Thread: After the storm..

Do any fish that are not normally found around the pier ever show up after a big storm event? I remember sometimes big bluefish and the occasional keeper grouper would turn up at the pier in Mexico Beach, Fla after a big storm or a hurricane. Just curious if it ever happens at GS?

I've seen a few 'strays' over the years.
But anyone who has been around GS/OBch for more than 30 years remembers what happened after hurricane "Elena" in Sept 1985...

After stalling for several days off the Big Bend area of Florida the re energized storm belined this way and crossed the west end of Dauphin Island with 100 mph winds.
The waves and currents generated pulled millions of gag grouper off the West Florida Escarpment and deposited them along the Alabama coast.
For weeks (til after Thanksgiving) folkses caught grouper like nothing ever seen before or since.

Thanks #'r. That would be the time frame for the grouper, it was in the early '90's when the 20lb bluefish showed up.

We caught our first bluefish on our honeymoon, fishing Perdido Pass one afternoon. 5.6,7, lbs. Carolyn caught the first one, barely hoisted it over the rail. I lipped it and went to pick it up to show everyone, and began screaming like a child, scared sheetless. Then I did a bad thing. I slung that fish off with all my strength and it 'bout shredded my thumb. Did not open it's mouth. I never have done that again.

It was in '91, btw.

I was in FWB in 1985, but I recall in the 90's I think, I lived in Fairhope, a hurricane came pretty close to GS and the grouper were all up in the pass area, between the jetties, it was boat to boat, you could walk across the boats from one jetty to the other there were so many boats! But from my experience, after a storm the sharks are all over!