Pensacola 4/1 - 4/8 - Headed to the beach!

Started by Wolfram M, March 14, 2023, 03:19:44 AM

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Wolfram M

Headed down to the coast again, just got confirmation tonight!

Hoping to find some late season sheeps, maybe some redfish, and maybe some pompano off the beach, but anything that bends the rod will put a smile on my face.

Doubt I can afford a boat ride this time, it'll be shore-based this trip.

Wolfram M

OK, so we're 11 days out.

I've hit up some local guys to find out where to go for bait and local water temps, it's looking like waters will be just hitting 70F next week, so that means pompano running, and spanish coming around. Also some cobia if I can find one 36" long, we'll see.

There are a BUNCH of public fishing areas in pensacola that offer deeper water access, and I can see on the satellite imaging that there are some big flats that I can get to as well.

Namely:

Fort Pickens has both gulf side beach access, as well as deeper water bay side access from the jetty and the pier

Pensacola beach pier is 1470ft long, but I'll need a pier net

Navarre Beach pier is also accessable

There are beaches all along the gulf with parking access via Gulf Islands National Seashore, that are away from the condos and resorts-hopefully that'll mean fewer people

There is a small pier opposite the (closed?) Pensacola bay bridge pier, apparently called "the octagon"

There is are the Bob Sikes north and south piers, but no one can tell me if they're open or closed

Then I could drive over as far as perdido key and stay on the florida side, as that's where my license is, plenty of beach access there too.

Donnyboat

Sounds good, nice to here what other fisho`s, are thinking from the other side of the world, good luck, leave some in the water for the other members, cheers Don.
Don, or donnyboat

Wolfram M

It's now forecast to be thunderstorms and rain, better than 60% chance every single day I'm going to be there, so I don't know how much fishing I'll get to do.

we'll see how it goes.


(Pro Tip: If I'm going fishing, it's probably not a good time to be fishing!)

JasonGotaProblem

#4
Native Floridian's weather insight:

That could be only for a portion of the day. The mornings or afternoons could likely be clear. Weekend before last they said the same thing 60-80% chance for both days. They were still saying that on Friday evening and Saturday morning... Then it rained for 20 minutes one of the days. Weather forecasts in Florida are kinda hit or miss, and they err on the side of predicting storms.

Look at the hourly forecasts. Unless they show high probability of rain, AND a high volume of it, every hour of the day, then you can still fish.
Any machine is a smoke machine if you use it wrong enough.

Wolfram M

Oh, rain doesn't stop me from fishing, but the severe thunderstorm line that will be rolling through might...I'll be leaving Kentucky under a tornado warning, in all probability.

It shouldn't be too rough on the coast but definitely won't be optimal weather.

When I this class finishes up I gotta run the truck through the car wash and start loading my gear, gonna borrow a mop bucket from the tool room for my pier cart this trip.

Wolfram M

Got on the road at 2:30 this afternoon, after class was over and the lab was cleaned up. Not much good it did, as I only made it to Birmingham by 9PM...Never got over 40MPH the whole time I was on I-65 through Tennessee.

Currently staying in Leeds, Alabama-Right down the road from the Barber Motorsports Museum. An incredible place, too bad it doesn't open until 10AM tomorrow. I love going through that place.

On the road down to Pensacola by 8 in the morning, hopefully the traffic isn't so awful through Alabama tomorrow.

JasonGotaProblem

You're not even in FL yet and it already sounds like FL.
Any machine is a smoke machine if you use it wrong enough.

Wolfram M

Yeah, the drive this morning was supposed to be 4 hours and took 6. Finally got here, got the truck unloaded and realized I forgot the beach cart.

Gonna be schleppin' tackle the old way, I guess.

Tonight is getting the reels fitted and rods rigged, and drive by the bait shops and check out possible fishing spots for tomorrow. I'm staying pretty much exactly where I-10 and US-291 cross, and it looks like a straight run down 291 to get to 3 mile bridge and gulf breeze.

Wolfram M

Day 1 of fishing

Sheepshead bite very slow and selective at Fort Pickens pier. No bites on live shrimp or fiddlers for me, but I caught a slew of Spanish mackerel on a silver gotcha plug. Kept four of the biggest, then learned to toss a cast net with a friendly pier rat and caught a handful of glass minnows to go in the engle.

Eating lunch now, then will try my luck at Bob Sikes south this afternoon/evening.

JasonGotaProblem

#10
Dude if you want sheepshead get a drywall knife and tape it to a long broomstick. Scrape off some barnacles then drop your shrimp right there. One of the more reliable tricks out there. I find I do better with pieces of shrimp than I do with whole ones.
Any machine is a smoke machine if you use it wrong enough.

Wolfram M

Yeah, it's a felony to do that at ft Pickens or any other government owned pier or piling. I know the trick, but FWC was handing out reminders this morning.

There were people pulling sheeps up all morning, I just wasn't one of them. You had to have the right color socks on I guess.

oldmanjoe

How are you rigged ?   jig head or dropper rig  .  Keep the hook small , circle hook 1 0 or 2 0.
  half shrimp drop down keep line tight 30- 60 second window for tap tap ,set hook ,they have a tough mouth /jaw bone .. :fish  :fish  :fish
Grandpa`s words of wisdom......Joey that thing between your shoulders is not a hat rack.....    use it.....
A mind is like a parachute, it only work`s  when it is open.......
The power of Observation   , It`s all about the Details ..
 Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.   Alto Mare

Wolfram M

I was fishing the exact same Carolina rig the guys catching them were. Even had one of them tie it for me to be sure. Only got one shrimp bit and the rest never got touched.

Also tried a swing jig for a few hours and a sweeper jig. Didn't make a difference today.

Went to clean the mackerel I caught and realized I left the vacuum packer at home.  Had to do it the old way with ziplocs and salted water tonight, it won't be as good for as long but at least I'll get it home.

oldmanjoe

  You have good fishing days this week !!
Grandpa`s words of wisdom......Joey that thing between your shoulders is not a hat rack.....    use it.....
A mind is like a parachute, it only work`s  when it is open.......
The power of Observation   , It`s all about the Details ..
 Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.   Alto Mare