Gulf Breeze Guide Service photo gallery

Winter 2008 began with the hottest false albacore run in years and the "mother lode" of flounder in spawning mode. The bull redfish were elusive in January but by late-February moved close to shore, and many anglers succeeded in landing trophy fish. As the water temperature increased slot reds became active in Santa Rosa Sound, the annual pompano migration began, and sheepshead congregated around inshore structure. Here are photos from the winter 2008 season. For photos from previous seasons, check out these additional galleries: Fall 2007, Summer 2007, Spring 2007, Winter 2007, Fall 2006, Summer 2006, Spring 2006, Winter 2006, Spring 2005, Summer 2005, 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.

	Fellow guide Bob Maindelle of Salado, TX, landed the first false albacore of the winter season on a windy December 23.
	The next day Molly Maindelle found out white trout are a lot of fun to catch but a little too slimy to hold. This is one of about a hundred caught and released December 24.
	Andy Maindelle of Fort Mitchell, KY, and the fish of the day on December 26.
	This is a cool shot of Johnny Tanner and an iridescent ribbon fish on December 29. Watch out for those teeth, Johnny.
	Johnny's dad Jeff Tanner from Baylor University in Waco, TX, and a fine black drum that was headed for the grill.
	Here's the Tanner family, Travis, Jeff, and Johnny, with a trophy redfish landed and released after an epic struggle on light spinning tackle.
	Robert Palmer saved the day January 4 when he made a perfect cast and hooked this bull red ... Robert's biggest to date.
	Ben Walters of Johnson City, TN, summoned his expert flycasting skills on a rough, windy January 6 and hooked the first winter false albacore on a fly. Standing up in the boat was difficult and accurate casting nearly impossible. Here's an exuberant Ben with the hooked albie heading for Cuba.
	The first false albacore on fly of 2008. Someone on the boat commented "This would have to be called EXTREME fly fishing" to which Ben countered, "No, this is INSANE fly fishing!" Way to go, Ben.
	Later in the week we found the flounder in a major way. Here's Dave Walters with a four pounder ... one of thirty headed for the cooler on January 11.
	Ben added this fine specimen to the tally.
	Mike Campbell of Gadsden, AL, had the early hot hand with the false albacore on January 12 much to the dismay of his fishing buddies.
	Here's Frank Davis of Rome, GA. after winning a hard-fought battle on light spinning tackle..
	Richard Tatum got his revenge January 12 by landing the boat record 5# flounder. The fillets from this fish and a few others made their way back to Calhoun, GA.
	Ken Hutchison, Nampa, ID, was in town for the best day of false albacore fishing in recent memory. The Gulf was dead flat, gin clear, and the fish were running the beach. Here's Hutch with the first catch of the day made on one of his own creations.
	Hutch's fishing buddy Greg Fisher with his first entry in the "bonito" rodeo January 14.
	Here's a shot of Greg on a cold January 15 morning with one of four trophy redfish landed and released.
	Judy Wargo vacationing from Michigan landed the first pompano of the season on February 20. Judy was casting a gold spoon to a school of redfish, and this four pounder beat them to it. The biggest pompano of the year are always the first to arrive.
	Judy's husband Paul and one of many trophy reds on a perfect day for sight-fishing along the edge of the gulf.
	This is a shot of Alice Cheers, Bristol, VA, on a sunny but cool February 28 morning.
	My longtime fishing buddy Rocket Man came to town from Ft Collins, CO, on March 1 and finally caught the first redfish on fly for 2008.
	Erica Lee drove down from the Auburn, AL, area for a fishing break on March 2. Here she is with the first fish of the day.
	Later in the morning we moved out to the edge of the gulf to sight-fish for the big reds. Here's Erica putting some serious mojo on her first hookup.
	A very happy and victorious Erica after the hard-fought battle on light tackle.
	Erica's main squeeze Justin Proveaux also enjoyed the hot action on March 2.
	Ryan Heffernan taking a break from school in Miami with the first fish of the day on March 10.
	Here's a great shot of Ryan and her dad Robert Heffernan with the fresh catch for tonight's dinner....blackened redfish.
	Jim and Henry Emack, Birmingham, AL, found themselves in the middle of a sheepshead feeding frenzy on March 15.
	Ann Murray, Coppell, TX, and the biggest sheepshead of the year so far caught on March 16.
	John Palmer, Jackson, Mississippi, and a perfect slot redfish caught and released to the cooler on March 17.
	Tommy Porter left his bird hunting preserve in Tennessee for a day of fishing on March 18. Here's Tommy with the biggest redfish of the day. We released the fish unharmed.
	A few minutes later Tommy landed and released the first black drum of the year.
	Ellen Marsh took a break from UWF to go fishing with her dad on a rainy March 19.
	Ellen's dad Tim Marsh, Chicago, rounds out the spring photo gallery with one of many sheepshead caught and released on March 19.