Fished the pier a few times and fishing off a dock on Fort Morgan. It is pretty obvious that I need an education. Is there someone that offers instruction and guide for fishing.
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Fished the pier a few times and fishing off a dock on Fort Morgan. It is pretty obvious that I need an education. Is there someone that offers instruction and guide for fishing.
Pier#r here on the forum is one of the best if you can book him
Macman, your in the same spot many others find themselves. Most regulars were self taught after several years and $ spent through trial and error to figure what rigs and bait etc to use and how to fish them. I think your getting some good advice from Coach on help from Pier#'r. He's patient and knowledgable and will get you headed in the right direction.
i wish I had gone that route when I first started as I know Coach does too. We've got it down now, but it would have been a lot shorter learning curve with Pier#'rs help!
Good fishing...
So am I reading this correctly? Pier#'r and possibly others are available for hire as guides for pier fishing. If so, count me in, I'll be back down next weekend if the weather permits it.
Unfortunately, Pier#r is pretty much retired from the guide business. You can PM him and see if he might be available. He is the only shore guide I know of. There is a huge amount of "book learning" available here on the forum if you research the search feature, but it can be hard sometimes to know what questions to ask. Best of luck.
That's unfortunate, as they say "a picture is worth a thousand words". ThanksQuote:
Originally Posted by Haywire
The Search feature on each page is an amazing asset, with more information than an Encyclopedia. Currently using it for our October fishing trip.
bodebum... I am doing exactly the same thing. I have read every October fishing report going back several years multiple times. I haven't been on the pier since it was rebuilt, but plan on hitting it hard October 18-22! Thanks to all of you for the awesome info that you have put on this site!
Macman & sd, you've gotten the best advise already (to use the search feature and historical record of these forums).
And Mr.Wire is correct, I am currently unable to do any guiding (nor any fishing recently for that matter ;-(
But all I ever did for folks was offer them a 'crash course' in pier fishing for whatever level of fishing experience and tackle they have based on the observations I gleaned out there during the past 5 decades to speed up their learning curve.
Lord only knows who all I learned it from over the years, but the parade of past (and present) souls who fish from those rails are typically a patient and knowledgable lot who are willing to share if properly proded.
The best advise I can give now is to persevere in your own voyage of discovery, never missing any opportunity to learn something new on every trip to the pier. Seek out and observe and in time befriend those who are successful fisher men and women (NOTE: they are usually NOT the most vocal ones ;-)
Read what ever you can on pier fishing (check out my Pier & Shore Fishing Forecast in Great Days Outdoors magazine (or in Beach Bits) and study these forums (especially the reports and Q&A.
Every day fishing on the pier is as unique as the collection of individuals who fish out there.
Try to focus on all the positive aspects of the experience and learn from the 'negative' mistakes as well, even those of other fishermen and always be aware of what (and who) is going on around you.
Hope this helps!
I have used the search feature quite a bit and found it to be very useful, however there’s nothing like hands on experience from a pro, being new to the Pier I could use some help.
Here a question I haven’t found an answer for on the forum. I know a small flat black swivel is preferred rather than brass swivel to connect the leader to the line. My question is would a flat black snap swivel used to connect the leader to a Gotcha or Xrap spook fish or do I need to tie the leader directly to the lure?
Sleeping-I try not to use any at all. The more terminal tackle used, the more chance for error. You can tie directly to the lure and probably have better action using a strong knot your comfortable with.
Good fishing...
Thanks Fshntime, I'm working on the strong knot thing.
I think at some point even the most experienced fisherman are still training. Just when you think you know it all, Mother Nature will throw you a curve ball and you'll learn something new.
ive been fishing all of my life and I'm still learning/ looking to learn something new.
Thanks everyone for the input. Think I will hit the pier this afternoon or early morning tomorrow. Heck, might try both.
Sleeping I too tie my mono leader directly to a gotcha I also tie that leader directly to my mono fishing line I don't use any swivel While I get cut off some I think this increases my strike ratio 25-30% or more Maybe it's in my mind but I watch the plug and usually see the strike At that time I tighten the line and try to keep the fish's mouth on the plug and not let it hit the mono leader I'm usually successful with this but have had years of practice If the strike comes from the top which is not often oh well you lost a gotcha I would not use mono on your Xrap or any other plug I use wire You are usually going to get bigger fish with these with bigger mouths and they are going to cut you off with mono For some reason again maybe it's me but doesn't seem to me that they hit the gotchas s good in the summer as they do in the spring or the fall Don't forget your bubble rig That for me catches more fish than anything I use and it's so much fun to fish Still a little hot for me but I'm getting ready to come out of Summer hibernation so if you or afarmer2 or MacMan see me out there I'll be glad to give any of you a 15-20 min visual that will that least have you armed with the right equipment and method of using it that should catch you some fish if they are there Good Luck !!
Thanks Dan.
Thanks Dan, I'll try the direct to line method.
There are times when you can do everything possible and everything right - change colors sizes depths retrieves live bait fake bait fast slow up & down top-water bottom-bumping no leader mono leader wire leader with the wind against the current under the pier and underhand casts- and still not catch a fish because there are no fish there.
I have proven this (a few) times by going fishing and not catching any fish. It is the only logical explanation.
pop jiggity, I feel your pain. Happened to me once a few years back as well.
Personally, I use 50# mono leader on my Gotcha and tie the line directly to the leader (double uni), no swivel at all. With X-Raps I use 30# wire and use only the swivel---I just feel that the less hardware out there, the better.
---And sometimes the bastidges are there but they absolutely, positively WILL NOT BITE! Think about the big speckled trout in the shallows.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pop Jiggity