Gulf Breeze Guide Service photo gallery

The Spring 2007 pompano run has been the best in three years, with large numbers of fish migrating along the gulf shoreline and more fish on inside flats than anyone can remember. In addition the redfish have been consistent, and big trout are on the flats, sheepshead are abundant and jack crevalle, Spanish mackerel and sharks have arrived on schedule. Here are some photos from the first month's action. For photos from previous seasons, check out these additional galleries; Photo Gallery for Winter 2007, Photo Gallery for Fall 2006, Photo Gallery for Summer 2006, Photo Gallery for Spring 2006, Photo Gallery for Winter 2006, Photo Gallery for Spring 2005, Photo Gallery for Summer 2005, Photo Gallery for Fall 2005. Click on any of the small images below to see the full size photos. Use the back button on your browser to return to this page.

	Fly tying guru Travis Akins and the first fly-caught pompano of 2007. Trav caught this fish on none other than his own yellow pompano rocket.
	Sis Keisling, El Paso, Texas, communicating with a nice 7 pound black drum on April 1. I believe she has the fish hyponotized as it heads for the cooler.
	Lisa Lynam of Monroe, GA, and the all time boat record 8 pound sheepshead landed on April 2. The Lynam family also holds the king mackerel boat record and at one time had the redfish record.
	Kelly Hadlich of Ceresco, MI caught the boat record speckled trout on fly April 3. We were wading an inshore flat when this 27" trout appeared and ate Kelly's Clouser minnow.
	Ken Morrison and one of many sheephead caught and released while fishing with his family on April 6.
	Check out how this pompano blends into Hobart McWhorter's shirt. These fish are like swimming mirrors and provide our most challenging sight fishing opportunities.
	Kansas City's Larry Green and a perfect slot redfish caught and released on April 9. Larry had to work this fish out of the structure with his 8 wt and 12 pound tippet.
	This photo showcases the white sand and clear water that makes spring sight fishing so fine around Pensacola Pass.
	John Vaughan of Newtown, CT and the boat record pompano on fly landed and released April 12. We were poling an inside flat in 2 to 3 feet of water when this four plus pounder grabbed a yellow pompano rocket.
	Here is Redding, California's Dick Johnson with his first pompano on fly April 16.
	A little later in the day Dick made the perfect cast to this twenty-five pound redfish as it cruised along the sandbar. This fish did not hesitate to eat Dick's yellow pompano rocket.
	Bruce Martin of Murphysboro, IL and a surprise catch on April 23. We were drifting a flat, blind-casting for pompano, when this monster ate Bruce's spoon. It was an impessive fight on a Shimano 2500 Stradic with 15 pound PowerPro.
	We had perfect sight-fishing conditions on April 28 when Orlando's Kevin Chase landed this fine pompano, his first on fly.
	Kevin was casting into the glare and couldn't see this redfish until it rose in the water column and ate his fly. After a long, careful fight on an 8 wt with 12 pound tippet and a wind knot, Kevin brought it to the boat. The fish measured 42" and weighed over 30 pounds.
	Gordon Pressly of Charlotte, NC was working a big top water plug through a school of menhaden when this huge, 35 pound jack crevalle slammed his plug. Gordon also landed seven giant redfish, numerous slot reds, pompano, trout, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel.
	Jeff Gorrell, Belmont, CA, and his first pompano on fly caught and released May 5 while poling a flat in Santa Rosa Sound.
	Not to be outdone, Jeff's fishing buddy Dan Heiser (aka: Big Duke), Santa Cruz, CA, followed suit a little later that morning.
	Later in the week Big Duke with the first leg of the "Redneck Grand Slam on Fly"...a mighty pinfish on a pompano rocket.
	A proud Big Duke after achieving the second leg of the "slam"... a gafftop catfish on fly! The tension mounted as we eagerly searched for the third leg: a stingray, sea robin or lizardfish.
	After coming so close but failing in his quest for the slam, Big Duke elects to eat the first leg...a very sad day indeed.
	Tuscaloosa's Jeanie Koenemann after a hard-fought battle with a jack crevalle on May 6.
	Jeanie's main squeeze Lynn Koenemann landed this twenty-five pounder on light spinning gear.
	The Koenemanns returned on May 13 for some pompano sight fishing, and Lynn enticed this fine specimen to eat a Clouser minnow.
	Jeanie Koenemann added this pompano to the cooler on a picture-perfect May 13.
	Chris Ward of Stafford, Virginia, and one of many fine slot reds caught on May 17 while fishing with Charlie Schuster.
	Troy Harrington of Lexington, Kentucky, caught and released this redfish May 18. Sometimes you just have to get out of the boat and sneak up on them.
	Here's a nice shot of Lucas McHam on May 22. Lucas and his mom Janelle landed numerous slot reds while fishing with Bob Viers.
	Rich Defeno and Dave Caulford from New York booked a day trip May 29 and then a night trip May 30. Here's a great photo of Rich with a redfish released after we'd limited out.
	Dave Caulford and a five pound speckled trout landed the following night ... one of thirty five caught around dock lights in Santa Rosa Sound.
	John and Robert Palmer from Jackson, MS, enjoying a father-son outing on June 1.
	Spenser Gist, of Cumming, GA, landed this monster jack crevalle while fishing with his family on June 7. The thirty-five pound jack exploded on a top-water plug and battled Spenser for a half hour.
	Dave and Ben Walters of Johnson City, TN, and the first false albacore of the summer season landed and released June 9. The albies arrived two weeks earlier this year than in 2006.
	My fishing buddy Tij from University of California at Berkeley and one of fifteen false albacore caught June 11 on a 7 wt. The albies were all in the 4-6 pound range, and every one of them took Tij deep in his backing at least once.
	Zach Nobles of Laurel, MS, with his first saltwater fish on fly, a ladyfish landed June 13.
	Tony Woodward, Colorado Springs, and one of twenty-two false albacore landed on June 20 on a new "secret fly". Tony and his friend Brook had a field day on the last day of spring.
	Brook Niemiec, from Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA, with one of the dozen albies he landed June 20.