# Snow bird needs help



## fastrike115 (Jan 3, 2009)

New to this forum but have been reading it for sometime this is great, I am coming down to the Orange Beach area the last week of Feb, looking to catch anything, I have the gear just need some direction on where to go and what to use. mostly looking for fish in the surf, anything sure beats the 45 inches of snow we have already, and it's only the first week of Jan. Thanks for any help.


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## badazzchef (Oct 1, 2007)

Ill try to hook up with you when you get here and maybe we can catch some fish! my cell is 205-915-6934. Where you comin from?

Chris


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## captain wahoo (Dec 14, 2008)

Hey,

I work in orange beach usually 3 or 4 days a week, would be glad to help you out. Always fishing the surf in the area. be happy to help you out

pm me 

chris


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## roofordie (Sep 24, 2008)

> *fastrike115 (1/3/2009)*New to this forum but have been reading it for sometime this is great, I am coming down to the Orange Beach area the last week of Feb, looking to catch anything, I have the gear just need some direction on where to go and what to use. mostly looking for fish in the surf, anything sure beats the 45 inches of snow we have already, and it's only the first week of Jan. Thanks for any help.


45 inches?!!! Where do you live?


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## Bryan Bennett (Dec 29, 2007)

February can be tough, to be sure, as we get some rough weather that time of year, but there are still opportunities to be had. As for where to go, there are a few good places. The beach area on the east side of the east jetty at Alabama Point (crossing the Perdido pass bridge), the State Park area at Cotton Bayou, the State Park Pavilion (although you will have to pay to park), West Beach (also called Little Lagoon Pass), and various areas on the Fort Morgan peninsula.

Your target should be whiting, since that is the most common species in the surf at that time of year. By rigging for whiting, you may encounter other species such as pompano, slot redfish, sheepshead, and other incidentals such as croakers, rays, and small sharks. If you have a large outfit capable of holding a good bit of 20 lb. test line or heavier and launching a five ounce sinker, bring it, too, so you can set out a line for a bull redfish.

Your success will depend upon how warm the days are and if the wind lays down. If you will PM me as your visit draws near, I will give you more specifics on terminal rigging and preferred baits and how to obtain it. Good luck.


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## xl883lo (Oct 24, 2007)

> *Bryan Bennett (1/4/2009)*February can be tough, to be sure, as we get some rough weather that time of year, but there are still opportunities to be had. As for where to go, there are a few good places. The beach area on the east side of the east jetty at Alabama Point (crossing the Perdido pass bridge), the State Park area at Cotton Bayou, the State Park Pavilion (although you will have to pay to park), West Beach (also called Little Lagoon Pass), and various areas on the Fort Morgan peninsula.
> 
> Your target should be whiting, since that is the most common species in the surf at that time of year. By rigging for whiting, you may encounter other species such as pompano, slot redfish, sheepshead, and other incidentals such as croakers, rays, and small sharks. If you have a large outfit capable of holding a good bit of 20 lb. test line or heavier and launching a five ounce sinker, bring it, too, so you can set out a line for a bull redfish.
> 
> Your success will depend upon how warm the days are and if the wind lays down. If you will PM me as your visit draws near, I will give you more specifics on terminal rigging and preferred baits and how to obtain it. Good luck.


Brian,

You may have jumped the gun with the snowbird here. With your comment about the "large outfit" you are assuming he knows what to bring as a "base rig" for working close in. My primary setup is a St Croix Tidemaster 7'-6" MF 8#-17# with a Penn Slammer 360 spooled with 12# Mono. I also sometimes use an 8'-6" Shimano Scimitar(muskie rod) 8#-17# with a Penn Slammer 360 spooled with 12# Mono(going to 20#braid for casting distance when I respool) for throwing Jigs. I guess my point is unlike some other areas like the Outer Banks where theypretty much use onlyreal heavy setups to really chunk it out there, here we use primarily a standard inshore spinnning setup and then a heavy setup as kind of an auxiliarry deal. I know you kind of infered that in your post but I though it needed to be said plainly.


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## fastrike115 (Jan 3, 2009)

I have a 10 ft surf rod with a Diawa emblem reel spooled with 30 lb fireline and I have a 7 ft Penn with a Cabelas ss40 with 15 lb fire line. I have fished the gulf one other time in south Fla. so any other pointers would be appreciated, and by the way I live in the "Frozen Tundra" called Green Bay. and it's only - 15 with the wind chill today, Feb can't come fast enough.


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## roofordie (Sep 24, 2008)

You should your inquiry again when it is closer to Febuary, as the current weather at that time will dictate where/how to fish.


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## fastrike115 (Jan 3, 2009)

Hey guys I can't wait to get away from this frozen tundra be down on Feb 21 anything going on for fishing in the Orange Beach area, please let me know I'm sick of staring down a 8 inch hole in the ice.


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## Coryphaena (Oct 2, 2007)

Your tides for that time frame- low tides will be between 6:30 and 7am, high tides between 7:30 and 8pm on the 21st. Tides for subsequent days fall about 20 min later each day until about the 25th (new moon). I have my best luck fishing inshore while water is moving- usually a couple of hours before each tide. An easy spot to fish in Orange Beach as far as accessibility is under the Perdido Pass bridge- you fish pretty much where you park so there is minimal hauling of gear! Redfish should be running through the pass, and with live shrimp or fiddler crabs you should pick up some sheepshead too. 

Here are the AL regulations:

http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/saltwater/regulations/creel_limits.pdf


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