Thread: Best all around finesse jig/lure/bait for fishing pier columns ???

Share what you think is the best all around finesse jig/lure/bait for fishing pier columns.
It can be jigs, lures, live bait, etc.
Gear, tackle and presentation appreciated.
Any type of fish from the shallows to the south end - whatever you like fishing for the best. Casting for Spanish is fun but sometimes I just like to slow down and see what bites around the columns.
I've had good luck with Looney jigs with a strip of cut bait/belly meat and also with small live bait (whatever I can catch on a sabiki) on a small hook with just enough weight to get it to the bottom. Spinning reel with medium or medium/heavy rod.

Thanks in advance for sharing!

Live shrimp......................

LevelWind - live shrimp...whole, peeled, separated? What presentation? Thanks!

Originally Posted by tmgrimm3

LevelWind - live shrimp...whole, peeled, separated? What presentation? Thanks!

I bet he is using them whole and unpeeled, otherwise they would be DEAD Shrimp. LOL! Sorry, I couldn't resist.

What species are you targeting (is my question to a person wanting to know what to use for bait)? If it's sheepshead, I like fiddler crabs. Shrimp are going to get eaten during the summer by pinfish and other such bait-stealers. If it's flounder, I'd recommend bull minnows dragged on the bottom for the same reason. If it's spadefish, I like really small shrimp-pieces dropped amongst them while they're feeding on jellyfish. Just freeline it, with a small #8 hook. If the pinfish won't let you use shrimp, then try "FishBites". Is it redfish? Try cut pinfish or cut "LY" (scaled sardine). I fish it, fiddler crabs and bull minnows on a Carolina rig with about a 1/2 oz. egg sinker and 20 pound mono line for reds (because reds aren't characteristically line-shy).


The description, "pier columns" is a very appropriate one and is well used when discussing pilings. Just so OTHER people will know, the pier is held up by pilings, or as you stated, pier columns.

"PYLON":

It's the flexible orange marker at the corners of the end zone on a football field.

Live shrimp, small(#10) treble, maybe a split shot, on the Pensacola Pier, iffn the shrimp gets past the pinfish and other bait stealers, I have caught nice mangroves,also caught snappers that look like red snapper but have a blue ;line through their eye, locals called them dog snapper.

Tuck, you are correct, the do not live very long, something eats them FAST

Originally Posted by TUCK

I bet he is using them whole and unpeeled, otherwise they would be DEAD Shrimp. LOL! Sorry, I couldn't resist.

You've got me there TUCK. LOL!

Thanks eym_sirius

tmgrim...one other thing that I also use...usually fishing bridges instead of piers is a 1/4 oz. jighead(red) with a 3" nuclear chicken Gulp shrimp. It catches lots of fish especially on light line...catch flounder, specks, mangroves, ladysish, pinfish..of course...and the Gulp holds up way better than a live shrimp