Tue Dec 22, 2009 GSPPier

[Pier#r]

It started off chilly (42 degrees) in Gulf Shores but the winds were light NE and it wasn't so bad.


When Harley & I got out on the pier @ 6:30 Roy said he could see whiting under the pier but couldn't get a bite.
They soon turned on though as the sun came up and the mergansers moved away from the pier.


We caught dozens of big ones (up to 2#)


and Roy & I each caught a pompano. Mine was 13" FL...


Like Pug said: "This is worth gettin outta bed for."
Me & Pugster with a pair of 19 1/2" +2# whiting


The bite was pretty good from 6:30-9:30 but dropped off quickly after that

Pugster breaks the ice...


John G with another nice one on 4# UL


It ended when the wind picked up and the tideline approached from the east.
The water clarity dropped and most of the whiting just dissapeared

Still I'd kept 33
Only two were under 12" (gut hooked)


and 15 were over 15"




and 5 of those weighed more than 1 1/2# EACH


My two biggest were 18 1/2" @ 2.03# and 19 1/2" @ 2.30#


Quote of the day: You know it's a good day when you're culling 14" whiting!

DaFish came out with his son and showed off his new king rod


Had a great time fishing with some old friends and made a few new ones...


After the whiting slowed, I tried live shrimp at the mid platform, the end and several spots between and got nothing but nibbles from pinfish and pigfish.
The current was running strong from E-W at 11 am and only one guy left fishing the end.
It was dead

...so I left to go to Al Pt.
I fished there until sundown and caught a variety of fish.
Last cast of the day...


Ended up keeping 10 sheepshead (12"-16" FL) from the wall and west jetty.


Thank You Lord for a great winter day fishing with some fine catching and friendship!

[permitchaser]

very nice report and fish i wish Alabama was closer to me LOL.you guys are blessed.

[TeEnAnGlerPro213]

great report

[bolo]

Nice report. Looks like a fish fry is in order.

[regulator70]

i need to make a trip over there soon

[PhishingPhanatic]

Great report and great eating. Those are some big whiting.

[TERMINATOR]

Very nice report and pics.

What bait were you using for the Whiting? What size and style hook do you use? I was using dead shrimp (thawed frozen) and seemed to get my hook cleaned a lot...like 2 out of 3 times they bite I missed them. How do I avoid that?

Thanks for the reports and any help you can give a rookie to pier fishing.

[Pier#r]

Very nice report and pics.

What bait were you using for the Whiting? What size and style hook do you use? I was using dead shrimp (thawed frozen) and seemed to get my hook cleaned a lot...like 2 out of 3 times they bite I missed them. How do I avoid that?

Thanks for the reports and any help you can give a rookie to pier fishing.

I was using fresh dead shrimp cut into (3 or 4) pieces about the size of my the last joint of my little finger.
There are several pieces on top of my tacklebox in the overhead whiting picture above.

I like to use the #4 or #2 Tru-Turn light wire hooks for whiting & pompano.
There is one hanging out of the mouth of the pompano in the pic above.

I've had better luck with FRESH shrimp over frozen. It does stay on the hook better.

Pinfish, pigfish, Bermuda chub, grunts, etc. are really good at cleaning the bait off a hook, often one small peck at a time.
If that is what you are feeling (peck, peck, peck) try a different location, baitsize and/or hooksize (smaller).

These whiting have a soft bite in our colder water (mid to upper 50s), so I like to use an ultralite spinning rod to detect the bite and just lift the rodtip (not 'set the hook') so the Tru-Turn can do it's work.
The sheepshead are slightly different as their teeth would crush the light wire Tru-Turn hook,
so I use a #6 or #8 Kahle or All Purpose (J-style) hook for them.
The slightly heavier wire holds up better and will not straighten out, yet it doesn't encomber the small live shrimp I like to use either

[GO4EM]

Great report Cotton! Good haul.