Line and Gear Help?

Howdy All -
I'm looking for some advice. I will be coming down to Gulf State Park campground the first week in April. I have never been to AL to go fishing. I'm from Ohio (I know "damn Yankee") and I fish Lake Erie and many of our impounded reservoirs and rivers, but my true passion is any kind of saltwater. I can't afford fancy fishing trips on boats or prestigious resorts so I surf fish, pier fish or bridge fish whenever I can on small camping trips to Florida or South Carolina. I am really excited to come to Gulf Shores, off all the different places I've fished I have never found a more active and helpful site as this. The information and pix here are amazing and can really get a guy jonesing to get some sand between their toes. I am always about just catching fish and will eat just about anything edible that I can cook in an electric skillet or over the fire. So here are the questions I have;

1) What species are usually caught from the pier or beach in early April?

2) I have a Calcutta 400, small Penn 9 Level Wind and a Penn 209 Level Wind. Both Penn’s I usually keep mono on them with heavier test (40lb) on the big one, 20lb on the small one and power pro 30lb green braid on the Calcutta. They need fresh line and am asking for your suggestions on what to spool them with before I get there? I have some 20lb and 40lb flouro leader.

3) I don't have a very good large spinning rod/reel but I can cast my Calcutta real well, should I have a spinning rod/reel on the pier?

I figure I'll bring my walleye spinning setup for catching bait or whiting’s. I will get there on Monday after Easter early afternoon, get the camp set up and head to the pier to see what’s happening and then head for the local tackle shop for necessities.

Can I buy my SW license online or at the pier? Where is the best place?

These are the only questions I have so far but I'm sure I'll come up with some more before we start packing up the tent and gear. Thank you all for having this awesome forum and thanks in advance for all of your help.


Eric

The answers to all your questions can be found in General Fishing.

Thanks John, so I should re-post this in the general fishing topic?

[quote author=bucknuts link=topic=2796.msg25214#msg25214 date=1362331689]
1) What species are usually caught from the pier or beach in early April?[/quote]
Danged near anything common to inshore waters.
King & Spanish, Cobia, Specks, Sheepies, Reds, Jacks, sharks/rays and more.

Quote:

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2) I have a Calcutta 400, small Penn 9 Level Wind and a Penn 209 Level Wind. Both Penn’s I usually keep mono on them with heavier test (40lb) on the big one, 20lb on the small one and power pro 30lb green braid on the Calcutta. They need fresh line and am asking for your suggestions on what to spool them with before I get there? I have some 20lb and 40lb flouro leader.

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The Calcutta should be fine for casting from the pier, with 12-20#, and for the surf too.
The level winds aren't great casters, but would do well for bottom fishing or bait rods, with 10-15#

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3) I don't have a very good large spinning rod/reel but I can cast my Calcutta real well, should I have a spinning rod/reel on the pier?

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You don't have to have spinning gear, but it could make for great excuse for a new rod/reel :evil:

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I figure I'll bring my walleye spinning setup for catching bait or whiting’s.

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That Walleye setup should suffice for almost anything but the big boys, e.g. Kings, Jacks and Bull Reds.

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Can I buy my SW license online or at the pier? Where is the best place?

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J&M tackle can meet all your needs, rods/reels, tackle, licenses... One stop gear shop.

No need to re-post.The members of this forum answer these basic questions time and time again.As Dive Deep put it "there's a thousand years of experience" in the old threads.All you have to do is look at the topics that interest you.

Thanks for the reply Chile! I have enjoyed some of your other posts as well. Also I agree about the Liberty Tree, I should probably stay home and buy more ammo but I have to go to the salt at least once a year. I have a feeling that Gulf Shores might become my goto campground. Can you suggest any good bbq joints in the area, we love brisquit? or does everyone do ribs?

Thight lines,

Eric

There will be 60lbs of beef brisket at the pier picnic April 27th.

There's a place pretty close in orange beach called Mo's BBQ, its just a couple of miles from the campground to the east. Other places for BBQ would be Downsouth off of county rd 10 in foley, and there's a newer one called Hog Wild in Gulf Shores right off Hwy 59 by all the surf shops, and touristy stuff.

Hog Wild has really good brisket

[quote author=john g link=topic=2796.msg25221#msg25221 date=1362335757]
There will be 60lbs of beef brisket at the pier picnic April 27th.
[/quote]

As well as jambalaya for 40

[size=12pt]Here ya go Buck, these links and posts shoud get ya started! 8)

LINKS
LOCAL TIPS, TRICKS and TERMINOLOGY for FORUM MEMBERS
http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...-members-only/[/size]

[size=12pt]SW Fish Limits
http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishin...ations/limits/

What’s Biting Chart IMAGE CODE
[img width=720 height=634]http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g446/finchaser1/Forum%20Only/Biting.jpg[/img]

FLOUNDER POSTS
Catching Flounder
“They like to hang out around structures and drop-offs.
Live bull minnows (or finger mullet) drug on the bottom would be your best technique.
But you can catch them on grubs too.
I like the 3" New Penny colored Gulp Shrimp on a 1/4 ounce jig head.
But a 1/2 ounce jig with a strip of FRESH cut bait is an 'old school' trick that still works well in pinch ;-)
Carolina Rig with live Shrimp, live bull minnows (or finger mullet) works well too if the Pinfish aren’t too thick.”
…Pier#r

Finger Mullet
http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...cseen#msg11932

KING FISHING POSTS
Here are some older posts that may be helpful to you.

REPOST FROM JUNE 2012 regarding Kings
Here’s my two cents worth, hope it is helpful:
If you are fishing on bottom the likelihood of a King is reduced but not out of the question.
For Kings, most people use a 7’ or 8’ medium or med/hvy weight rod and spinning reel with a smooth strong drag that will hold 300 to 350 yds of MONO line. 15# and 16# mono are the most popular line weights. Use the smallest 35# to 50# black swivel you can find; J & M in OB can fix you up with anything you can’t find at home. Get some 27# to 30# wire leader, some use single strand and some sevenstrand or surfstrand. Hooks are #2 or #4 bronze 4X treble hooks. Snobbled frozen cigs and free lining live bait caught at the pier both work for Kings.

Here are a few earlier posts from General Fishing that may be of help.[/size]

[quote author=TopPop link=topic=1164.msg11447#msg11447 date=1337540776]
[size=10pt]You can catch Reds on same rig as for Kings. But there is also bottom fishing for Reds, just add a weight, maybe use 40 or 60 # mono leader instead of wire.
For Kings 15 20# test mono line then a wire leader and #2 or 4 treble hook. Use tiny black swivels to connect leader and hook, at least 20# seven strand wire leader or about 30# single wire, brown or bronze also bronze hook. ( I add a float about 3 to 5 feet up from hook with live lys. Use LYs for bait or dead cigar minnows. I've seen those wal-mart specials catch king (sometimes) the green float black leader beads and hook.[/size]
[/quote]

[quote author=CarlF link=topic=1092.msg10596#msg10596 date=1336657769]
[size=10pt]For kings, I like single strand Malin wire in 25-40# test, #4 4xx strong treble hooks and black swivels. I normally use a float, which some guys dont like, but I do. You'll need a little stouter rod, ~7-8', with a spinning reel that can hold 250yards+ of 15-20# line. You can get cheap ones at Wally-world or buy great ones at J&M that will cost a little more but hold up a lot better over the long run.
Get some sabiki rigs and a ribbon rig to catch baitfish.

Once again, when you go out there, observe and ask questions before jumping in. Heck, if the bite is hot, some guys will even hand off a rod to let you learn how to fight a fish..
This is the friendliest pier on the Gulf, almost everyone is willing to help you out, especially if you ask first and cast second![/size]
[/quote]

[size=12pt]http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com/general-discussion/king-leader/

http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...cussion/kings/[/size]
[quote author=CarlF link=topic=1092.msg10596#msg10596 date=1336657769]
[size=10pt]Once again, when you go out there, observe and ask questions before jumping in. Heck, if the bite is hot, some guys will even hand off a rod to let you learn how to fight a fish..
This is the friendliest pier on the Gulf, almost everyone is willing to help you out, especially if you ask first and cast second![/size]
[/quote]

[size=12pt]WIRE LEADERS

http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com.../wire-leaders/

DRH’s Double Wire Lure Leader
http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...ded-wire-size/

http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...-with-yo-zuri/

http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...ff-archive%29/

http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...-king-fishing/

LINE INFO LINKS:
http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com/general-discussion/help-needed-fishing-line!!!/

http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...r-to-the-pier/

http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...mono-or-braid/

http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...est-mono-line/[/size]

Divedeep you might need more than enough for 40 :eat: :eat: :eat:
I've had it and it is great.