# Destin: Beginners Luck Report



## Hack (May 11, 2009)

Woke up at 4:30 this morning to give the beach a try before the chairs and umbrellas went up.Yesterday I went to Wally World andgota Daiwa 7.5' combo, some 1" Gulp fleas, and a few pomp rigs (switched out the hooks).

I walked down the beach a ways looking for a spot where the waves weren't breaking as big, but ended up setting up right outside the condo (the waveswere booking it everywhere).I had to usetwo 2 ounce weights and a 1 ounce weight to keep the rig from coming right back to me (I'm going to buy some bigger weights today).

An hour passes, nothing, then at the hour mark while I'm hunting real fleas the rod bends. I grab and reel in confident thatI was only stuck in June grass.ThenI realized my line was out 3 timesfurther thanI could cast...Fish on.

I reelin for a bit, then it felt like something hit my line again, my first thought was that I had hit a school of something and a second fish took the other flea. I kept reeling, got it closer, then whatever it was took another run, and I felt a third hard hit. Well there's no way it's a third fish (two hook rig) so I knew it had to be something decent. 6 minutes later I get my hands on a 29 inch redfish. I looked around like a fool hoping someone with a camera was nearbye. I left mine in the condo. :banghead

Above the slot, said goodbye, let it go. First fish in the surf, and though I didn't have a scale, probably the largestfish I've ever caught, certainly the longest. If any of you were watching from a distance or a window I'm sure it was funny. I got the fish, hooked my foot with the second hook on the rig while running to my bag for the lawstick, fell down, got up, got the lawstick, and spun in a few circles hoping someone with a camera came by...it was great.

I'll just keep updating for the week in this post. And I will take my camera next time, I really wish I had a picture of this morning.


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## Croaker Chris (Feb 22, 2009)

Excellent trip ! Congrats ! :bowdown


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## Max_Power (May 11, 2009)

A 29" redfish, but you forgot the camera, sure, we believe you. Next you'll be telling us the Swedish bikini team was there cheering you on. 





Good job, glad you're having fun. Enjoy your stay in Destin.


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## Hack (May 11, 2009)

> *Max_Power (5/24/2009)*A 29" redfish, but you forgot the camera, sure, we believe you. Next you'll be telling us the Swedish bikini team was there cheering you on.
> 
> 
> Good job, glad you're having fun. Enjoy your stay in Destin.


Hey now, if I was making up my story I would have caught more than one fish! :letsdrink


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## Sailor50 (Nov 8, 2007)

Congratulations, its a lot of fun isnt it? 

Just make sure you keep your drag loose when your rod is in the rod holder. I forgot to loosen mine up last year, turned around and saw my rodon the sand, skipping along the beach, into the water, and heading out to sea before I could get to it. Probably a redfish. 

And sometimes with Pompano, you will see the hit, start reeling and not feel anything. They have a tendency to run toward the beach when hooked, so you may not feel them on your line initially. But, keep reeling.


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## KnottiBoi (May 10, 2009)

Great Job! Nice fish, did you sink the hook in yourself of just get twisted up?


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## Hack (May 11, 2009)

Pre-dinner update.

I decided against the hike to the West Jetty, didn't want to get caught in a storm and be on the news tonight. Went to the East Jetty insteadfor about 3 and a half hours, and of course, the weatherwas perfect. AllI had with me were pomp rigs and it didn't take long to figure out that those are not the best thing for the pass side of the jetty. Anyway, after performing surgery on a pomp rig to get something I could work with, I caughtfive ladyfish and somehow I managed to lasso a catfish. That's right, lasso. As far as I could tell there was never a hook in him, but my line was wrapped around him about10 times. Stupid fish... After a minute of trying to untanglethe messI had to start cutting the line off him.

I also managed to break my wally world cheapo. The switch that lets youmanually let out line by reeling backwardsno longer works, soinstead of the drag working the whole thing spins outwhen a fish hits. I'm going to open it up and see if I can fix it tonight. If not, back to wal-mart for cheapo numero dos.

I need it for the morning so that when I catch my second 30 inch Red, I'll have a picture and people will actually believe me!



> *KnottiBoi (5/24/2009)*Great Job! Nice fish, did you sink the hook in yourself of just get twisted up?


I was messing with the fish and when I turned towards my cooler for the law stick I noticed my leg had a drag to it. Looked down, extra hook in past the barb right above the ankle. I'll say this, thankfully it seems like circle hooks are a lot easier to get out of skin and fish than the hooks I use for bass.

Two more questions for the board:

1. Why don't people use circle hooks for bass fishing? If I Texas rig a senko on a circle hook it would be perfectly weedless. I guess I could see where a senko could keep the circle hook from being as effective in hooking the fish itself, but I think it'd be something worth trying.

2. Would I catch anything if Iused a Texas rigged Senko off the Jetty? A small one, like a 3 incher.


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## KnottiBoi (May 10, 2009)

I think a Yamamato Senko might work, a texas rig will probably not matter as when I use dead bait I typically run the hook though and run it backin imbed it in the bait. Same basic principle... Try Cinnamon Brown color if you have it, which is close to new penny red Gulp as I think you can get.Fishing with no bites isstill better than not fishing.


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## Fisherdad1 (Oct 4, 2007)

I frequently use a circle hook with a small worm rigged wacky style - hooked right through the middle. I have caugth a bunch a small bass on that rig, especially when the water is clear and you can see the fish.

Fisherdad1


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## mpmorr (Oct 3, 2007)

I use 4/0 circle hooks on my trot lines. Really holds the fish great. I lose a lot less fish that way.


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