# Sight casting Pompano or Set baits out?



## King/ling (Mar 9, 2013)

What is the best way to catch pompano, sight casting or setting out sand fleas? Doing it from the pensacola beach gulf pier.


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## Austin (Sep 30, 2007)

King/ling said:


> What is the best way to catch pompano, sight casting or setting out sand fleas? Doing it from the pensacola beach gulf pier.


On the pier, Sight fishing/blind jigging with pompano jigs is prime unless there is not a crowd, or if the weather conditions are unfavorable for jigging. But any time you can get an ample amount of room around you, you can throw out some fleas. Just be mindful of the folks around you and bring your line in if someone is fighting a fish towards you. Use a fairly visible line color as well, so folks don't throw over your line.

I go on the pier to sight fish.. To me, that's the whole reason I fish the pier. If I want to fish fleas/shrimp on set lines, I will just surf fish.


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## a (Oct 2, 2007)

sight casting from the bow of a skiff ....throwin pink and yellow closers!


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

I have always had better luck walking the beach, looking for cuts, bait, fish flashing, etc...

The pier: you wait for fish to come to you, deal w/ people cussing you for bait fishing

Boat: you burn gas looking for fish

Walking: good for the legs, you can move w/ the fish and to the fish and you're not tied to one spot, no gas, no pier fees, no PIER RATs who should be in school or JV Detention.

I prefer to walk the beach...flipping jigs. JMO


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## Hawkseye (Feb 17, 2012)

When visibility is good enough, there is no need to let a flea soak at the pier. When you see a fish...toss a jig to it. However, when the water is murky or sometimes if I just don't feel like blind jigging all day, I get great results working a flea on a Carolina rig.

Cast a Carolina rig out and work it back to you (let it sit and retrieve a crank or two every so often) slowly. As Austin said above, be mindful of the other people fishing. I've never had anybody complain about soaking a flea in this manner and it works great.


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## naplesguy (Sep 6, 2013)

what is a best time to catching pompano ?? high tide low tide etc..
Thanks all


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

a said:


> sight casting from the bow of a skiff ....throwin pink and yellow closers!


Always wondered about this...

How do you get the boat close enough to the surf to cast to them?
You are not supposed to get a boat inside the buoys. Are there pomps that far out?



barefoot said:


> The pier: you wait for fish to come to you, deal w/ people cussing you for bait fishing.


What pier would this happen? Every pier I have ever been to, 90% or more of the people were bait fishing. I'm asking because I will avoid this pier. Not that I pier fish much, but I do occasionally.


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

Walkin the beach!


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

When the water is clear and you have 10 guys with set rods out,then when a fish comes in that you want to throw to...you can't....
If you want to fish with fleas fish off the beach,please.....
If you can't handle the competition on the pier...don't go... its as simple as that.....I enjoy fishing off of the local Gulf piers because of the competition.....to each his own......


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

I've never seen anyone sight fishing from the pier that I fish. Never seen anything to sight fish at either... I've 

Different tactics for different piers.

Not being a [email protected]$$ here, just asking... 
So at the Pensacola area piers, you have a dozens of guys standing there waiting for a fish to swim by on the surface and they all throw at it at the same time?


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## TravelinLight (Jul 7, 2013)

NoMoSurf said:


> Always wondered about this...
> 
> How do you get the boat close enough to the surf to cast to them?
> You are not supposed to get a boat inside the buoys. Are there pomps that far out?
> ...


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

TravelinLight said:


> NoMoSurf said:
> 
> 
> > Always wondered about this...
> ...


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## TravelinLight (Jul 7, 2013)

Not the case here. I mean be mindful and respectful for swimmers and surf casters but I get inside the sandbars sightfishing reds and Pomps on a normal basis.


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## johnboatjosh (May 19, 2008)

NoMoSurf said:


> TravelinLight said:
> 
> 
> > ???
> ...


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

NoMoSurf said:


> I've never seen anyone sight fishing from the pier that I fish. Never seen anything to sight fish at either... I've
> 
> Different tactics for different piers.
> 
> ...


Yes that's how it is but most of the time the pomps are on the bottom and sometimes hard to spot and usually more than one in a school.....four or five people will throw in front of the school and start bouncing jigs in front of them.....Been doing that way probably since the 1940's......We do have clear water usually and most spot a fish before casting.....With cobia its a different story ...at Pensacola beach it's first shot rule meaning someone calls first shot when they first spot one then everyone must allow him a shot and time to try to work him..If he throws short or the fish turns off of his lure then everyone can throw.....Navarre Pier this rule does not apply as it is "Balls to the Wall" meaning there is no rules and I like fishing from there the more the merrier,lol.....


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

fairpoint said:


> Yes that's how it is but most of the time the pomps are on the bottom and sometimes hard to spot and usually more than one in a school.....four or five people will throw in front of the school and start bouncing jigs in front of them.....Been doing that way probably since the 1940's......We do have clear water usually and most spot a fish before casting.....With cobia its a different story ...at Pensacola beach it's first shot rule meaning someone calls first shot when they first spot one then everyone must allow him a shot and time to try to work him..If he throws short or the fish turns off of his lure then everyone can throw.....Navarre Pier this rule does not apply as it is "Balls to the Wall" meaning there is no rules and I like fishing from there the more the merrier,lol.....


Sounds like a good place to get stabbed... A dirty bait knife would could be nasty! haha

The pier where I fish is MUCH more bottom fishing oriented. I don't think I have ever seen anyone sight fish from it. The only thing I have ever sighted there was a small school of LARGE rays. To get Cobes and Kings there, you have to be a couple miles offshore. They just don't come into the bend there. I suppose that cuts down on the pier "antics".


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

NoMoSurf said:


> Sounds like a good place to get stabbed... A dirty bait knife would could be nasty! haha
> 
> The pier where I fish is MUCH more bottom fishing oriented. I don't think I have ever seen anyone sight fish from it. The only thing I have ever sighted there was a small school of LARGE rays. To get Cobes and Kings there, you have to be a couple miles offshore. They just don't come into the bend there. I suppose that cuts down on the pier "antics".


 

That wouldn't be a good idea cuz most locals are packing Glocks ,ha ha....
If you're ever in the emerald coast from Panama to Pensacola you'll see 
the situation and everyone is on the same page...although tempers can flare,,,but NOBODY wants to be banned from the pier for misconduct
so it don't get out of hand too bad.......


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

I fish on the other side of Panama. I'd like to start fishing Pensacola, it's ALOT closer. But I'll avoid the pier. I like soaking baits and don't like chaos. Just not my thing. To each their own. haha. I'm just too laid back for that stuff

Maybe I'll give 3-mile or Sykes a shot one day. Maybe just the beach.


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

Let me know when you want to fish and I'll show what fishins all about....if you're just waitin for a rod tip to bounce then you'll be amazed at what clear water fishin is all about......hopefully the gul will clear up enough to be able to see......A good northerly wind will bring in offshore water from the bottom....the muddy water gets blown on the topwhile it gets replaced from clear water from offshore....We just need some northerly wind to blow offshore ............


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

fairpoint said:


> Let me know when you want to fish and I'll show what fishins all about....if you're just waitin for a rod tip to bounce then you'll be amazed at what clear water fishin is all about......hopefully the gul will clear up enough to be able to see......A good northerly wind will bring in offshore water from the bottom....the muddy water gets blown on the topwhile it gets replaced from clear water from offshore....We just need some northerly wind to blow offshore ............


 
You've got a deal! You just let me know when the water clears up and I'll make the drive.

It's good to see that this thread finally circled back around to be on topic... :thumbup:


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

It cleared up but no pompano YET.....I'll try to get in the loop and find out when they do show up.....


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