What a great time of year be on the Gulf Coast. The inshore and offshore fishing heats up nearly everyday as fall approaches. The southeasterly winds and currents will continue to keep the waters along the Gulf of Mexico picture perfect. Just take a drive down the beaches towards Fort Pickens or Navarre Beach and you will see exactly what I mean. This really is paradise and some of the best fishing in the continental United States.

Red Snapper season, unfortunately closed on August 14th and will not reopen until June 1, 2010. I think most every angler along the coast caught their fare share and boy there doesn't seem to be any shortage. I have been charter fishing for nearly 34 years and the number and size of Red Snapper in the Gulf will absolutely blow your mind. But, according to the best available scientific data, the National Marine Fisheries Service still says the Red Snapper stock is near collapse. I really think they need their heads examined along with their data.

A couple of weeks ago, we experienced something that I have never seen. Heading out of the Pensacola Pass, about 2 miles southeast of the number one buoy, we ran head on into a school of 6 whale sharks. Now it is common to see these massive sharks 50 miles offshore, but not right out of the pass. They were obviously feeding on the surface and were loaded with hitch hikers. The hitch hikers were cobia.

Submitted photo Five-year-old Gunnar Williamson shows off an 8 pound red snapper. Unfortunately, snapper season is closed. But Capt. Andrews says billfishing is hot. Nearly every shark we got close to had no less than 50 cobia on them. Of course, many were under size but we did manage to catch 3 in the 30 to 40 pound range. These sharks ranged in size from 30 to 35 feet in length. They hung around the same area for a couple of days, and last report they were seen back east off of Destin.

The off shore fishing for White Marlin and Wahoo is on fire around the nipple area and out to the elbow. Last Sunday I was bottom fishing just west of the nipple and counted 42 boats trolling in that area. I heard most every boat had at least one shot at a White Marlin and many had several shots. There were also a couple of small Blue Marlin tagged in the same area. We generally do not see this kind of action until mid September up through October. Regardless of the date, if you want a shot at a billfish now is the time. The lucky bait seems to be a ballyhoo trolled behind a blue and white islander.

Bottom fishing remains

good throughout the fall with vermillion snapper as the primary snapper to fish for. Also the grouper and amberjack start showing back up, as the weather begins to cool down a little. With school in session, football season beginning, and hunting season just around the corner, the fishing pressure probably drops 75 percent. So for the fall angler, the fish are much more aggressive and easier to catch.

Inshore fishing is also heating up. There is less boating traffic in and around the flats, and because of this the speckle trout are not near as spooky. Try drifting across the grass beds for the next month with a mirrow lure or live shrimp. The redfish and flounders are also beginning to show up in and around the passes. They too like the deeper holes around docks and pilings. Live bait is always your best bet for quality hookups.

Stop by your local marinas and check out the catches. And may the good fishing be yours on your next adventure.