# Braved the weather



## ZombieKiller (Jul 26, 2010)

There was a quick break in the storm this afternoon on Okaloosa Island from about 4:45 to 6:30 or so. I hit the beach with some nasty old shrimp and my fishing gear. Found what looked like a good hole about 75 yards across between stretches of sand bar. As soon as I set the first rod holder in the sand, I saw a good colony of fleas and in one scoop, had all the bait I needed for the short time I was there. Plopped my first cast about 80 yards off the beach, set the bait feeder, and started impaling fleas on my "up close" rod. Before I could get my 2nd rod cast out, the first rod doubled over and started feeding out line. Set the hook, and up comes Mr. 18" Pompano. First fish within 3 minutes of hitting the beach...not too bad. He made his way from 75 degree water to 32 degree water/ice before he could say "Oh sh*t," and I went back to work. Got the rigs baited back up, and threw 'em both out. BAM. Ladyfish. Crap. Bam. Ladyfish. Crap again. Bam. Pufferfish. Son of a ... By now, it's about 6:00, and there's another thunderhead moving in from the south, so I start pulling my stuff together so I can make a mad dash for the truck and avoid getting a Darwin Award. Right as I sit down to pack up the gear bag, the "long" rod starts twitching. Up comes pomp #2. In the cooler. I figure I've got another 15 minutes before Thor starts his music, so I fish a couple more fleas out of my pocket and toss it back out. Set the rod in the holder, engage the baitfeeder, look to my right, and my "short" pole starts twitching. Pomp #3. Now the thunderhead is literally minutes away, so I bring the rod in and go back to packing up my stuff, but left the long rod out. I've got all my stuff packed up and I start walking toward my last pole when I see the line go totally slack. Hadn't been in long enough to get wrapped up in grass, so I'm hoping for pomp #4. Get the slack up, put tension on the line, and the drag starts SCREAMING. Great. Now the rain has started, and the surfers that had so graciously decided to come "hang ten" right over my lines just an hour before are making a mad dash for their Jeff Spicoli VW van. I fought the beast for about 15 minutes out in the freakin lightning like flippin Carl the Groundskeeper (Bill Murray) loopaing in Caddyshack, hoping that it's another monster redfish. And what do I get for my struggle? A damn ray. Lucky for me, he snapped the line right as I started pulling him through the surf. Enjoy the new lip ring, aquatic devil bird.

Anyways, pretty darn good stint on the beach. June grass was there, but tolerable. Honestly, the lines never really sat long enough to get mucked up in the grass. 3oz pyramids were holding pretty well, and ALL of the pompano hit on fleas above orange floats. The yellow/chart/pink/green ones didn't catch anything but ladyfish and pufferfish.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

An excellent post ZK, it was a pleasure to read. Keep those reports coming.


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## superchicken (Jan 9, 2010)

Nice read, I almost felt as I was there. Nice job


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## okiehuntnfish (May 10, 2011)

excellent post!! I will be down yall's way soon and get in on the action.


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## ADRENALINE (May 6, 2008)

Zombiekiller, you play COD? Wondering where your name originated. If so, call me!


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## ZombieKiller (Jul 26, 2010)

ADRENALINE said:


> Zombiekiller, you play COD? Wondering where your name originated. If so, call me!


I've played a couple of times...my younger brother is way into that game. It's fun, but I've never been a gamer. My screen name came from a successful trip to a gun-show a couple of years back. A guy stopped me on the way out the door, as I was toting my haul out the the truck, and said, "Damn, boy...you look like you're ready for the zombie wars."


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## FrankwT (Jul 25, 2010)

I was sitting at AJ's having a beer and wondering who was going to get hit by lightning! Great report and Dinner too, Thanks!


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## REDFISH KING (May 9, 2009)

Very nice report ...Congrats on the pomps


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## redfish maniac (Jul 19, 2008)

Sorry to be ignorant on this point - but what do you mean when you say above orange floats (below):
"ALL of the pompano hit on fleas above orange floats.


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## ZombieKiller (Jul 26, 2010)

My rig is your basic chicken rig...about 8' of 20lb floro leader. Double surgeon's loop on the bottom to hold the weight. 1' up from the bottom, dropper loop tied so that the doubled line sticks out roughly 6 inches from the mainline. Up another foot, another loop, tied the same as the first one. I keep the loop doubled and throw a bead or a float (kind of like a lindy rig float, ifin you're a walleye fisherman from up North) on the line, and then loop a #2 khale or Mutu hook on. Down to business...

I've bought my all my floats at Half Hitch. I'm not sure exactly what they're called, but if you stop in and tell 'em you're looking for pompano floats, they'll point you to 'em


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## pop-n-chick (Feb 24, 2011)

*nice catch*

hey zombie let me know next time you are ready too hit the surf,im right down the beach between Pompano Joes and the Whalestail.....maybe we can give em a try...........:notworthy:


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## devndeb (Mar 16, 2008)

Me too, Zombie...Live in FWB and am a pier regular...but do some surf fishing as well...did ALOT of it when I was based up in NJ...Stripers and BIG blues were the target there...nice to be back home, though!


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## Shildy (May 5, 2008)

I'm staying this week near Pompano Joes aswell.. I'll be out everyday, last night sucked with the June grass and waves. Hope the grass goes back out.


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## Russian (Jan 13, 2009)

Sweet report Rob! I wish the grass was more predictable, one day you go and the fishing is great, the next same spot is covered in grass and not fishable. Glad your having some luck.


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