| January |
Sheepshead, Redfish, Red Snapper (state) |
Crab on structure, soft plastics, bottom fishing |
Sheepshead excellent; state waters snapper open all year |
| February |
Sheepshead, Seatrout, Snapper |
Fiddler crabs, live shrimp, bottom fishing |
Best sheepshead month of winter; seatrout in deeper holes |
| March |
Cobia (PEAK), Spanish Mackerel |
Sight-casting cobia at Fort McRee |
PEAK cobia season — fish following rays along Perdido Key beaches |
| April |
Cobia, Spanish Mackerel, Seatrout |
Live bait, trolling, soft plastics |
Excellent cobia; Spanish mackerel at Pensacola Beach Pier |
| May |
Cobia, Seatrout, Redfish |
Live bait, popping corks, gold spoons |
Late cobia; seatrout on grass flats; redfish spreading out |
| June |
Red Snapper, Mahi, Redfish |
Offshore bottom fishing, trolling, flats |
Snapper season opens June 1; offshore at full pace |
| July |
Red Snapper (PEAK), Mahi, King Mackerel |
Live bait and cut bait, nearshore trolling |
Best offshore month of year; king mackerel nearshore in bait runs |
| August |
Red Snapper, King Mackerel, Redfish |
Offshore bottom fishing, nearshore trolling |
Offshore excellent; inshore redfish best at dawn and dusk |
| September |
Redfish, Seatrout, Flounder |
Soft plastics, popping corks, jigs |
Fall transition — all-around excellent inshore fishing |
| October |
Redfish, Flounder, Seatrout |
Gold spoons, jigs in the passes |
Excellent fall inshore; flounder peak in October |
| November |
Flounder, Redfish, Seatrout |
Jig-and-grub, soft plastics |
Late flounder season; good fall redfish and trout |
| December |
Sheepshead, Red Snapper (state), Seatrout |
Crab on structure, bottom fishing |
Sheepshead season starts; state waters snapper all winter |