Thread: Piers other than Gulf State Park (as well as surf fishing)?

If you had to choose a different pier in the Gulf Coast other than "The Pier" what would they be? Any of them better? I know it all depends on what your looking to catch and at what time of year, but also considering the friendliness of the locals. Still most likely planning a Gulf Shores expedition but would like to keep all options open since I would be most likely traveling solo, which opens up more possibilities. Also keeping in mind surf fishing...

I know this is a bit of a travesty on this site, I'm sorry. LOL!

I've fished the Okoloosa island pier before and it is pretty nice. The people on the pier are pretty friendly.
I would recommend it.

Hey BDL1969,
I'm a yankee too, so I ain't skeert to talk wit ya. The road you need is I65 North.

No man I'm just kidding. Those are the only directions that a true southerner would give to a yankee.

The wife and I are heading down to Mexico Beach FL for spring break. There is a little pier there. We are going to fish the surf on the St Joe peninsula and prolly other places because we are bringing our dog with us. Navarre has the longest pier in the Gulf. There is always something going on there. Never been there but its big..................
I'm a beach guy. Just go down the beach at low tide and look for structure. Fish it as the tide comes in with good fresh bait and at different distances from beach. You don't hook up move to one of the other places you saw while it was low tide. Talk to the locals. You see the guy with Iowa license plates bowed up all the time................see what he is using for bait and he will prolly give you one or two of the river rigs he ties...................If your not lucky and his wife and daughter don't give him a dirty look he will talk to you about fishing all day..........
Just got a new pomp rod and I'm dying to try it out...... 11 ft CPS 2-5 once........
Good luck

I have fished every pier from Gulf shores to Panama City and I must say that if I were to choose any other pier besides Gulf shores it would be the County pier in PC. They don't have the array of species we see in Gulf Shores, but the locals are probably the second friendliest on the coast.

Hey DantheJDman, We stayed in Mexico Beach last year, Jan. & Feb. fished the canal going into the harbor and caught a lot of whitting, the best place was under the East side of the bridge going into St. Joe for drum and 100 to 150 yds So. of the bridge for Specks. The Pier didn't do anything for us during that time, a few whitting in the skinny water, but the locals where talking about catching a lot of sheeps in March. Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!!

Thanks Dan! From one yankee to another....

Is there that much difference in the water temps.from Mexico Beach to Gulf Shores ?

When you have to drive 18 hours to the beach there is not a lot of difference between Gulf Shores and Mexico Beach.

Mexico beach is pretty laid back and the pace is a lot slower than at the red neck Riviera. I mean that in a loving way we have been to Gulf Shores a bunch of times when we lived in Tennessee. And hey we are going to bring the dog. He is part of the family. We are going to try and train him to find sand fleas in the surf.........................When he sees us digging them out he will prolly figure out what we are after. Train him to bark when he sees a rod banging down.

Thanks for the info Flyguy. We will keep that information in mind.

The last time we were in Mexico beach we were escaping the rath of Sandy.
We had a condo rented and a bay fishing trip planned and got to Virginia Beach on the 28th of October and Sandy hit the 29th. We bailed and headed to Florida the same day we got there. Said hi to our son and said we don't need to be part of this disaster and headed out. VB had 100 mph winds forecast.
We pulled up to the condo we were supposed to stay at and the traffic light blew off the pole and landed in the street.
I caught some nice red fish off the beach at the peninsula park didn't get much time at it though.
Caught some croakers off the pier in Mexico Beach and a small shark. We had a good time. I've learned a lot more about surf fishing since then and have some better gear.
See you on the sand. Sometimes the planks.
DAN

My experience the last 41/2 years, for what it worth. Port Aransas, Tx. for three years. The first year, tons of redfish, one time I fished for 2 hrs. and caught a red on every cast then ran out of shrimp. The next 2 years they were hit by the Red Tide, NOTHING!!!!! For the Bride, shopping was 30 miles to Corpus or 10 miles to Aransas Pass by ferry. Last year Mexico Beach, fishing O.K., I would usually get something every time I went out. Shopping for the bride, terrible, they had to go to Panama City through Tyndall AFB at 45 mph. A 1 hour trip. This year at GS, the fishing has not been good so far, but it is an easy place to fish, and the people are GREAT!!!! Some of the locals are very colorful and full of BS. But that is an important part of it. Shopping!!!!! the Brides are in Heaven. Plan to be back next year, if you guys let come back.