I am going to St George Island in a few weeks. No shark jokes! Anyway, what should I bring to do some shore fishing on the Gulf. What kind of tackle? Lures? I assume I walk out about knee deep and just cast and retrieve. That's what I did on Fort Myers. We used squid and caught Sting Ray and Jacks.
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Rich Stern
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St George! What a great part of the world that island is. Teaming with wildlife. I envy you, Teri. Did you rent a house, or are you in one of the resorts?
Can't help you with tackle choices, other than to say I watched a bunch of folks with traditional surf rods and casting reels, using very large lead sinkers, about 18" above a small bait fish on plain hooks. There are a couple of tackle shops on the island, so, worst case, you can get what you need right there. I would think a heavy, salt-proof spinning outfit would be fine. Nothing fancy required.
Bring a cast net if you have one. The bait fish swim right in the surf, look pretty easy to catch. The dolphins come in really close, too.
Sharks? What sharks?
Can't help you with tackle choices, other than to say I watched a bunch of folks with traditional surf rods and casting reels, using very large lead sinkers, about 18" above a small bait fish on plain hooks. There are a couple of tackle shops on the island, so, worst case, you can get what you need right there. I would think a heavy, salt-proof spinning outfit would be fine. Nothing fancy required.
Bring a cast net if you have one. The bait fish swim right in the surf, look pretty easy to catch. The dolphins come in really close, too.
Sharks? What sharks?
Ummm, lemme see. A 5' UL rod with some 4 lb test and a bunch of 1/16 oz grub head jigs!
Never went saltwater before. I'd love to try it sometime. Let us know how you do and don't forget the pics.
You could always try trolling Trep in a perch colored lifevest. Naaaaah, that wouldn't work. No self respecting marlin or shark would eat anything that small. LOL
Never went saltwater before. I'd love to try it sometime. Let us know how you do and don't forget the pics.
You could always try trolling Trep in a perch colored lifevest. Naaaaah, that wouldn't work. No self respecting marlin or shark would eat anything that small. LOL
Rich, my family has rented 4 or 5 houses on the beach. There is about 30 of us meeting there. My uncle goes there every year for vacation and decided we should have a mini reunion.
Sounds as if you have been there. By looking online, there doesn's seem to be much there. I am driving so I thought about bringing my mountain bike. I have a 2 person kayak that I could bring but don't know if it would get much use. Any thoughts on that?
Sounds as if you have been there. By looking online, there doesn's seem to be much there. I am driving so I thought about bringing my mountain bike. I have a 2 person kayak that I could bring but don't know if it would get much use. Any thoughts on that?
Barb Baggott
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Hi Teri!
Sounds like you have an awesome time coming up. Anyway, I use to go to Baja Calf. and surf fish. I have a surf pole that I use and then I used old sparkplugs for weights. Cheap and when you lose them, you don't feel bad. I more or less used a drop shot rig with spark plug on the bottom of line and then about 2 feet up had the hook. I used squid for bait. The reason the long rod was good was so you can cast the crap out of the rig and get it past the breakers.
Have fun!!
Barb
Sounds like you have an awesome time coming up. Anyway, I use to go to Baja Calf. and surf fish. I have a surf pole that I use and then I used old sparkplugs for weights. Cheap and when you lose them, you don't feel bad. I more or less used a drop shot rig with spark plug on the bottom of line and then about 2 feet up had the hook. I used squid for bait. The reason the long rod was good was so you can cast the crap out of the rig and get it past the breakers.
Have fun!!
Barb
Rich Stern
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Teri, yes, vacationed there twice. It's a beautiful island. Not very commercial at all. The locals live the hardscrabble life of fisherman, except for the folks in real estate/tourism.
Bring your bike. There is a path that runs nearly the entire length of the island, and there isn't much auto traffic. It will be blistering hot, so make sure you have a water bottle somewhere on the bike. Kayak would be fun, but check with the locals about currents. Some parts of the Gulf are famous for hefty riptides. If you didn't have an iron trailer, I'd suggest bringing the Triton down. The bay side of the island is very calm water and the fishing opportunities are enormous. I came home from the last trip wanting to trade the Nitro for a skiff...
Bring your favorite spices for shirmp, because you can buy shrimp just off the boat and have them on the grill five minutes later. There are a just a handful of restaurants and watering holes nearby, so you should be prepared to cook if you like some variety beyond those places.
Also, if you have them, bring a good pair of binoculars. Great bird and fish watching opportunities. The place is absolutely teeming with wildlife.
If the wind is right, as you go across the long causeway to the island, the pelicans will soar right next to your car's window, not ten feet away. They look prehistoric.
Now I wanna go back there...
Bring your bike. There is a path that runs nearly the entire length of the island, and there isn't much auto traffic. It will be blistering hot, so make sure you have a water bottle somewhere on the bike. Kayak would be fun, but check with the locals about currents. Some parts of the Gulf are famous for hefty riptides. If you didn't have an iron trailer, I'd suggest bringing the Triton down. The bay side of the island is very calm water and the fishing opportunities are enormous. I came home from the last trip wanting to trade the Nitro for a skiff...
Bring your favorite spices for shirmp, because you can buy shrimp just off the boat and have them on the grill five minutes later. There are a just a handful of restaurants and watering holes nearby, so you should be prepared to cook if you like some variety beyond those places.
Also, if you have them, bring a good pair of binoculars. Great bird and fish watching opportunities. The place is absolutely teeming with wildlife.
If the wind is right, as you go across the long causeway to the island, the pelicans will soar right next to your car's window, not ten feet away. They look prehistoric.
Now I wanna go back there...
Barry Loos
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When I fish the surf in South Carolina I use at least an 8' surf rod and a surf spincast reel filled with 20lb test line. Many folks get a disposable surf rod and reel from a bait shop or a nearby Wal Mart for about $35. Since I surf fish quite often I have nice equipment.
I use circle hooks, 12" - 30lb test leaders and, depending on the surf, 3 or 4 oz Pyramid sinkers. I made a diagram how to rig the terminal tackle if I can find it.
Usually I get some squid for bait. Local bait shops can give best bait advice. If nothing real large in the area, 12lb test line on your bass rods will work fine. I just do not get my bass equipment near the salt water. If you use a surf pole, get a pvc tube rod holder to rest the rod in.
I like to catch smaller fish and cut them for bait for sharks.
As usual, ask the locals for the best bait, times, locations, etc.
Da Bear
I use circle hooks, 12" - 30lb test leaders and, depending on the surf, 3 or 4 oz Pyramid sinkers. I made a diagram how to rig the terminal tackle if I can find it.
Usually I get some squid for bait. Local bait shops can give best bait advice. If nothing real large in the area, 12lb test line on your bass rods will work fine. I just do not get my bass equipment near the salt water. If you use a surf pole, get a pvc tube rod holder to rest the rod in.
I like to catch smaller fish and cut them for bait for sharks.
As usual, ask the locals for the best bait, times, locations, etc.
Da Bear
Teri
Live on the Gulf Coast and grew up surf fishing.....If you have a 7 ft rod and an open face reel of decent quality you will be fine....I like to SW fish with my Ambassaduer reels 5000C3. They hold up very well in the salt water. I would say you will not have much luck if you just wade into your knees and cast into the surf....for the best luck we always wade out to at least the first sand bar and at times even the second. But like you have seen on the news there are sharks. First sand bar is as far as I would go. I would work the surf with shrimp colored touts w/ chart tail. /even a gold spoon. if that doesn't provide any success switch over to a popping cork and live shrimp (speckled trout, reds, and blue fish will be the most common fish).......just be careful handling live fish and live bait in the water. I have actually been surf fishing and had small sand sharks eat the fish that were on my stringer.
Just clean your reel at night and oil it down and it will be good to go.
Live on the Gulf Coast and grew up surf fishing.....If you have a 7 ft rod and an open face reel of decent quality you will be fine....I like to SW fish with my Ambassaduer reels 5000C3. They hold up very well in the salt water. I would say you will not have much luck if you just wade into your knees and cast into the surf....for the best luck we always wade out to at least the first sand bar and at times even the second. But like you have seen on the news there are sharks. First sand bar is as far as I would go. I would work the surf with shrimp colored touts w/ chart tail. /even a gold spoon. if that doesn't provide any success switch over to a popping cork and live shrimp (speckled trout, reds, and blue fish will be the most common fish).......just be careful handling live fish and live bait in the water. I have actually been surf fishing and had small sand sharks eat the fish that were on my stringer.
Just clean your reel at night and oil it down and it will be good to go.
teri,
i go to florida 3 or 4 times a year to go fishing, you must bring the kayak. for shore fishing i just use an open face reel that i normally use for bass with 10 to 12 lb test, but for reel fun put the kayak in some of the canals and hold on, the canals are teaming with snook, some reds, trigger fish, flounder, trout and the prize Tarpon. baby tarpon live in these canals till they reach 40 or so lbs and are a great fight on light tackle, use porgys or assorted small fish, or a fly rod if you dare. i cant wait till september when i go again. as a side note manatees will come over to see what you are as well as dolphins.
mike
i go to florida 3 or 4 times a year to go fishing, you must bring the kayak. for shore fishing i just use an open face reel that i normally use for bass with 10 to 12 lb test, but for reel fun put the kayak in some of the canals and hold on, the canals are teaming with snook, some reds, trigger fish, flounder, trout and the prize Tarpon. baby tarpon live in these canals till they reach 40 or so lbs and are a great fight on light tackle, use porgys or assorted small fish, or a fly rod if you dare. i cant wait till september when i go again. as a side note manatees will come over to see what you are as well as dolphins.
mike
chris hidalgo
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chris hidalgo
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whatever you do remember salty fish have sharp teeth he he
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