Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer General Forum Surf fishing (night)

Brother and I have been fishing from 11-2:30 am each night. We catch pins, blues, and pompano...problem is we aren't getting hits on the reds we are after. Last year was a lot better but this year it's VERY windy and Waves are huge. We use the pins as live bait, anyone have any tips for heavy wave fishing. How deep is too deep for reds? We have been in 6-10 foot.

Are you fishing from the shore or a pier? If it's rough you have to get your baits further from shore. Cut those pinfish and paddle baits out deep.

Okaloosa Pier, about 100-125 yards out

I don't surf fish a lot, I use live pins, if they die, should you switch out with a new live one or does it really matter?

Just like sout bama slayer says. I've always have had better luck for bull reds early in the morning on an incoming tide. The bite should be best anytime the tide is moving though.

I invented a process of telling how to differentiate a bite from surf action. Well I'm sure somebody has thought of it before but I'm taking credit dammit. It is called the slip-o-meter. Take ya two 5 gallon buckets, set em about 4-5' apart parallel to the water line away from the reach of the surf. Put some sand or water in each to weigh em down. Then lay the reel end of the pole on top of one and the pole tip in the sand so that it sticks out about a few feet past the bucket. Make sure the line is pretty tight. Then just keep an eye on the tip of the rod. The wave action will move the tip of the rod back and forth and make a line in the sand like a seismograph. Good luck and post some pics!

I grew up in Myrtle Beach fishing for redfish (we call them spot tails) and we would catch minnows (mullet or whatever) with a cast net and fish on a creak or inlet on a changing tide.

My brother and I last year off same pier (Okaloosa) at 2:30 am.

That's a good one!

One of my favorite night baits for bull reds is a filet of croaker with the skin on, but scaled. A Carolina rig with that will catch them if they're there. They are running troughs, so you just have to find the trough they're in. Move up and down the pier every 20-30 minutes until you find them.

No. Good advice here. I mainly surf fish for sharks.

Are the pompano of any size? I am coming down to the destin area at the end of the week and plan to go out on the pier at least a night or two to try to for white trout, but I would love to catch some pompano while i'm at it.

Are the pompano of any size? I am coming down to the destin area at the end of the week and plan to go out on the pier at least a night or two to try to for white trout, but I would love to catch some pompano while i'm at it.

Pompano have been pretty small, headed out again tonight around 10:30. Will update.

Try this also. Tie a 3ft fluorocarbon leader to your line using just enough weight to keep your bait off the bottom using live shrimp. Bait presentation is everything with reds.

I used to love to walk out on the jetties to fish. The pier was typically so crowded it wasn't worth the fight.

Use 3-4" crabs of any variety. Tear the back shell off, run a big hook through the middle from bottom to top and let it sit on the bottom.