Went out today after work an hour before dead low and stayed until about 8. I was originally trying to get my first shark of the season, but it was just a bunch of teases. I used whiting chunks and two sharks, or something big, picked them up and ran with them about 50 yards and then just spit them out. I haven’t been able to catch any pinfish yet and that’s what I have been the most successful with. Kind of annoying. Now to the surprising part, I was using a sabiki rig to catch bait, and all of a sudden a huge hit happens on my light bait rod. I originally thought it was a small black tip because it jumped clear out of the water, but it turned out to be the biggest pompano I have ever caught outside of Florida. Of course the one day I don’t bring a scale or measuring tape. I wear a size 13 shoe for reference.
Side note, when do the pinfish start to come back?
Nice one!!! Don’t think I have ever caught a Pinfish in the surf down here. Beaches a little farther north are full of them though.
And maybe some more drag might help set the hook on the run.
“There’s a fine line between fishing and standing in the surf like an idiot.”
I kept the drag tight enough to where it was kind of hard to pull out. They didn’t even bite into the whiting, maybe it’s just a fluke? And ya, I have noticed that I don’t catch pinfish in huge numbers down here.
Great fish and good to see you back Mr. Peteclat. Last year I had the same strange thing with the running and dropping of bait at Edisto. It happened to me some where around 8 times. I couldn’t figure it out .I thought it was family members not experianced with fishing causing the problem. I then decided to take the runs myself, the same thing happened to me. I never understood the cause.
What size hook are you using and how are you hooking the whiting? My bet is that this is what is causeing the shark not getting hooked.
I’m using a size 5/0 hook, the same I used last season, and I’m hooking the the whiting clean through the middle section with the hook tip showing. When I retrieve the bait there aren’t even any tooth marks, so that’s why I’m confused.
I thought it was family members not experienced with fishing causing the problem. I then decided to take the runs myself, the same thing happened to me. I never understood the cause.
Ya, I’m thinking they’re just smaller and just not committing completely to the bait. I’m just hoping that it’s because it’s still early.
The day that it happened to me was probably one of the stranger day’s of surf fishing for me. I had success using the same rig prior to Hilton head. Had strong run after run that seemed to of dropped bait. The pole was bowed over ripping line. It was literally somewhere around 8 times.I felt like a fool in front of my family. I tried light drag, heavy drag, not setting hook, setting hook, different baits,different people- nothing changed outcome. As soon as I returned home went fishing a couple of weeks later and the first shark that hit it I landed using the same rig, 24 inch metal liter and a size 10 owner circle. I haven’t had it happen since. I felt like I had entered the Twilight zone. None the less nice to have you back Pete, you’ll get um next time, you had allot of success last year. Personally I like a bigger hook than the size 5 you use for sharks, but it worked for you many times and thats all that matters.
Dad and I used to catch them like that frequently on cut shrimp fishing the surf just past the breakers at Folly Beach back in the 90s. I haven’t caught one in Charleston in a long time.
What size hook are you using and how are you hooking the whiting? My bet is that this is what is causeing the shark not getting hooked.
I’m using a size 5/0 hook, the same I used last season, and I’m hooking the the whiting clean through the middle section with the hook tip showing. When I retrieve the bait there aren’t even any tooth marks, so that’s why I’m confused.
It could have been a stingray. They are lazy eaters sometimes and will pick up and run and not commit to swallowing the bait.
Nice Pomp. I was catching pinfish the other week off the pier 2 at a time. They are out there - pretty sure that’s what ate about half my bait shrimp. I was about half way out on pier if that helps.
Was looking at the sat photos and thinking to myself that was the only other good structure on SI besides the rocks the other day. Nice pomp I’m jealous
nice one !