University of West Florida

College Ambassador: Malcolm Henke

Species

Redfish: These guys run year-round. Once you get to the summer it starts getting hot, and unless you get out there early in the morning or as the sun starts to set, they become elusive. You can catch them fishing from the shore, out on a kayak, or a boat.

Bass: There are ponds all over the area that you can get hooked on to some nice bass.

Cobia: You can catch these off of the Pensacola fishing pier or you can take a run offshore to go after them. You can catch them on some bait fish or on artificials.

Speckle Trout: Out in the bay, you can hook up on some large speckled trout. If you find a grass bed, there is more than likely speckled trout on them. Get a shrimp or artificial on it and have fun!

Pompano: If you can beat the cold and wind to get out there early spring the pompano runs hard out on the beach. You can hook up on them using artificials or sand fleas. Fish bites and pompano rigs will have you leaving with a bunch.

Spanish Mackerel: There is a good Spanish mackerel run in the spring, as they come through super thick. All you need is a topwater and you can start catching a lot of them!

Mullet: If you have a castnet or mullet net, and are comfortable throwing them, mullet will be in abundance during the spring and summer in the bay. If you get enough of them, they are good to eat.

Sheepshead: Bob Sike bridge pylons and pylons out at Fort Pickens will have you slaying sheepshead. Make sure you have a strong braid or mono when going after these.

Ladyfish: Ladyfish are not the best if you are looking to hook up to something that you can eat because they are small, but they sure are a fun fight! They are sometimes called poor man's tarpon because of the way they fight and jump.

Pelagics: Fish for snappers, amberjack, blackfin tuna, and kingfish. You can get them all on live bait fish like pinfish, or on frozen bait. There are plenty of artificial reefs out in the gulf that you can drop on while also having a bunch of drop-offs. If you are going after amberjack be ready to have the fight of your life, it’s like reeling up an anchor.

Accessibility

Pensacola Beach/Fishing Pier: Walking the beach and sight fishing you are gonna be able to get pompano. The beach is 30 minutes away from campus. There is also the fishing pier on the beach where you are able to catch cobia and sharks from the end.

Fort Pickens: Fort Pickens is an old Civil War fort on the bay side of Pensacola Beach that has a good fishing pier. The fort is about 50 minutes from campus and there is a gate for you to pay for entry as it is part of the Gulf Island National Seashores of the National Park system. The pier can get crowded and make for lines getting crossed, but if you want to make the drive and pay the entrance fee of $25, you can catch some good redfish, sheepshead, and probably some mackerel or trout. You can also walk the beach along the gulf or bay and fish if the pier gets crowded.

Bob Sikes Fishing Pier: Bob Sikes is an old bridge-turned-fishing-pier right as you cross over from Gulf Breeze to Pensacola Beach. It is about 25-30 minutes away from campus. This is a great spot for Spanish mackerel, live bait fish, and sheepshead down on the pylons.

Simpson River Fishing Pier: This is gonna be the closest spot to campus. It is about five to ten minutes from campus depending on traffic. You are gonna be in brackish water and you will be able to catch reds and plenty of other species there.

Community

With UWF being in a beach town you would think that UWF has a big fishing community but that is not the case. The community on campus is very spotty at best. There is no fishing club that is advertised by the university and there is for sure no fishing team. You will run into people in your class that are from the area and know where to fish or you can run into guys who work on charter boats as deckhands. If you make friends with these people they will always be accepting and take you in to help you learn the area where to fish and may even take you out to go fish.

Hangouts/Shops

Gulf Breeze Bait and Tackle: A great tackle shop if you are on your way out to the beach. It is right along the way they keep bait in stock. Live, frozen, or artificials whatever you are looking for they have. They also have a great selection of lines, rods, and reels.

Outcast Bait and Tackle: A good bait and tackle shop that has all the gear that you need. They also have their tent sale which as a college student may not have the most money can get you a good amount of good gear for a good price.

Flora Bama: This bar and restaurant is a good drive away from campus but if you have family or friends that live out in Perdido or on Perdido Key it is a great place to hang out with fishermen and people in the community. If you do not have anyone out there if you and a couple of friends can rent an Airbnb to spend the weekend out there you will not regret it. There are fishermen from lower Alabama and Florida alike.

Beach Bars: If you are over age and can make it out there the Pensacola beach bars are a great place to hang out with people who fish. You might hear a tall tale or two but you'll be able to talk fishing and probably find a few more spots to fish.