Need saltwater help

The last few days of this month I'll be in Laguna Beach. I'm going to be fishing from the beach and maybe from one of the nearby piers if they didn't get washed/blown away by Michael. I probably wont get a chance to go offshore or in a boat at all because we are carrying my Mother in Law with us. She loves to fish, but she cant physically handle a boat ride. Just the road trip will be enough for her.

I live 300 miles from the nearest salt water so I don't get to rust a hook very often, and therefore know little about saltwater fishing. I go when I can, but it's only once or twice a year. So any knowledge you can help me with will be appreciated. MIL will thank you too.

So what I should fish for a few pointers about how to go about it would be very helpful. I have an assortment of spinning and baitcasting gear that I use for freshwater fish from Shellcrackers to big Stripers and Cats. I even have a couple of Penn spinning combos that may would even handle a Kingfish.

And for any lurkers, my home will not be unattended while I'm away.

And I promise to not ask where to eat.

Checkout TCHunter's post about saltwater fishing up in the stickies at top of this forum. Lots of great advice. Other than that be sure to give a good fresh water rinse to whatever tackle and equipment you use at end of each day of fishing.

Will do. I had forgot about TC's thread.

Good luck! That's gonna be a great time to be down there.

Send Peach a pm. He’s the salt king.

Honestly you can use the same things you bass fish with. I don't have much luck from the beach, but if you can get on a pier here's a few things I really wear them out with--

1. 3/8 oz jig head with some sort of "shrimp tail" grub. Gotcha makes what they call a "Shrimp Tail", you can order from TackleDirect, I use the white w/ pink tail. Just swim/pump it right under the surface.
2. Big flutter spoon, like 6" or so.
3. Jerkbait. These are sometimes hard to throw and get much distance with off a pier, but I catch tons when I can.
4. Spro bucktail jig (you can normally find at Walmarks. Pink is best, but I don't know how much the color matters.
5. Gotcha plug. Frankly I don't like these, but everybody throws it and they will chomp on it.
6. Bubble / straw rig. I don't totally understand this thing, but all the guys on the end of the pier will be throwing it. You can buy them at Walmarks anywhere at the beach.

The past two/three times we've gone (either Orange Beach or Panama City) I've caught some nice fish off the pier with that big flutter spoon (some bigger than average Spanish and Blues, one King that ultimately broke my line, and I had a GARGANTUAN tarpon roll on it and either eat it or or got foul hooked, but that sucker broke my line in about 5 seconds).

I usually rig up a small Carolina rig or split shot rig and get some live shrimp too, but I never catch squat on it...seems like the peckers will just steal your bait.

Jig with a grub tail.
DOA shrimp
Pyramid sinker with leader, circle hook, and live shrimp or gulp shrimp. Everything in the ocean will eat a shrimp.

Fishing is best early morning or evening. If you just want to feel the tug, use cut bait and catch sharks at night after the beach is clear.

Thanks for the replys so far. I have actually used the straw thingy to catch a bunch of Spanish with.

Be sure to wash off your rod and reel with freshwater when you're done, to help prevent rust. A soft-bristle brush could help, too.

Go to baycountyoutdoors.com and click on pier fishing link. Lots of good info and latest fishing reports from the County pier.

Pompano rig, sand flea flavor fishbites, and 3' piece of 1.5"pvc for a rod holder. Sit back and wait for the bite.

I use to fish the piers a lot but caught fewer fish and had to deal with a lot of PIA people.

Metalmuncher your little envelope is blinking.

Spanish and king mackerel are pretty thick this time of year. I live in Panama City Gold spoons and gotcha lures work great. Caught a nice king yesterday

Check out a feller on youtube that goes by "Bama Beach Bum" pretty good info in his videos and he's out of Gulf Shores..... nearly all his fishing is done from the beach.

That thing has been blinking for 8 months now. I think I added to much blinker fluid and blew a seal.

Thanks for the PM. Just now read it and replied.

This is probably the best lure ever for pier fishing

I like that. They're already filleted when you get them on the deck. They make one for Crappie?

It’s more for crowded places where folks are casting over you constantly

Yeah I guess it would work great for clearing a fishing hole.

County pier caught 12 cobia on Wednesday. They have been catching loads of spanish, decent amount of kings, and pompano. The water is probably muddy but should clear up by Monday. I will be there on Tuesday.

The water has been rough the last few days plus the wind. And John ain’t got no live shrimp!

Hoping to head off shore Monday to celebrate Confedefate Memorial Day and a day off!!

You trolling or bottom fishing? Either way, I hope you keep your lines stretched almost to the breaking point.

I consider Jefferson Davis the father of my country.

Probably a little of both.. gonna catch some scamp and beeliners

Headed down tomorrow. Thanks to all of you for the advice. I'll try not to let you down.

Be sure to go to Thomas Donut while you’re in Laguna Beach. Good luck with the fishing and hope y’all enjoy your vacation.

Good luck and keep us updated.

Update:

As far as enjoying the fishing, the trip was a success. We saw a few neat things and the weather could not have been any better. MIL got to get out there and enjoy it. That was my main goal this trip. She may not get to go again.

As far as fish caught, the trip was near the bottom of my success list. I guess we were there every time the tide and moon was completely wrong. That and I wasn't holding my mouth right apparently. I fished from the beach for a few hours Saturday night with not so much as a hardhead. Didn't fish any Sunday. Today we hit the city pier because the county pier was still closed because of a big concert event over the weekend. There were a few Pompano caught early but not by us. It must have been around 11:00 when a huge Manatee swam underneath the pier. That was the highlight of the day. Saw an assortment of sharks and rays too. We stayed until about 2:30 and didn't see hardly anyone catch anything. I went back out after dark and still no one catching anything. I'm not going back tomorrow.

We were going to go to the fishing pier in the bay at St. Andrews state park but Hurricane Michael removed most of it and it hasn't been rebuilt yet.

I do appreciate the tips and advice guys. It was fun even if we didn't catch a cooler full of fish.

We may try again before we head home.

Glad y’all are having a good time.