I go there a few times a year. R&R for sure. Usually drive out to the end of the island on weekdays, very few want to pay the $15 entry. Fine with me. Relaxing, but can give you a feeling of isolation which isn't always that bad. The other down is that it's 25mph speed limit and enforced, and with 25mph it takes forever to get to the end. And there's nothing out there to speak of, other than an old fort.
Seen the blues fly many many times over there. Always a good show.
I always try to get Capt. Dewberry to give me (or us) a trip out to sea for some dinner, and we're never disappointed. Yes it costs. Yes it's worth it. 2 year ago I got the biggest I've ever had, 51lb red snapper. The very next day, in almost the same place, another gentleman from Alabama hung a BIG sailfish. This year we went and the sharks were eating our catch before we got it to the boat. Still managed a few mingo's and a few smaller amberjack's.
If you guys have never been saltwater fishing try it. If in Pensacola area, look up Fish Frenzy Charters. Super cool guy, smaller boat, one-on-one. I fished with another charter out of Orange Beach three years ago, 48' boat, had about 18 anglers on board and while fun, it was work, and it was also not as relaxing. With Capt Dewberry, it was myself, my soon-to-be FIL, and the captain on a 26' boat, plenty of room to move around, talk amongst ourselves, etc. The bad, a 26' boat is much more "bouncy", although it was no big deal to me, it was more of a big deal to my soon-to-be FIL. He had a little issue with his knees, they are bad anyway and moving around a bobbing boat is considerably tougher for him. We rode about 9 miles or so to sea, there is nothing to be seen anywhere but water. About 120' water depth, we were reeling in triggerfish by the dozens, snapper of all kinds (black, mangrove, lane, red), amberjacks, a few suckers, and a few mackerel on topwater. You're reeling fish out of 90-100 foot of water with a pound of weight on it, the fish are decent sized (5-50 lbs), they do not give up. I was using a chicken rig with minners and several times had two triggerfish on the line. Triggerfish is like a giant bluegill, and they fight like a giant bluegill too. It is a TON of fun, and if you are not in shape like me, after 4 hours of fishing (or catching) you will be worn out. They clean the fish for you, they bait your hooks (I prefer to bait my own), they tell you were to drop your baits, all you do is fish and catch. Great experience and exactly why I go back as often as I do. I do some crappie fishing locally and it's usually tightlining a minner with a BB size weight in 15-50' of water. Fun. Same deal out in the gulf, but the fish are 10x the size, the bait is 5x the size, and the "lake" is deeper and clearer. You can see a fish 50' down, if you're fishing in 50' of water you can watch them attack your bait. Try it sometime.
If you're fishing with cap dewberry, he docks at the little marina which is RIGHT behind the best restaurant on the island. They clean your catch, you take it inside and tell 'em how you want them done. Absolutely delicious! The only thing I don't care for is the bar, they get a little loud sometimes. I don't drink and don't care to be around it, but I also understand everyone's different....you can have them cook your catch while you sit at the bar and have a beer, and they actually kind of encourage it. I had a glass of tea 3 weeks ago while waiting. The Spanish Mackerel came out superb and wasn't that expensive to have 'em make a meal out of it.
