Thread: Next 6 Days

Hi folks, my girlfriend and I have made it to Gulf Shores and what a beautiful place it is!! We will be here the next six days would anybody like to meet up and show us the ropes on fishing at the pier? As i posted in my first thread we are die hard fresh water fisherman just new to the salt.

let me know if anybody is around and wouldn't mind helping us out.

*disclaimer* my girlfriend Courtney will most likely out fish us she always does me anyways

Welcome to Gulf Shores! If you didn't bring your own gear, head to the State Park Pier, rent a couple of poles, talk to the people in the pier store for some basic advice, get some frozen shrimp (and cigar minnows if you are an early riser & want to challenge the end of the pier for Kings & Jacks), and ask some of the regulars what their using, what's biting, how they are fishing them, and when. You really need to pick your target (Kings & Jacks occasionally at the end of the pier), Spanish Mackerel, Hardtails, Bluefish, Redfish, Spadefish, Flounder, Sheephead, mangrove Snapper, all along the pier & pilings, and Whiting, Pompano, Redfish, Speckled Trout, Croakers, etc. in the shallows. You'll probably head back to the pier store or WalMart after you see what people are catching and how they fish for them - different for each area and type of fish. I usually carry a couple of King Mackerel rigs, 1 & 2 ounce pyramid sinkers, a couple of different Sabiki rigs for catching bait fish, a package of shrimp flavored Fishbites in case I need to go for pinfish when the anchovies, greenbacks, etc. (baitfish) aren't biting, a couple of Gotcha's, a bubble rig, a couple of Carolina jigs, and a couple of Pompano jigs. Normally I have a light spinning rod with 10# mono for the bait & small stuff, and a medium rig for Kings & Jacks with 20-30# mono if it is crowded, and 30# braid if it is not crowded (personal preference). If you hook large kings, bull reds, jacks, sharks, cow rays, you'll need lots of line on the reel, and may wind up breaking off whatever you've hooked - hence the spare tackle. You really need to let fish that want to run do so, because if you try to horse them to the pier, they often go under and cut you off on the barnacles. Give them resistance to tire them, but not force them to the pier. Have fun - the pier regulars are really helpful, and you will find the regular pier rats friendly.

Go to J&M on Canal Road, tell them what you are trying to do and they will set you up. They are as cheap or cheaper than WM and what you buy there will be quality stuff. Most of the regulars have always helped when I asked for it politely. Follow the rules posted on the pier, don't be a smarta__ and most everyone will help you out. Act like a jerk and they will all ignore you. I get down about once a year and you can learn a lot reading the forum and paying attention to what goes on around you. The best thing that I ever did was hire Pier#r a couple of times when he was actively guiding from the pier. Read the forum.

Yep, make J&M your first stop.
They wrote the book on customer service.

We love the pic of what must be your mobile home. Yes, go to the pier, at least once, and hang out; you won't have wasted even a minute doing it. We wonder if your home has a plaque with " Cubicle, Sweet Cubicle "? Hope y'all have fun, and have good luck.