Surf Fishing in PCB

Aciddragon · May 6, 2008

Just wondering if someone could help out a first timer for surf fishing. I'm currently staying at a condo here in PCB trying out surf fishing with a 7' Medium action rod. I have it hooked up right now with a "gulf rig" (.99 cents from walmart) and 2 ounce weight. I've been using frozen shrimp and squid but only caught a catfish and manta ray... I was hoping for some Pompano, so i bought some berkely gulp sand fleas, but i'm not exactly sure how to fish them with the rig I have set up.

Can someone give some tips about what I could do to make the best of my trip here. When to fish (day, night, high/low tides), bait to use, rigs, or anything else. Like I said, im fairly new, but been trying to research as best I can.

Model70 · May 6, 2008

cast net

Buy u a cast net and a live bait bucket. Any live bait IS the ticket... You have found out what dead bait will get you...

Dustin Pate · May 6, 2008

I personally like a lighter weight fish finder rig..carolina rig. Maybe an 1/2 at most. I also like fresh shrimp (food quality at Walmart down there). You don't have to have a whole piece either. You don't have to throw it a mile as most of the fish are in the trough where the waves are breaking. Slowly bounce this rig back to you. You should catch whiting and pomps. Trout and others like it as well.

The gulp can fished on the same rig or all this can be thrown out and left in a holder if so inclined but keeping it moving sometimes cuts down on the cats.

Aciddragon · May 6, 2008

Well, just came back in and... nothing... not a bite. Used squid and shrimp (both frozen from Tackle and Hitch shop)... also tried my berkely sand flea... bu nothing worked. tried throwing from shore and walking about about 50 yards then casting as far as i could.

Any other tips from some people? I really want to catch Pompano, but the people here said they've already moved on...

Also, where can I get fresh bait here? Everywhere i've seen is frozen or dead and packaged. Does the still alive bait work best? And are live sand fleas easily caught this time of year? I've been looking with no luck.

robertyb · May 6, 2008

The pomps have been hit or miss all season from what I have read on the forums this year. You did not say what part of the beach you are staying on and fishing. If you are near the West end you should try in front of the Carousel grocery and fish in the first breakers off the beach with sandfleas. Either live or dead will usually work. The double bottom rig you are using should be fine. If you have no action get a couple of straw rigs from Walmart and wade out and cast as far out towards the second sandbar as you can and rip them back in, you might get Ladyfish, Spanish, etc. doing this.

Aciddragon · May 6, 2008

I've been fishing near Calypso, I believe was the name, hotel/condos and Pier park. Never heard of straw rigs before... Anywhere in town to buy live sandfleas since I can't find them?

robertyb · May 6, 2008

I do not know anywhere to buy them live. There is a bait store west of Hwy. 79 on backbeach road that sells some live bait. You might want to check with them. I think it is in the Ace Hardware? complex parking lot. Look for a live bait sign.

A straw rig is simply a casting bubble filled with water on your main line, then a swivel (black) tied on and a 4 to 6 ft. leader (30 lbs. or more) tied on with a half a straw on the leader and a #2 treble hook tied on under the straw. They do catch fish. Simply cast and rip it back in and HOLD ON. It will catch bluefish, spanish, ladyfish, hardtails, etc.

little rascal · May 6, 2008

If you want

some sporty action, get up at daylight before the sunbathers hit the beach. Get ya some 1/2 oz. spoons and look for some surfacing fish running the beaches real close in the early mornings. They will be ladyfish, scan up and down the beach, they will come and go several times. When they get near chunk that spoon and burn it back, you will get slammed and catch several up until the sun get's higher and then it dies. Then take your previously mentioned baits and go to St. Andrews Campground and State Park and fish off the Jetty's. Have Fun!

Mechanicaldawg · May 6, 2008

I'd go to Half Hitch and buy live shrimp and go to St. Andrews and fish the jetties or Deep Water Point.

Use a simple Carolina rig as Dustin suggested. I pinch the shrimp in half. You can use both halves. Just thread it on the hook and fish it like you would a worm for largemouth.

You could pick up reds, sheephead, Spanish, sea bass and others. Maybe a grouper?

drawdown · May 6, 2008

Watch the tide... Fish the trough on each side of the first and second sandbar. Watch for the water trying to go back out into the gulf. Lots of fish will hold there watching for food that is being pull back into gulf. Good luck.

JoeyWommack · May 6, 2008

I would go west for Pompano. Try down towards Phillips Inlet. Thats about 8 miles from Calypso. Usually sandfleas are pretty thick down there. If that fails I would try the Berkley fleas casting about 10 yards behind where the wave brakes.

In all honesty though, I have not fished for pomps this year and have not heard but of a handful of reports that were any good.

You never no unless you go.

SouthPaw Draw · May 7, 2008

little rascal said:
some sporty action, get up at daylight before the sunbathers hit the beach. Get ya some 1/2 oz. spoons and look for some surfacing fish running the beaches real close in the early mornings. They will be ladyfish, scan up and down the beach, they will come and go several times. When they get near chunk that spoon and burn it back, you will get slammed and catch several up until the sun get's higher and then it dies. Then take your previously mentioned baits and go to St. Andrews Campground and State Park and fish off the Jetty's. Have Fun!

What he said. Last year we would watch the ladyfish running up and down the beach and throw a spoon in the bunch. Some fun catching them. Also Halfhitch does sell live shrimp, but they are hard to keep alive very long. Best advice is to get out there right at first light if your fishing the surf. I'll be down there in four weeks to give it a try again.

Paymaster · May 7, 2008

Straw Rig in the surf when bait fish are present makes for some great fun.

Mechanicaldawg · May 7, 2008

SouthPaw Draw said:
Also Halfhitch does sell live shrimp, but they are hard to keep alive very long.

When you pinch them in half they don't live long anyway. :bounce:

Fresh dead is way better than frozen.

Jasper · May 7, 2008

I agree on the straw rigs early and late. You can cast them a mile with the big bubbles. If you get tired of surf fishing, hit the Okaloosa Island Pier in Fort Walton (I think the pier in PC is closed?)

I have a ball there cast straw rigs. Ladyfish, spanish mackeral, blues, etc. When a school comes through it can get crazy.

Paymaster · May 7, 2008

I started filling my bubble floats with paraffin last year. The Blue Fish were biting the bubble float and puncturing it. :bounce:

Some of the old timers out there showed me their wax filled bubble floats. Now I don't have to worry about the water leaking out. I caught so many Blues last year that I thought my arm would fall off. It is a blast when they are running.

daisy102998 · May 7, 2008

sand fleas are fairly easy to catch at night.or you can fix a rack with a rectangular basket made of hardware cloth and just start digging. Also they used to suggest using McDonald's straws. My $.02

Jasper · May 7, 2008

Paymaster said:
I started filling my bubble floats with paraffin last year. QUOTE]

How do you do that?

Another trick a guy showed me that I've never done is using shotgun shell shot in the bubble instead of water. Not only does it give it weight, it makes noise when you rip it similar to a Rat L Trap.

Aciddragon · May 7, 2008

Went to the jetties today at st. andrews. i caught 3 red drums i believe with live shrimp. everyone around was catching flounder and blues. oh well. i'll continue to surf fish around the same area and hope for some luck.

robertyb · May 7, 2008

Paymaster said:
I started filling my bubble floats with paraffin last year. The Blue Fish were biting the bubble float and puncturing it. Some of the old timers out there showed me their wax filled bubble floats. Now I don't have to worry about the water leaking out. I caught so many Blues last year that I thought my arm would fall off. It is a blast when they are running.

I fished the pier some with One Eyed Bill last year and he was using a solid wood bubble. I meant to ask him where he got them from but forgot to. Oh well, the pier will be back soon and I will see him again. :banana:

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