5. Florida Panhandle
Marlin magazine was actually created in Pensacola by a group of hard-core offshore enthusiasts who chased big fish along the Florida Panhandle, so we'd be remiss if this area was left out. Stretching from Orange Beach, Alabama, to Apalachicola, Florida, the Panhandle offers plenty of first-class marinas and charter operators to target the blue water in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Capt. Pat Dineen (
www.flyliner.com), who has run inshore and offshore trips out of Destin for more than a decade, says it's 35 nautical miles to the 100-fathom line and that's where you'll need to head for some action with the local band of pelagics, including whites, blues, sails, tuna, wahoo and swordfish. The local captains rely heavily on fishing structure and drops such as De-Soto Canyon, the Elbow, the Nipple and the Dumping Grounds. Look for temperature breaks and blue water. And since you sometimes need to cruise 100 miles out to find the bite, overnighters are very popular. You can easily score a grand slam with an abundant supply of swordfish to tangle with after the sun goes down, along with plenty of action on the troll during the day. The season gets going in May and peaks from June through August. You'll find some big tournaments located along this coast, including the Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic (
www.fishecbc.com), the Pensacola International Billfish Tournament (
www.pbgfc.com) and the Bay Point Invitational (
www.baypointbillfish.com). For some good local info, visit
www.pensacolafishingforum.com.
