Thread: How to fish the bar

I'm back. The advice i'm getting so far has been so good i am just going to keep lining up the questions. The fact that i can ask specific questions with specific geographical places in mind and get answers from people that not only know the area in question but have probably fished it as well is just fantastic.

As i mentioned in some other posts, i like to try and fish the dixey bar. It's the one place i have ever caught what (to me) was a big fish. Whether it was a bull red or regular red, i have no idea. it was the biggest i've ever caught and it made the long walk, hot sun, and long walk back all worth it. I caught that fish using a gulp shrimp on a circle hook with a 4oz pyramid sinker and fish finder rig. But i think it was just dumb luck and not as a result of good fishing. As i was standing at the end of the point, i couldn't figure out where i should be trying to actually fish the bar. I could generally see where the water was flowing south and pushing against the bar, and i tried to cast into the current and let the water move my bait towards the bar, but that didn't result in anything at all. When fishing that area, is there a particular spot to focus on (e.g. north or south of the physical bar) or a type of lure/bait/method that seems to work better? Most of the information i've seen related to the bar either refers to fishing from a boat or just mentions that you can catch big reds there, but not as much on the specifics of how to fish it.

Actually, what you did trying to fish the current, letting it carry your bait onto the bar was a solid tactic.
It is exactly what the boats are doing, but they drift over the bar.

On the Gulf side of the point, I like to fish a Carolina rigged or double drop in the trough between the beach and bar with fresh shrimp, mullet or crab.
Lots of Reds, Blacks and even occasional Jack are caught in there.
Same goes for the dropoff on the bay side of the point, put baits right at the edge and in deeper water.
Lots of puppy drum and some slot Reds run the beach in that shallow water.
Certain times of the year you can hammer Specks all along there too, live or fresh shrimp and spoons/topwaters are choice lure offerings.
The big concrete blocks at the end of Fort's parking lot walkway, they generally hold flounder around them, as does the pier/boat ramp.

Originally Posted by ChileRelleno

Actually, what you did trying to fish the current, letting it carry your bait onto the bar was a solid tactic.
It is exactly what the boats are doing, but they drift over the bar.

On the Gulf side of the point, I like to fish a Carolina rigged or double drop in the trough between the beach and bar with fresh shrimp, mullet or crab.
Lots of Reds, Blacks and even occasional Jack are caught in there.
Same goes for the dropoff on the bay side of the point, put baits right at the edge and in deeper water.
Lots of puppy drum and some slot Reds run the beach in that shallow water.
Certain times of the year you can hammer Specks all along there too, live or fresh shrimp and spoons/topwaters are choice lure offerings.
The big concrete blocks at the end of Fort's parking lot walkway, they generally hold flounder around them, as does the pier/boat ramp.

Last time we went was on the boat about 100 yards off on the bar casting from roughly the gulf side casting towards the shore on a carolina rig with a live shrimp sitting on the bottom letting the current drag it where it may. We caught many spanish that day and i even lost a king running with a school of spanish. As for the big fish, on the carolina rig, i caught a 32 in redfish, my stepdad caught a 20 pound black drum, and my tiny mom(4'11 just over 100 pounds) caught the big fish of the day, a 35 pound black drum. Big fish for a little woman. I hope this helps and good luck catching fish.

I was wondering, after all this rain, how's the fishing going on the pier? We plan on fishing Sunday just wondering what all has been biting. Thanks

gruntlife91---check out the pier reports section of the forum---dedicated specifically to your question.

Originally Posted by gruntlife91

I was wondering, after all this rain, how's the fishing going on the pier? We plan on fishing Sunday just wondering what all has been biting. Thanks

Welcome aboard Grunt, and thanks for posting.
Here is a link to todays reports and I recommend hitting the pier.
http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...3-2014-a-8350/

Originally Posted by ChileRelleno

Actually, what you did trying to fish the current, letting it carry your bait onto the bar was a solid tactic.
It is exactly what the boats are doing, but they drift over the bar.

On the Gulf side of the point, I like to fish a Carolina rigged or double drop in the trough between the beach and bar with fresh shrimp, mullet or crab.
Lots of Reds, Blacks and even occasional Jack are caught in there.
Same goes for the dropoff on the bay side of the point, put baits right at the edge and in deeper water.
Lots of puppy drum and some slot Reds run the beach in that shallow water.
Certain times of the year you can hammer Specks all along there too, live or fresh shrimp and spoons/topwaters are choice lure offerings.
The big concrete blocks at the end of Fort's parking lot walkway, they generally hold flounder around them, as does the pier/boat ramp.

Thanks Chile. Nice to know I'm not way off base in my technique. My brother in law fished those blocks for what I swear was 2 hours. he was in and around every block. But what he didn't know (and neither did I) was to fish for flounder. I think he was just casting lures and using corks.

when you get to the bar, how do you determine if you are going to try the carolina bottom rig set up, or cast lures/spoons? I was intending to use the carolina bait set up with my big combo and then use my smaller outfit for gotchas and mirrolures and spoons.

Originally Posted by AustinLuke11

Last time we went was on the boat about 100 yards off on the bar casting from roughly the gulf side casting towards the shore on a carolina rig with a live shrimp sitting on the bottom letting the current drag it where it may. We caught many spanish that day and i even lost a king running with a school of spanish. As for the big fish, on the carolina rig, i caught a 32 in redfish, my stepdad caught a 20 pound black drum, and my tiny mom(4'11 just over 100 pounds) caught the big fish of the day, a 35 pound black drum. Big fish for a little woman. I hope this helps and good luck catching fish.

the first time we fished the point we say a few boats working the area about 100 yards offshore. They were killing it. we, on the other hand, were trying our best to catch nothing but sunburn and frustration. I think I caught two catfish that day. I saw a big red cruising right up along the water's edge, but he wasn't interested in anything I could get to him.

Originally Posted by mforbesiii

Thanks Chile. Nice to know I'm not way off base in my technique. My brother in law fished those blocks for what I swear was 2 hours. he was in and around every block. But what he didn't know (and neither did I) was to fish for flounder. I think he was just casting lures and using corks.

when you get to the bar, how do you determine if you are going to try the carolina bottom rig set up, or cast lures/spoons? I was intending to use the carolina bait set up with my big combo and then use my smaller outfit for gotchas and mirrolures and spoons.

I always set out couple big bottom rigs, rigged for shark/Bull Reds and one or two double drops. Hearing about via various reports or actually seeing what others are catching, knowing what is primarily out there at what time of the year and seeing bait being chased.