# Gulf Shores skunk



## pompanostradamus (Oct 17, 2007)

Went surf fishing west of the GSSP pier this morning between 830 and noon. East wind clocked around to northeast last night and knocked the waves down. Water is still very muddy. Fleas were scarce but I worked hard for a pocketful. Croakers wore me out. Couldn't keep a line out without these critters stealing my bait or getting hooked up. No action from anything else, not even a catfish! I did switch out my rig and send a croaker out on a circle hook but no takers. Heard somebody was catching bull reds down on West Beach. Where the heck is the fall run? Got wind and rain in the forecast but since I'm on vacation all week, I will persevere.


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## Scottie531 (Aug 7, 2011)

I was down on west beach last weekend. Fished friday night, and fishing every day morning and night through Monday. Managed a very nice 23" speck, and a 19" flounder. Both were my biggest of those species. Needless to say, though, I was actually disappointed. Couldn't get the redfish bite all weekend, and other than those two fish, I was pretty much skunked other than the occasional bluefish.

Anywho, thanks for the report. Hope it gets better for ya, goodluck!


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## pompanostradamus (Oct 17, 2007)

I'm thinking I need to start targeting multiple species to avoid the skunk. Where can you fish on west beach? I've seen the public lot at Lee Callaway but it is always packed...


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

Haha I target any species and get skunked! !


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## Scottie531 (Aug 7, 2011)

pompanostradamus said:


> I'm thinking I need to start targeting multiple species to avoid the skunk. Where can you fish on west beach? I've seen the public lot at Lee Callaway but it is always packed...



I'm lucky enough to have a condo in the Sanibel right near the pass - which i think is the Lee Callaway bridge you're talking about. It can get busy later in the day, for sure, but when I went last weekend, I was able to park at the lot every time I went. But since I'm so close, if I know it's busy I usually just walk.


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## pompanostradamus (Oct 17, 2007)

Thanks for the info Scottie. I'm too stubborn to walk away from my spot by the pier because it has been so productive but I guess I've got to explore someday. Do you have an opinion as to which side of the pass to fish on?


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## Scottie531 (Aug 7, 2011)

Well, I'm certainly no expert fisherman... I would probably fall short of even saying i'm a good one, too. haha But for the most part I've fished the gulf side and caught reds, specks, and that one flounder this past weekend. 

I really haven't done much of any fishing on the lagoon side. The only people I've seen fishing the lagoon side have been in boats. The dredging that they're doing right now has kind of mucked up the wade fishing on the lagoon side. It is fairly shallow, though, but it's a fairly far distance from the beach so I never gave it a shot. 

So I guess I would recommend the gulf side. Bait fish aren't too hard to come by, especially with an outgoing tide. I had no trouble finding a few little schools of finger mullet, and an occasional school of little pinfish in the shallower water close to shore and right along the wall of the pass leading into the gulf. So if ya like catching your own bait, shouldn't be too much of a problem!

And as far as lures go, I've had luck bouncing a soft plastic on a 1/2 oz jighead for both specs and flounder. Haven't had much luck on topwater. I've caught a few blues, skipjack and the one speck using a popping cork with a live shrimp or baitfish. For the slot reds, I've used a carolina rig with a 3/4 oz egg weight and live shrimp or baitfish.

Long post, I know. Hope i've at least helped ya a little bit. Wish you the best of luck! I can just about guarantee you'll at least catching something fishing the pass.


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## pompanostradamus (Oct 17, 2007)

Thanks for all the detailed info. I'm going to try it out this morning. I'll probably post the results, good or bad.


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## Surfcaster (Jul 22, 2011)

Hey guys...nice post here. I too am a landlocked angler....i have never fished the gulf side. Would the east or west side of the pass be better? I have done a good amount of Wade fishing on the lagoon side. Popping corks and any new penny colored gulp will produce nice specks. Just Wade around and work the holes, in fact, about four weeks ago, i caught a speck on a free lined small shrimp. Got the fish to me and he bit through the line (8 lb test) after i had one hand on him. It was the biggest that i have ever seen, and made me look up the state record when i returned. Had i actually landed the fish and not watched him swim away ever so slowly, it would have easily given the record a run. All i got was a slap on the back from the catch bag that my wife was holding...lol!
Anyways...plenty of rat reds and the occasional slot, and many many whiting also. I normally catch a net or two full of finger mullet and work them on a jig head hooked through the mouth which produces many smaller legal flounder. Haven't run across any doormats as of yet. I have my wife hooked on fishing after the last couple of months......but i am dying to get her to experience the fight of a bull red. Any one that could point me into a probable spot i would greatly appreciate it!

Tight lines!


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