We will be in Garder City for a short vaca before school starts August 17-20th and plan to fish the pier. Any recomendations on bait and what they are catching right now?
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If you have a long surf rod, some bungee cords, a surf anchor, a good stand up rod in a 4/0 size range (for line capacity) and can make a steel reel; you can king fish from the pier. Garden city pier doesn’t allow it, but you can hit surfside pier, MBSP pier, or apache pier. This type of fishing is live bait only, and I can elaborate more on how to do it if you’re interested.
Other than that, get some live mud minnows from the bait store and work them on a carolina rig around the bait tables. 1/0 kahle hook, 24" fluoro leader, and about a 2 oz egg sinker. You’ll pluck some flounder on the in coming tide. Make sure you have a net. You can also work fiddlers around the pilons and snag sheepshead at high tide, if you have the feel for it. (also requires a net) If you tie up about a dozen shiney gold hooks on a leader, you can jig that up and down and catch blues and spanish mackerel.
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All good info. We are staying at the KingFisher, so we will most likely fish that pier. It has been years since I have been there. My parents have a timeshare so we are going up to spend time with them. Do they still have a bait shop there on the pier (and have live mud minnows) or do I need to go elsewhere for bait?
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
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I would do exactly what Tarpon said. The gold hook jigging can be great on the moving tide. Never know what you will catch on those. I’ve caught about everything on them.
We used to cut 1 inch sections of coffee stir straws to slide over the straight shank of the hook for added flair. Sometimes red straws with white stripe worked best and other times white straws with the red stripe. Use a 20 lb leader and 2 - 3 oz bank sinker tied on the end…and have two more tied up and ready to go cause you will probably get bit off eventually.
When you hook something, reel it up FAST b/c the sharks there seem to have a sybiotic relationship with the jiggers - or at least they used to. Oh and I don’t think they sell live bait on the pier, but haven’t checked in a while.
Good luck!
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I will look into the jigging method, sounds promising… My main goal is to keep me 12 yr old entertained… He doesn’t like the difference between “Fishing” and “catching”, but he is coming around. Come to think of it, I didn’t either when I was 12… Now, I enjoy the wait in between bites…
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
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Mc’ Donalds has great straws with a yellow stripe works good also…
I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it. I think I’m going fishing…!!
Doc I heard those only catch McFish?! 
It ain’t no mystery…this beer’s history!
quote:
Originally posted by Blue_RunnerDoc I heard those only catch McFish?!
It ain’t no mystery…this beer’s history!
YEAH…but they ready when they hit the deck…
I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it. I think I’m going fishing…!!
Where can I go on the net to get instructions/diagram of how to make one of these shiney gold hook rigs yall speak about? I am a freshwater fisherman, so I do not have a lot of knowledge when it comes to saltwater rigs… Thanks!!
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc
Here is a link to a good starting point. You can google up more information if needed. I never used more than 6 hooks. Spaced on dropper loops a foot or less apart from one another. Total rid ends up close to 6ft long. I preferred the 2-3 oz. bank sinker overy pyramid sinkers.
http://www.somefishblog.com/2011/01/straw-rigs-for-spanish-mackerel.html
It ain’t no mystery…this beer’s history!
I believe they sell a more commercial version called a “mackeral tree” at the pier if you’d rather buy some ready made rigs for starters. If not on the pier you should be able to find them in a tackle shop.
They look like this:
http://www.superiortackle.com/product/sea-striker-mackerel-tree-rig-144704-1.htm?variations=536579
It ain’t no mystery…this beer’s history!
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I think I will try to make some. I already have almost everything I need since I make my own rigs for catfishing… I will start my straw collecting today!!
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc
just another tip for keeping something on the line…White Gulp and red Jig Heads…Sea Bass love them…and some others too…
I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it. I think I’m going fishing…!!
Are these lures Doc?
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc
quote:
Originally posted by pitviper0404Are these lures Doc?
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc
Yeah…plastic with a metal/ Lead jig head. Comes in different colors also. any tackel store will have them. I get my stuff from PI Outdoors Pawleys…Those guys are in the know…
I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it. I think I’m going fishing…!!
quote:
Originally posted by DOCTORquote:
Originally posted by pitviper0404Are these lures Doc?
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc
Yeah…plastic with a metal/ Lead jig head. Comes in different colors also. any tackel store will have them. I get my stuff from PI Outdoors Pawleys…Those guys are in the know…
I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it. I think I’m going fishing…!!
Basic looking jig heads…come in all styles…
[URL=http://s228.photobucket.com/user/CaptShannon/media/jig_zps52efb123.jpg.html]
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I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it. I think I’m going fishing…!!
Cool, I will stop by there on the way up…
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc