Surf fishing at Gulf Shores

[mnop308]

Going down for a few days, and wonder if anyone else here has done any surf fishing off the beach at Gulf Shores. What should I use and what can I expect to catch? Thinking I would fish early and late to avoid the swimmers.

 

[JLouv]

I've got a buddy in the Pensacola area that fishes for shark from the beach.

Your best bet, to avoid any hassle is to find a fishing pier and stick to that area.

 

[03protege]

I use to surf fish in Pensacola, honestly pedestrians are not too big of a concern. If you are actually going to be in the surf generally you can find a spot to yourself where your are safe to fish without hooking someone. I generally wouldn't leave any lines casted out deep while I'm on shore, a lot of people do but if someone is going to get hooked it will not be from me.

 

[cnodie1]

I was there last weekend and the Cobia and spanish were running but they were about 500 ft out from the shore. I would try the gulf state park pier.

 

[mnop308]

Thanks for the tips. I was thinking I might try the pier, but what should I use? I have a few 1oz Man-O-lures and buck tails for the beach in front of the house, and will give it a shot very early and very late. Also wondering about the crabs. I have heard that you can walk up and down the beach after sunset and scoop up crabs as they come up on the surf line.

 

[Dishonored]

Double trout rigs. Fresh bait shrimp on a Carolina rig. I never have much luck with a cork if the waves are strong. Also get you a floating fish basket. (Foam at the top and a net is attached it will have a small rope to tie off to your waist. I normally go about abdomen or maybe chest height if it is moderate. Also on that foam piece I will cut two half inch spots out. One at 12" for measuring trout quick and one at 16" for redfish.
Try the artificial lures as well. Good luck and be safe

 

[doc ace]

I swim to the second sand bar and fish past that. I keep my bait/tackle on a raft to keep the sharks away. It isn't uncommon to see eagle rays or sharks swim by you while standing in knee high water on the second sand bar.

If you feel a funny zap/pulse under your feet, there are definitely electric rays! I stepped on quite a few this time last year. Didn't hurt just felt strange!!!!!!

 

[3fifty7]

I've had the best luck catching flounder on live shrimp and may be able to catch a few specks as well, fishing on the bottom or near bottom Carolina rigged between the sand bars. Just bring a battery powered Qbeam and rubber dip net, walk the surf after dark in knee deep water and you should be able pick up several crabs.
Speck length in Bama 14" IIRC but check rules and regs yourself.

 

[sandman7925]

I've done it a few times. Long spin cast with a heavy weight and dead squid. You'll catch all kinds of stuff. Trash fish on up. I even hooked up to a tarpon once doing that. Fight lasted about 30 seconds. The second he busted the line broke.
I hate going to the beach so if I do have to go all I do is sit in a lawn chair with beer and a fishin pole.

 

[brfd557]

Only advice I can give you is be careful for the sharks, I surf fish with plenty of sharks before with no problem but last year it kind of shook me up LOL. I was two condos down from the Pink Pony and one evening I was fishing in the surf with a gold spoon and all I had was a few smaller sharks chasing it so I decided to swap rods and use dead shrimp. Had my polorized shades on of course and as I turned around to head in about 7 ft from me was about a 6-7 ft bull shark swimming catacorner towards me! was about 4" below nipples so I kinda felt helpless He swam around me and I hung it up for the rest of the evening. I know they're always out there but never had one that big between me and the beach LOL. All I could think about was the guy that was attacked out in front of the Pink Pony I believe in 2000 and lost an arm, but you know there are millions of people in the waters off of the gulf coast every day and very rarely hear about attacks so chances are he wouldn't have bothered me. Hope you have a good time.

 

[Dishonored]

Nothing like a good pep talk eh?

 

[doc ace]

Nothing like a good pep talk eh?

Suck it up and get back out there!!

 

[Dishonored]

Suck it up and get back out there!!

Oh you don't have to worry about me lol I'm out there if I wanna be done give a rats ass what's in the water. If you are scared you don't need to be out there.

 

[Emperor]

Thanks for the tips. I was thinking I might try the pier, but what should I use? I have a few 1oz Man-O-lures and buck tails for the beach in front of the house, and will give it a shot very early and very late. Also wondering about the crabs. I have heard that you can walk up and down the beach after sunset and scoop up crabs as they come up on the surf line.

I have stopped bringing fishing poles to Florida and/or Gulf Shores. All charter for me. The years of trying to meaningfully catch fish there with my own boat have worn me down. If you do fish the surf, fish at night and you can bag a few pompano between the plethora of hardheads if the surf cooperates. Dead shrimp, hermit crabs, and sand fleas (if you can find some), will kill pompano.

The next time I go, I am going to rent or buy a fishing kayak. Everything worth catching over there is past the sand bars visible from the beach (as mentioned earlier). Last Summer I went to Pensacola and when heading out for snapper saw the kayakers out there at least 3 miles out trying to catch king mackerel and I thought, "the genius of this!" You take that kayak past the last visible dune, with some fresh squid or shrimp, I guarantee you will catch something (unless you don't know how to fish).

Now I have had a blast at sunrise casting big plugs and catching ladyfish for the fight and the air show they provide.

Those public piers do produce some fish, but who can put up with all those people next to you; and don't forget that scene from the movie; Something About Mary. Very likely on those piers. You can laugh a lot if you do dare the pier, though. Lots of morons.

If you do the pier, you need one of those fish baskets or a treble gaff on a long rope (that's what they use over there). You will not get anything heavy up on just line, unless you are using cable on your reel. But as I said, you get a kayak; you don't need the pier, you will be the pier.

 

[wfarrell1]

I was there last weekend and the Cobia and spanish were running but they were about 500 ft out from the shore. I would try the gulf state park pier.

+1 on Gulf state park pier.... I went out there in September and fished it, while I was out there for a wedding. Had decent luck, had something snap 55lb test out there. Ended up catching a decent size blue fish. It was on a friday night and there wasnt too many people there. Also Im not sure if they still have it, but when I went they had a fishing peir license for non-residents for 11$ for the whole year that expires on aug 29.
http://www.alapark.com/GulfState/Gulf State Park Pier/

 

[DeweyBarton]

+1 on Gulf state park pier.... I went out there in September and fished it, while I was out there for discount wedding dresses. Had decent luck, had something snap 55lb test out there. Ended up catching a decent size blue fish. It was on a friday night and there wasnt too many people there. Also Im not sure if they still have it, but when I went they had a fishing peir license for non-residents for 11$ for the whole year that expires on aug 29.

Never had huge luck in fishing, but I still love the activity. My wife is more luckier so we have some good competition on every occasion

 

[wfarrell1]

Never had huge luck in fishing, but I still love the activity. My wife is more luckier so we have some good competition on every occasion

my Fiance fished a little bit but stopped after a few months... She will still come out there with me sometimes just to hang out and watch. I always enjoy fishing.... its nice to get out the house.