It isn’t hard to understand why the fly fishing Pensacola Florida offers to anglers draws people from across the country. The huge estuary system leading into and joining Pensacola Bay is not just the ideal habitat for most of Florida’s favorite game fish. It also has a huge array of habitats and fishing spots to explore. From the mouths of creeks and rivers to sandbars, bridges, and wrecks, there is a bit of everything here. 

 

Probably the biggest event of the year is the annual Bull Redfish run, which takes place in the fall. There is hardly anything more exciting than sight fishing to a school of thousands of 30 lb+ fish. Best of all, it all kicks off shortly after most of the tourists have left the beaches, leaving you in peace to tackle these huge fish mano a mano. Taming them on the fly is no easy feat, meaning hiring a guide for your first try can pay dividends in the future. 

 

Even when the main run is over, you can find slot-sized Reds feeding along the sandbars in the Santa Rosa Sound. Poling towards them over gin clear waters and landing the perfect cast in 3 ft of water is an experience you will never forget.

 

But it’s not all about the Redfish. Shortly after their migration come the Gator Trout, an equally impressive sportfish in its own right. Combine it with Flounder, and you could be picking up your very own Inshore Slam, and on the fly no less!

 

Get out onto the beaches, and there’s even more in store. False Albacore come close to the beaches in January. Locally known as ‘Bonefish,’ these small tunas may not look much like their Caribbean namesake, but they sure do fight like one. Try reeling one in with fly gear, and you’ll be in with a workout that could rival the one you’d find in Belize. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Many Pensacola fly fishing guides will be more than happy to accommodate fly anglers, but they often don’t include gear. To stay on the safe side, we’d suggest devout fly fishermen should bring their own in order to get the most out of this fishery.

 

Most of the fishing you’ll do round here will be great with an 8-9 wt setup. Lighter gear is perfect for the tasty Pompano, while 9 or 10 weight gear is recommended for big Bull Redfish. 

 

Most of the local species will gladly eat Clouser Minnows—these can have great success with Redfish, Pompano, False Albacore, Flounder, and Bluefish. Bring bunny strip patterns for Bull Redfish, small baitfish streamers for Trout, and glass minnow streamers for Albies.