hey ya’ll,
went out to IOP today with the family for some casting practice and a little fishing. had to do some walking to find the fish but we found 'em. was only out about an hour and a half and managed a slightly over slot red on frozen pieces of shrimp. had to leave early cause the kids were getting cold but it was a good day getting in some hydro therapy with the family.
Nice!
Umm, you gonna eat that?
Thousands have died to save my freedom. Only one has died to save my soul!
great day man, way better luck than I have had in the surf haha
experience noun \ik-#712;spir–#601;n(t)s
the fact or state of having been affected by or gained knowledge through direct observation or participation
that thing you get just moments after you needed it.
I would have ate him but he was too big. That pic does not do that fish justice with me being a big guy.that red was a 24-26in fish easy. Hurricane, you just have to find them. Learn to read the surf and know what your looking for. I spent most of the year on the sand this past year and learned a lot. I’m out there a lot and I’ve had one skunk on the beach since early spring last year. Like I said learn to read the surf and you will find the fish. Good luck.
See ya on the sand
Nice fish.
I’ve been in a temporary place on Folly, up around the north/east end, and have been getting out on the sand a lot but not much success lately.
When I was only fishing 1 rod and actually held the rod, casted close in to the groins and kept my finger on the line, I did get a few small black drum on shrimp pieces because I could feel the bite. Since then, I’ve gotten lazy and just put two rods in sand spikes, cast out as far as I can and sit back waiting for something big enough to bite that will double the rod over. Obviously the wave action makes it look like you’re getting bit all the time, and it may sometimes be some of those small black drum picking at the bait, but I’ve yet to had anything big enough take the bait that made me spring into action knowing it was a fish.
The only bait I’ve been using is a headless shrimp cut in half, a 2 hook dropper rig with 2-3 ounces of lead pyramid sinker.
Any ideas/advice? Thanks!
Bonecrusher- Did I meet you a couple weeks ago near the lighthouse ? My best advice is to wait until the ocean temperature warms up to the mid 60s.
Mikey,
It could have been me. Were you out there with your father in law or your girlfriends dad? I forget his name (Bobby?) You fished that little bay/inlet for a while and then said you were going to the river.
I was out there with the wife and kids but wasn’t fishing that day.
I’m the girlfriend’s dad.
Bonecrusher, I use the same rig and bait you’re using when I’m out there. I’m headed out Friday afternoon. While I’m out I’ll snap some pics of the surf and post them up to better show what I’m talking about as far as what to look for. Mikeyloo is right though, when the water warms up the fishing will be more consistent, but when you’re at the right place at the right time in the winter the fishing can be awesome. I’ve had a couple trips here recently where I had to go down to one rod and hold it because the fish were hitting so fast. But anyway until I post up some pic to better explain what I’m talking about here’s a couple of tips. First, just because it looks fishy doesn’t mean they are there. Dead low and dead high tend to be pretty dead. I generally have my best luck on a rising tide, I try to get out there and set up by an hour after dead low at the latest. During the first half of the incoming tide I put my bait anywhere from just in front of to just behind the big breakers. It normally takes a bit more weight to hold bottom, I generally use 4oz pyramids or spider weights in that zone. As the tide comes in I’ll move baits in a little closer but still keep at least one in the breakers. If you can find a sandbar that is uncovered at low keep an eye on it and when it is covered up pretty good fish the deeper water in front of it. You will be looking for flat spots just past the Wash. There will be waves going through them but when you look at them they will appear to be areas of flat water. Fish those areas hard because if the fish are there the fishing will be on fire. When the tide finally makes it up pretty high and the bite starts to slow down in those deep pockets start fishing the tops of the sandbars. If I made enough sense that should help you find some winter surf action. As far as weather it seems to help if the air temp is over 50. Also, I tend to have to roam a lot more in the winter to find the fish so pack light that way you can move down the beach some if you don’t get a bite in 15-20min.hope
Great info BigCountry, thanks. The area I’m fishing is very flat and gradual slope, no bars that I’ve really noted so no gullies or wash areas that would bring some bait into a pocket. Since I’m just fishing the area right across from our house, I haven’t moved much. It could just be the fact that since I haven’t moved, I haven’t found fish because they don’t seem to be in the area we (there’s another guy who fishes this area between two groins as well and he hasn’t caught anything in a while either) are fishing.