy. The target was catfish and bream, but we never go around to seriously fishing for gills. Ended up with a limit of 12 cat, six each, for 27 3/4 pounds. 

I went back yesterday and fished by myself. This time I worked on bream as well as catfish. My six channel cats weighed 17 lb 5 oz, Managed to box 18 really nice bream, mostly bluegills, The limit is 20.  

There is a year long special $12 license to fish all 20 lakes in Alabama. This is a deal since a daily license is something like $7.  

Comment by J. B. Hillard on January 20, 2016 at 10:14am

Did not realize it has been so long since I posted.  For the past several week, actually months it seems, my favorite river has been flooded big time. It's slowly dropping now and may be back down to good fishing level in next week or two. While all this was going on I have been fishing nearby lakes mostly for crappie. Both an Alabama license and fishing a couple of small state lakes less than one hour from home. Not catching a lot but at lease it getting outdoor and fishing.
We went through many months of no mullet in the bay but about 4 months ago they came back.  For some reason they were mostly silver mullet which run small. The big blacks were few. Right now even this bite is on the fritz.
January and February are always difficult months to do much catching, But if we can get a few relative  warm days without rain the water will warm up to turn on the bream bit....that is when the river gets right.
It's probably goin to be around the end of March before much bream activity picks up and I'm ready. My winter supply has been completely eaten and I need some new and fresh bream.
Will try to be a little more responsive in the future and keep you up to date on what's going on.

Comment by J. B. Hillard on July 26, 2015 at 12:03pm

I haven't been out much in the past couple of weeks due to visiting family from Texa and my boat is in the shop for repair. Hope to be back on the river by next week.

Reports from a few Bent Rod Fishing Club members here at the local Senior Center indiicate the bream bite on the river has been slow so far as good size keepers go. Plenty of 3 finger size to let go.  One report last week was a dozen really nice crappie in the Dear River area near RedBay, FL  Caught on minnows most likely traped in the river since the local bait shop has closed.

I  have been fishing the Yellow River a few times in recent weeks. Joined a private club in order to have river access in an area that is not fished so heavily. Got somre really nice catches of 10 to 15 area. The Yellow is much different than the Choctawhatchee although river fishing is river fishing no matter where you area.

Hope all of you are enjoying the hot humid days out there. 

Comment by J. B. Hillard on July 11, 2015 at 7:01am

The bite on the Choctawhatchee River has dropped off a good bit over the past couple of weeks. It's not out there and water is in the low 80's.  Maybe it's just the hot summer doldrums.  The river took a rise several days ago but is back down to what is considered the bet fishing level.  

Late yesterday I launched a Cerro Gordo which is north of Westville a few miles. Water was still rather stained/muddy and running fast, but hopefully it will clear up soon.  Only fished a couple of hours late in the afternoon and put only 3 small channel cat in the box. I'm not very familiar with that part of the river but fish it 2 or 3 times a year.

In the past month I have fished out of Miller's Bluff on the Yellow River.This is at Harold, FL which is between Crestview and Milton.  The Yellow is a lot different than the Choctaw. It's smaller and faster and after a rise it will drop quicker and clear up quicker.  Have down reasonable well on the gills and channels, but yesterday my motor would not start so came home and fixed it, then went to Cerro Gordo later in the day.  Had water in the gas tank.

Take care all.....

JB

Comment by J. B. Hillard on June 28, 2015 at 9:03am

Chasing bluegills I have fished Leon Brooks Hines lake up near Wing, Ala.  I have a full year Alabama and Georgia license so may as well uss the nearby state lakes in Alabama when the Choctawhatchee River if off kilter. Alabama has a list of 12 state lakes, many not that far from the Florida border. They are very well managed and provide good fishing from the bank as well as a boat.

Closer to home the Choctaw is producing decent catches of bream. Out of the dozen or so river spots I use the ramp at 7 Runs/Dead River is my favorite. The 2 mile road off hwy 81 to the ramp is now paved with recycled asphalt and the camping area is being used but not heavily.  Bream, bass, and cats are cooperating too.

I have been able to acquire access to the Yellow River south of Harold, FL. This is a private setup and an annual fee is required. You vehicle must have a club sticked on the back window of your vehicle.  This part of the river is not fished as heavily as the upper end near Milligan or the lower end down by hwy 87. I thoroughly enjoyed fishing there twice in the past 3 week and plan to go Monday and Tuesday of next week. It's a beautiful small river that starts up in Alabama and runs down through the Panhandle. Most of the eastern bank is part of Eglin AFB so you might see some Special Forces folks running the river.

How about you folks? Been doing any fishing?  Tell us about it.

Take care

J. B. 

 

Comment by J. B. Hillard on June 14, 2015 at 6:50am

I haven't fished the Choctawhatchee River in a couple of weeks now, but have been venturing up into Alabama.  Fished the state lake near Geneva, Al and the Chattahoochee River out of Abbe Creek Landing.  Last Friday I fished Leon Brook Hines state lake near Wing, AL....but it's easier to get to going through Backer and up through the Blackwater Forest by Hurricane Lake.

On the Hooch I picked up about a dozen bream and then switched to cats. Got 9 good eating size up to about 3 pounds.  At the Geneva lake it was 5 bass and 9 or 10 gills. Over at Hines it was 5 bass and 16 bills and shellcrackers.  

The Choctawhatchee River is coming down from a little rise a few days ago and by mid week it's going to be just right. I'll be there Wednesday to give it a shot. Will be fishing out of Dead River Landing or down at Smokehouse. 

Comment by J. B. Hillard on May 31, 2015 at 2:30pm

Hi gang:   Hope all of you are out there and enjoying Mother Nature and catching a gill or two.  I have been mostly on the Choctawhatchee River for past few weeks and fishing 3 or 4 days a week. Some days we get very few and others are much better.  So far I haven't hit a bream or shellcracker bed yet although have caught plenty to keep me and the neighbors in fish.  

The Choctawhatchee has really been up and down all spring. About the time it starts getting close to the best fishing level along comes daily rains and there is another rise. Of course the backwater guys love these times but I'm not good at it and prefer what I'm uses too. 

Fished the Yellow River south of Harold, FL last week for the first time in the Miller's Bluff area. Only access in that area is through a private club, or you need a 4 wheel drive to get to a public ramp.  Thoroughly enjoy this new water and we ended up with 12 channel cats and 6 nice big bream.  

With the river so high here at home I'm going to try Leon Brooks Hines lake up near Wing, Al on Tuesday of this week. It's a 175 acre state lake that has been producing some very good bluegill activity. Have been reading about it for some time so since I already have an under utilized Alabama license I'm going to give it a shot.  

We need to hear from some of you and what's going on in your favorit fishing hole.

Comment by J. B. Hillard on May 16, 2015 at 5:48am

The Mayfly hatch is apparently in full swing on the Choctawhatchee River. I encountered them last Wednesday evening and again yesterday. Fly rod should work well this weekend if you can find a hatch area.

Also, from

local reports it looks like bream are starting to bed right now. Had 3 reports of bed catches in past 3 days.  

Comment by J. B. Hillard on May 14, 2015 at 4:04pm

Last few trips to Choctawhatchee River have been scarce on the catching but yesterday we did pretty well. Caught about 50 or so gills, shellcrackers, and 1 crappie using crickets.  This was in the Dead River area and Little Boynton Cutoff area.  

Weather is so hot now we usually go at the crack of day and quit around 11am. Heat takes it's toll on this old body.

Hope all of you are doing well and out there getting a share of the bluegill population.  

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