Thread: Saltwater Fishing Noob coming to Gulf Shores in late June....

Might think about carrying your new equipment back home also. So if you buy while you're down make sure you have room to get it home. Or you may have to leave someone there.

Thankfully we are taking 2 vehicles down, a sedan I'll be renting and my parents 2013 Durango which will fit everything (including my kids! Gotta love a 1000 mile drive with just the wife). Space should not be an issue. I think I will take all of yor advice and go to J and M the day we arrive. Any thoughts on wether we shod save some money and just get the pier permit/license versus getting pier/full saltwater? As I have said before this is all new to me. Is there much difference between surf fishing and pier fishing?

thanks again


mike

if you plan to fish anywhere else you will need the full salt water license, that is all your choice....depends where your staying too, if right on the beach that would be close....I don't care for the beach fishing personally, the sand is so fine it gets into everything and hard to rinse out..... and just love the pier and people, what you can see over the water is so different then standing level with it on the beach
my drive is 850 miles

You need a cart of some sort with rod holders to get everthing out there and back. Cooler, tackle, box, aerated minnow bucket, etc. I usually come that week every year as well. Flounder, specs, and spanish will be the most plentiful that week. A few whiting and pompano will still be around in the surf. Spinning tackle with a Carolina rig with #12 fluorocarbon will suffice for any of the above.

We are staying in the cabins on Shelby Lake at the state park (definitely getting a freshwater license). Gonna have to track down a cart, might just use the kids wagon...

I spent the biggest part of my first day just watching and asking questions. the locals are more than willing to help if you are willing to listen.

A cheap hand truck from Walmart makes a good cart, and you can use it to move stuff around when back home. I am still using one I bought back in 1991.
Bring a good sharp fillet knife, needle nose pliers and buy a rubberize orange fish cleaning glove from J&M, almost all saltwater fish has sharp fins, gill plates and teeth!
If you have kids, fishing from the beach with a light Carolina rig & fresh dead shrimp is hard to beat, when they get bored, they can go swimming or build sand castles.
If you want to fish for kings, buy a 2-piece rod, makes traveling easier.
I haven't fished Lake Shelby but it is stocked with shellcrackers, bluegill, bass & catfish. Also there are redfish in there. There is also now a pile of eel grass along the shorelines, I bet the outer, deeper edges would be the place to catch bluegills & shellcrackers.

I use the red fold up wagon from SAMs club. Put my cooler and tackle in it. I made a rod holder out of plywood and PVC and bungee cord it to my cooler. Works good because it folds up for traveling.

Originally Posted by Nimakdm

We are staying in the cabins on Shelby Lake at the state park (definitely getting a freshwater license). Gonna have to track down a cart, might just use the kids wagon...

This one was used once and is for sale. It has an 800lb capacity and can be used for gardening, firewood and working around the house. I am coming down June 22-29th or you could pick it up in Athens, Alabama (right on I-65) on your way down.

So what's a shellcracker? I recognize all the other fish types besides it. Does fishing in alligator waters change anything?

Great point about surf fishing while kids play. I had not thought about that!

Cart rat looks very nice but I would have no way getting it home. We don't even know if we can fit the kids wagon.