Thread: Fishing x-mas to new years

Originally Posted by garymbra

Man that sounds great! I dont care what I catch just love to fish! What would the rig be? We have surf rods, but what line test, and bait is best?

Surf fishing or off the pier? Live shrimp or fresh dead and fishbites works well for a lot of species. I've got 16 pound test on my large reels and 10 and 8 on my light stuff. Size 6 or 4 hooks for whiting and pompano.

6-7' medium action spinning rods with 8# is all you need for whiting, croakers, specs, pompano, sheepshead & slot reds. An 8' or 9' heavier rod with a reel capable of holding 250 yards+ of 14# test will be handy in case the bull reds show up.
Other stuff includes a cart to transport your stuff, a bucket, a cooler, tackle bag with hooks (I use #4 for whiting & sheepies), #1 for slot reds, 2x or 4x strong #4 or #2 trebles for bull reds, jacks & kings ), egg sinkers & bank sinkers from 1/4 to 3 oz, swivels (small matte black ones), 12# flouro for leaders, maybe some 50# mono for bull red leaders, pliers, fillet knife, old towel, some Fishbites in pink, white and orange, shades, hat & sunscreen. Probably a thermos full of hot beverage too.

Well that is great info, thank you all. But fish bites? Is this like a power bait? After looking into my reservation further, I'm several miles away from the pier. We're directly on the ocean tho, so most of my fishing will be surf. Although we will drive to the pier from time to time. how about the tide? Do you fish low or high? Thanks again, I'm in Cleveland Ohio(walleye capital of the world) but we don't have tides here. If anybody ever comes up north hit me up.(Also if you had to choose morning or evening at the pier what would be best?

Fishbites are a scented bait. I like the incoming (rising) tide for whiting but I only get down there about 6 to 8 times a year so when I do get there I try and fish as much as possible, when the tide is low I usually cast further out and when it's up I cast closer in but I'm not sure if that's the correct thing to do. I get to the pier early in the morning then usually go eat lunch and maybe take a nap and then go back and catch the evening bite. Both times seem better then mid day but not always.

Pinkie nail size pieces of fishbites (it has an embedded fabric so it is scissors-tough) accompanying finger-tip size bits of really fresh shrimp (think of shrimp which were wiggling in the bucket before being sacrificed). FB holds the bait on and is harder for bait-stealers so you don't end up washing a bare hook in the ocean. The combo does better then either alone. Walleye-size jigs tipped with either FB or shrimp also work for flounder, specks, or other inshore fish.

thanks, are the jigs for surf fishing or the pier?

Either, but working a jig from the pier requires different timing. More like a slow deep-lift for walleyes or sauger in a river-hole. A jig (or I like a pair of jigs) for beach is more like a swim jig but with some vertical action. The sand-puffs are signal to predators of stupid prey too busy to notice danger.

If your a Veteran its free to walk out on the pier to see whats going on, to fish they take 3 bucks off the fishing fee, but you need a fishing licesnse,if your are not over 64 AND from Alabama, they have one for pier only or one for surf, piers, and boats.... ask at the pier.

I just got back from a week in Pascagoula. I caught many small fish. Mostly rockfish, ground mullet, and one shell cracker. All caught on an ultralight with 6 lb test. Sometime all I used for tackle was a #4 circle hook. No weight. Also caught numerous crabs. They were bait-stealing pests.
I did catch this fish around midnight on 12/6 at the Pascagoula River Park. I used cut mullet for bait. Been fishing four days and I was beginning to get discouraged. This fish made my trip worthwhile. Even though I wanted some fish to eat I let it go. It was too big for me!
I also got an up close view of a dolphin or porpoise at the Point Park. It looked just like Flipper from the old TV show. It surfaced about 50 feet in front of me, and it gave me quite a thrill. We don't have Flipper fish in Illinois. (I caught the big fish on my heavy rod with 30 lb test line.)