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Butcherpen Cove

Santa Rosa County, Florida. Butcherpen Cove ends in Gulf Breeze, Florida. 2156140.37 miles (3469972.64 sq kilometers)

About The Butcherpen Cove

About Butcherpen Cove, FL

Butcherpen Cove is a saltwater bay on Pensacola Bay in Santa Rosa County. It is just a mile away from the sophisticated city of Gulf Breeze, whose land area has dedicated almost half to parks and playgrounds. Naval Live Oaks Nature Preserve, also known as Deer Point Plantation, a nearby seashore forest community, is the first federal tree farm bought by the United States government in 1828. When boating from the Butcherpen Cove, a 3-mile Pensacola Bay Highway Bridge is in the view.

Santa Rosa is a booming country with a lot of interesting opportunities to do for locals and for visitors. Apart from fishing, people do hiking, camping and climbing, as nature is one thing close to people even in sophisticated cities like Gulf Breeze. The area is kids, family, and community friendly. Navarre Family Watersports also offer fun activities such as cruises, kayaking, paddling, miniature golf. Divers who wish to take some marine life are also allowed as long as they obtain the necessary permits and licenses. 

Butcherpen Cove Fishing Description

All About Fishing in Butcherpen Cove, FL

Butcherpen Cove might seem shallow, but inshore fishing is known in the bay. The cove shares marine life with Pensacola Bay and both have rich ecosystems with healthy fish growth and competition. Some of the best catches in the cove are spotted weakfish, catfish, bluefish, black drum, red snapper, Spanish mackerel, sheepshead, redfish, and flounder. Bluefish are fast and eat by chasing a school of fish. They eat sardine, anchovy, or squid. Although rarely, inshore lizardfish can also be found on the cove with the right gear and some luck. They lurk in the ocean floor to ambush their prey and are best lured by crabs and shrimps. Sometimes, small stingrays surprise anglers too by being visible along the shoreline.

As other bays, it is best to do drifting and fly fishing in the Butcherpen Cove. Anglers also tend to use spinning reels, especially when catching some big spotted weakfish, especially as they grow in the cove up to almost 30 inches. A 7-foot rod with a baitcaster reel is also ideal when angling in the Butcherpen Cove. Spearfishing can also be done in the cove, even though it is unpopular. Mud minnows are also caught in the bay, making it favorable for anglers to catch live ones and have them as bait when angling. Shrimps are also good bait in the cove, especially as live ones. In some cases, anglers try and experiment on lures like gold metal spoons. 

Butcherpen Cove Seasonal & Other Description

Fishing Seasonality

January through May is a great season to catch some sheepshead, snapper, grouper, spotted weakfish, and redfish in the Butcherpen Cove. Although, during Spring is the peak time to bag some sheepshead and redfish. Flounder make their way back to the cove around May and anglers may expect more of them around this month. June and July are prime months to get big red snapper. Spanish mackerel are plentiful from July to September. 

Butcherpen Cove’s weather gets coolest during January where it hits an average of 42.7 degrees Fahrenheit and hottest during July where it hits an average of 90.7 degrees Fahrenheit.

Temperature and Optimal Seasons

Fishing Seasonality

January through May is a great season to catch some sheepshead, snapper, grouper, spotted weakfish, and redfish in the Butcherpen Cove. Although, during Spring is the peak time to bag some sheepshead and redfish. Flounder make their way back to the cove around May and anglers may expect more of them around this month. June and July are prime months to get big red snapper. Spanish mackerel are plentiful from July to September. 

Butcherpen Cove’s weather gets coolest during January where it hits an average of 42.7 degrees Fahrenheit and hottest during July where it hits an average of 90.7 degrees Fahrenheit.

Butcherpen Cove Fish Species

All About Fishing in Butcherpen Cove, FL

Butcherpen Cove might seem shallow, but inshore fishing is known in the bay. The cove shares marine life with Pensacola Bay and both have rich ecosystems with healthy fish growth and competition. Some of the best catches in the cove are spotted weakfish, catfish, bluefish, black drum, red snapper, Spanish mackerel, sheepshead, redfish, and flounder. Bluefish are fast and eat by chasing a school of fish. They eat sardine, anchovy, or squid. Although rarely, inshore lizardfish can also be found on the cove with the right gear and some luck. They lurk in the ocean floor to ambush their prey and are best lured by crabs and shrimps. Sometimes, small stingrays surprise anglers too by being visible along the shoreline.

As other bays, it is best to do drifting and fly fishing in the Butcherpen Cove. Anglers also tend to use spinning reels, especially when catching some big spotted weakfish, especially as they grow in the cove up to almost 30 inches. A 7-foot rod with a baitcaster reel is also ideal when angling in the Butcherpen Cove. Spearfishing can also be done in the cove, even though it is unpopular. Mud minnows are also caught in the bay, making it favorable for anglers to catch live ones and have them as bait when angling. Shrimps are also good bait in the cove, especially as live ones. In some cases, anglers try and experiment on lures like gold metal spoons.