Episode Five

Panama City Beach enjoys many days of warmth and sunshine, but its location isn’t immune to a cold snap every now and then. In this week’s episode, “Chilly Micro Skinny,” Capt. Justin Leake and his friend Capt. Kyle Pitts spend a winter morning aboard a micro skiff, navigating extremely shallow water in pursuit of redfish.

Capt. Leake’s new boat isn’t fancy, but it’s perfectly suited for poling the West Bay flats at low tide. “This micro skiff is specifically designed for sightfishing in super shallow water,” says Justin. “There’s really not much to it – it’s basically a giant paddleboard that doesn’t need a lot of stuff – and that’s what makes it so fun.”

Though the day starts out with below-freezing temperatures, other conditions are perfect for the micro skiff:  sunny skies, clear water and little wind. Getting to the fish is the easy part; catching them requires more skill.

“When you’re that close to the fish, you have to be smart,” says Capt. Pitts. “You have to make crazy accurate shots, you have to fish it slow and you have to really watch the fish and learn what they’re doing.”

After a successful outing with Kyle produces some nice catches, Justin returns to the flats with Capt. Travis Holeman for another round of sightfishing before stowing the rods and heading to the Panama City Beach Sports Complex to compete in a Home Run Derby.