Pensacola Fishing Report – Deep Sea / Offshore / Inshore Fishing, Specs, Reds & Flounder | Week Ending September 13, 2026
September has historically been one of the slower months for us, and this year is starting out much the same way. It isn’t necessarily the month we’d choose to slow down, but it makes sense. Kids are heading back to school, the summer vacation season is winding down, and families are settling into new routines after a busy summer.
We didn’t run any charters this week, but the boats certainly didn’t stay parked. We used the time for both offshore and inshore scouting, watching seasonal changes, checking fish movement and continuing to learn what the Gulf and local waters are telling us as we move toward fall.
Deep Sea / Offshore / Slow Pitch Jigging Fishing Charters Pensacola
We did not make any offshore trips this week.
Between the frequent mid-afternoon storms and not having a second adult available aboard, we preferred to keep the boat inshore rather than make offshore runs.
That’s simply part of how we operate. There are days when the Gulf may technically be fishable, but the combination of weather, staffing and distance from shore doesn’t make the trip worth forcing.
This week, the better decision was to keep the scouting effort focused inshore.
Saying Goodbye to Two Boats
Away from the fishing, this week also marked the end of an era for a couple of boats that have been part of our family for a long time.
We sold our Sea Fox 249 Avenger monohull deep-V offshore boat along with our Skeeter TZX190 bass boat, creating an opportunity to move forward with the next step in expanding the Double D charter fleet.
The Skeeter was especially hard to see leave.
That was the first boat Eric and I used to fish the lakes of East Texas, and there were a lot of memories tied up in that little bass boat. I was caught a little off guard when she pulled away and had one of those misty-eyed moments you don’t really expect until it happens.
Selling her made sense. The money could be put toward a more capable offshore vessel and the direction we’re trying to take the business. But practical decisions and sentimental ones don’t always line up perfectly, and it was still sad to watch her go.
We had owned the Sea Fox 249 for about three years and genuinely loved that boat as well. She served us well, but for the past couple of years we’ve been planning to move toward a catamaran for our next offshore vessel.
When both boats sold, the timing suddenly came together.
A Trip To Wilmington NC
Eric and I had already found a boat that had our attention, so we made the drive to Wilmington, North Carolina, to take a closer look at a 2023 Twin Vee 260 GFX.
The trip gave us a chance to inspect the boat in person and take her out for a sea trial. It turned out to be the right call. The boat checked enough of the boxes we had been looking for that we left a deposit and headed home to finish lining up the funds needed to complete the purchase.
After a couple of years of thinking about a catamaran, planning around it and waiting for the right opportunity, it finally felt like the pieces were starting to fall into place.
A Little Time in the Rockies
After the sea trial, but before delivery of the next Mermaid, Capt. Paul had a vacation already planned out west.
The trip included time in Denver and Estes Park, a bit of a family reunion, and the chance to watch my nephew participate in the 62nd annual Colorado Scottish Highland Games.
It was a great trip and a welcome break from the Florida summer, even if it only lasted a week.
Inshore Fishing Charters Pensacola
While Capt. Paul was away, Capt. Eric kept plugging away at the inshore waters and tracking the seasonal changes we’ve been watching over the past couple of weeks.
The encouraging part is that the trend continues to improve.
The trout and redfish movement appears to be continuing, and we’re still putting extra emphasis on locating flounder and refining the rigs and presentations that give us the best chance of catching them consistently.
That’s why we keep scouting during slower charter periods. We want to know what the fish are doing before we begin actively encouraging customers to book those trips.
Looking Ahead
So while this wasn’t a week filled with charter trips, it was still an important one for Double D Fishing Charters of NW Florida.
Capt. Eric kept the inshore scouting moving forward, the seasonal trends continued to improve, and we took a major step toward bringing another vessel into the fleet.
The next chapter was beginning to take shape.
Captain Paul & Captain Eric
Double D Fishing Charters of NW Florida
Pensacola/Gulf Breeze/Navarre/Pensacola Beach/Milton/Pace
To see pictures of some of our catches, visit our social media pages:
