Hello all,
I have a some specific questions, but a little bit of background first:
I am from central MS, but also own a place on the Tombigbee river in West central AL. I have been lurking here on and off for years, and almost every day for the last couple of weeks. I am coming down to Gulf Shores on 8/12. I have tons of freshwater experience, but little saltwater experience. I have a group of non-fishermen family members with me, so most of my fishing efforts need to be focused on the beach in the area of Sea N Suds.
I have, at my disposal, one Okuma 15 ft. surf rod, and an Okuma Avenger Baitfeeder reel. I intend to spool it with 30lb. mono. My intention is to use it for distance (obviously) fishing with live/fresh bait. I will use appropriate shock leader, etc. I have pyramid sinkers, leader material, circle hooks, swivels, etc. I have plenty of experience tying my own freshwater rigs, particularly for large catfish. I have looked at all of the resources online, and have a good understanding of what the commonly used rigs are down there. I will have a compliment of fresh shrimp, fleas, Gulp shrimp, and hopefully fresh bait to cut.
I have a 7ft. medium/heavy catfish rig, with a large spinning reel, which I also expect to use as my "2nd" bar rig, possibly rigged for pompano, etc. (I have pompano rigs and a flea rake). It is rigged with 60lb. braid (for cats), and will be sized down to an appropriate sized leader.
I have a typical 7ft. medium action spinning rig that I intend on casting spoons and plugs with. I will have an assortment of pomp jigs and shrimp to tip them with. I can also rig it with a Carolina rig as a fish finder if needed. I am primarily a bass and freshwater trout fisherman, so I like active fishing.
I also have a 7ft. mega- ultralight spinning rig, that I intend on using for bait, or if I find a school of something nice that is of appropriate size. With 4lb mono, this is actually my favorite rig to fish with when it's appropriate. I figure I will keep a small jig or Kastmaster on it.
My intention is to spike the two big rods with live bait, and work up and down the beach near them with my artificial lures.
I am leaving all of my nice baitcasters at home to keep them out of the salt.
Goals
So, at the end of the day, all that I am concerned with is action, and catching some new (to me) species. Good eating fish would be nice, but I'm not really into cleaning large messes of fish in a highrise condo environment. It would have to be really desirable meat to make me consider it. I was disappointed to find that sharking is illegal now. I understand the reasoning, but as a respectable person with common sense, I would have only done it during dark hours and wouldn't have left a trace otherwise. My family has to swim out there along with everyone else. Maybe catching rays is an idea?
Questions
First, does my compliment of gear seem to fit the goals that I have in mind? What am I missing that would be relevant to my goals of action/size over edibility?
Second, in the area where I will be (near Sea N Suds), how many sand bars are there, and how far out will I typically find each of them? Looking at the Sea N Suds webcam, there seems to be a "cut" in the beach back to the west, presumably near the Pink Pony. It looks promising, but I also see a lot of people fishing it in the morning. It's so far from the camera, that I can't tell if they are actually catching anything.
Third, what would be the best bait and hook size for the large surf rod, that I intend to get out past the 2nd or 3rd bar? Remember, I'm looking for action, not necessarily food. Should I go with larger cut bait out there, rather than fresh shrimp?
Finally, I have been watching the Sea N Suds webcam in the mornings for a couple of weeks. I notice that there aren't many fishermen out until nearly 8 AM. It seems like by the time they set up, beach goers and swimmers are coming out, so they only get a few minutes of fishing in. My typical fishing agenda consists of being out on the water, with hooks wet before daylight. Is there any reason that my philosophy is wrong in this environment? Would that be too early? Everything is a delicate balance between fishing at night and in the morning, and also spending time with my family. I would rather not waste any time that could be spent sleeping or spending time with my family.
Any advice would be appreciated. I hate to start another noob post, but you guys do seem to be quite accepting and helpful. I hope that my post indicates that I have done a good bit of research before posting. One of the saddest pieces of information that I have found here is that pier#'r is out of the business.
