Gulf State Park Pier, Gulf Shores, AL Saturday May 12

Started by ChileRelleno, May 14, 2018, 12:31:41 AM

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ChileRelleno

Up at 3am, drive the hour to Gulf Shores, wait for J&M to flip the sign to Open at 5am, shoot to the pier, arrive just in time to deck a stud Spanish and for the bite to go colder than frigid Eskimo titty.
Okay, maybe not that cold, but close enough.

The mackerel bite was reportedly pretty good on the Octi from 430-630am +/- with about a dozen Kings and numerous nice axe handle Spanish.
Bait of choice was Cigs, live or frozen.
After that the Kings shut down almost entirely and the Spanish were sporadic at best.

Last King I saw hit the deck was about 8am, and I think that there was maybe one or two more for the rest of the day.
The Spaniard bite for the rest of the day was here and there and not too often, a run and 2-3 fish would hit the deck and then gone.
I did manage to put two in the cooler and was gifted a couple.

Most of the day it was mixed Hardtail and Ladyfish blitzes, with ever present trophy class Remoras and a few thick Blues mixed in.

By lunch time the wind had picked up Southeast by South, the current switched around from West to East and it looked like a great day for Macks, but it unfortunately wasn't.
Late in the afternoon I hooked into a monster Spanish on a Cig, but I had my drag too tight and POP!
Pretty damned disheartening on a slow day.
But at least, as always, there was some excellent camaraderie to help pass the time.

Sharks were present in the AM but skipped off hand in hand with the Mackerel when they left.
Saw one big blow up of Jacks that had about a half acre of water flying everywhere, but they were just out of casting distance West and South of the T.
I think 2 got hooked up and none landed that I saw.
No schools of Reds today... Bummer.I did manage to put one or two in the cooler and was gifted another couple.
Saw one Cobe hooked and lost, a few Cownose rays, some fat Bluefish and those dagblasted Poor Man's Tarpon were abundant for a while too.
People were bored and started having what fun they could find with the Ladyfish, and with reasonably light tackle they are very entertaining.

Finally gave it up about 6pm and went to drown my shrimp in the shallows.

Word had it that the Pompano had been obligingly happy to eat today.
And I didn't have a freelined shrimp in the water for five minutes before I had a really nice Pomp on, and after giving it a good look at pierside it promptly snapped a weak knot/spot and said "Sayanara sucker!"
But I sealed the deal on a 14" Pomp not ten minutes later.
From then till dark there were several decent to danged fine Pomps to hit the deck.

I didn't see a one Speck and it wasn't for lack of looking or blind casting.

But the frikkin frackin Ladyfishes were nailing anything that moved.
As were the Hardtails and Hardheads, there were some small Spades too mixed in.

Around 8pm my freelined shrimp got ate at the 3rd light pole, and it was game on with an unknown adversary.
He was on my new Shimano Teramar rod (6'6", Med/XFast, 6-12#) paired with a Penn 4400SS/10lb line.
It was either pop him off or let him pull drag and head South.

It took 15 minutes and almost to the T to see it was a Big Ugly, and he wasn't tiring anytime soon.
Fishy freight train with a full head of steam, a crowd of Touristas and Googans to watch the show, and away we went.
Good golly how much crap can people pile on the rails and next to it at night?
Ridiculous, I just started wading through peoples stuff who didn't react fast enough.

Another 30 minutes and almost to the Octi we finally netted him, got him weighed at 31lbs 7ozs, I released him and once he caught his breath he swam off.

I have to give Shimano credit on this Teramar rod, I had that sucker folded over almost doubled, even accidentally high sticked it twice trying to go over people, and it performed great.
Good rod, it took some serious abuse and held together.
Caught on 10lb main, 12lb FC leader, #10 treble 2X and a tiny shrimp and just barely hooked in the edge of a lip.

Man he did a number on me, thankful for modern Rx drugs, better living through chemistry.



Ragnar Benson:
"Never, under any circumstances, ever become a refugee.
Die if you must, but die on your home turf with your face to the wind, not in some stinking hellhole 2,000 kilometers away, among people you neither know nor care about."

Swami805

There's an attaboy right there! That's a monster on light tackle from a pier. So many things have to go right to land a fish like that. Thanks for the right up.
Do what you can with that you have where you are

Tiddlerbasher


Crow

There's nothing wrong with a few "F's" on your record....Food, Fun, Flowers, Fishing, Friends, and Fun....to name just a few !

Benni3

Great job man!!!!as difficult as it was you still got him,,,,that had to be fun ;D


oc1

It's black, right?  They're real bull dogs.  You're a lucky guy to have such great fishing.
-steve

Alto Mare

Nice Chile, if this was easy all the time we would lose interest...good job!

Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

ChileRelleno

Quote from: Swami805 on May 14, 2018, 01:31:44 AM
There's an attaboy right there! That's a monster on light tackle from a pier. So many things have to go right to land a fish like that. Thanks for the right up.
Thanks, yeah everything has to go right from the pier.
Fish doesn't run under pier or wrap piling and doesn't get sharked.

You manage to keep untangled with everyone else, especially those with no clue.
I actually got tangled once and asked nicely if he would cut his line, he did without hesitation.

The netting or gaffing process doesn't lose the fish.

And all the rest, drag, knots and a half dozen other factors.
Quote from: Tiddlerbasher on May 14, 2018, 09:54:27 AM
That's a beast on light tackle well done :)
Thank you sir.
Quote from: Crow on May 14, 2018, 01:37:02 PM
Nice drum !! Way to go !
Appreciate it.
Quote from: Benni3 on May 15, 2018, 02:44:23 AM
Great job man!!!!as difficult as it was you still got him,,,,that had to be fun ;D
Thank you, and I wanted him bad too once I got a glimpse of him.
Yes it was, I really liked the looks on the touristas face's when he was decked.
Quote from: Three se7ens on May 15, 2018, 05:35:03 AM
That is one stud of a red, Good job!
Thanks... Black drum, a Big Ugly Black drum... Wish I could find some Bull Reds that thick.
Ragnar Benson:
"Never, under any circumstances, ever become a refugee.
Die if you must, but die on your home turf with your face to the wind, not in some stinking hellhole 2,000 kilometers away, among people you neither know nor care about."

ChileRelleno

Quote from: oc1 on May 15, 2018, 08:05:01 AM
It's black, right?  They're real bull dogs.  You're a lucky guy to have such great fishing.
-steve
Yep, Black drum, like hooking into a freight train in low gear, it just keeps pulling and pulling and pulling.
I know we're blessed with the fisheries we have down here, it's a true sportsmens paradise.
Quote from: Alto Mare on May 15, 2018, 10:16:21 AM
Nice Chile, if this was easy all the time we would lose interest...good job!

Sal
Ain't that the truth Sal... The pursuit of happiness in any form is all about the thrill of the chase.
Ragnar Benson:
"Never, under any circumstances, ever become a refugee.
Die if you must, but die on your home turf with your face to the wind, not in some stinking hellhole 2,000 kilometers away, among people you neither know nor care about."

mo65

~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~


festus


David Hall

Now let's see the pics of the kitchen prep and what you do with this beauty!

ChileRelleno

Quote from: David Hall on May 17, 2018, 12:13:20 AM
Now let's see the pics of the kitchen prep and what you do with this beauty!
LOL... His Big Ugly Butt went back in the Gulf.
I only keep Puppy drum, they're fantastic eating.
Ragnar Benson:
"Never, under any circumstances, ever become a refugee.
Die if you must, but die on your home turf with your face to the wind, not in some stinking hellhole 2,000 kilometers away, among people you neither know nor care about."

Shark Hunter

#14
Great Catch John.
I caught a 30" Bull Red two nights ago an a Battle 2 8000 and 40 lb mono and he screamed the drag for two runs.
You are an excellent fisherman. That light tackle and a pig like that. Holy cow!
My red wasn't near that Slobs Physique. He was lean and mean.
Really sparked my interest in more shore casting than Kayaking.
Mike also caught a Nice sized Blacktip on his surf rod. Both Fish were caught on half a corn cob mullet.
I was impressed how Quick his Fin Nor LT-100 subdued this rascal. ;)
Life is Good!