Thread: Spanish in the surf?

I caught both of these on the beach March 18th in the rain. The surf was exceptionally rough and the wind was howling from the south. The Spanish hit a pompano jig and the sheepshead ate a ghost shrimp on a pompano rig. I had NEVER caught either from the beach, but I have caught Spanish on live shrimp under a float in Perdido pass.

I have seen them in the Lagoon more than once in the last couple years

Originally Posted by CarlF

You can, as long as you are outside GSP

In OB or GS, you can as long as you don't chum or "create a danger to others" or something like that.

On Fort Morgan you are fine.

Thanks Carl, exactly that ^^.
No chumming of any kind from the beach.
Any... Any fishing from shore, not just Sharking, can be perceived as a danger or hindrance to beachgoers or swimmers.
This is not Florida where the fisherman has the laws on his side, in AL it's the exact opposite.
And the regulation is written so loosely that any bait on your hook can be construed as chumming and get you kicked off the beach and or fined.

Simply stay away from busy beaches, don't argue with any assholes just pack/move, be unobtrusive and polite, or fish at morning/night.
Miles of deserted beaches come dinner time and later.

I shark the beach regularly, never had an issue with the law.
Just be smart and considerate.

I've caught small Spanish (not really big enough to keep) from the pass at Little Lagoon a couple of times. I was throwing small spoons through schools of baitfish, and caught a variety of things that day...this was at least 5 years ago.

I caught a small Spanish a year or two ago from the beach at Gulf Shores while casting spoons from the 1st sandbar, but again, it was small and not worth keeping.

I have seen them schooling past the 2nd sandbar, but I'm never in a position to wade that far when they've come by.

If I was to target Spanish from the beach, I would rig up at least a one oz egg sinker with a trailing Clarke spoon or something similar and target any unusual activity I see beyond the breakers such as roughed up water or better yet birds hovering over the water. I would wade out at least knee deep and throw the rig as far out as you can get it and reel it in as fast as you can. I have seen guys catching Spanish off the ends of piers with that set up so I know it works.

I fished the first sandbar on 5/5 and 5/6 about 13 miles west of the pier. The water was almost flat at the time with very little wave action and was very clear. I caught several nice spanish using a bubble rig with a straw. Also caught 3 nice pompano with same set up. The man staying in the house beside me waded out near me and fished with a popping cork and live shrimp and caught several nice spanish as well. The water was so nice I could actually see large schools of spanish as they approached me on the sandbar. Other than a close encounter with a very curious shark it was an absolute blast!

I actually saw one this weekend at mobile st. I think he was lost though, he was by himself swimming parallel to the beach about 3ft off the sand. He hit my swimbait twice but never got the hook. Ruined my flounder bait though.