# Hard tails



## alfinez (Apr 24, 2010)

I'm not a local, but I wanted to know does anyone catch hard tails and use them for bait? Live or other wise....for King Fish? I'd like to "live line" to catch my first King when I'm in PCola next week.... Also what are the best lure's for the PCoal pier..I know Gotcha's work for Spanish.... does anyone use Spoon's or Swim baits....for other species?

Lastly what is in now....I'd appreciate any help as I visit quite often BUT the local's are not too friendly.


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## PompChaser315 (Feb 18, 2011)

Hardtails seem to do ok but your best friend is the cigar minnow.. if you can find one live thats awesome but they seem few and far to come by, all shops sell frozen ones.. I started kingfishing from the pier about a month ago and have been tearing them up on frozen cigs..


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## PompChaser315 (Feb 18, 2011)

Oh and the locals around here(im local and dont mind helping someone, eventhough im not that experienced yet) seem to be quite friendly, as long as your not a tool.. but then again ive only been to the pcola pier one time, and will never go back.. pure trash from what i experienced, i stick to the navarre pier now..


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## alfinez (Apr 24, 2010)

Yeah, I've figured that...I just thought since their are so many hard tails etc that the kings would kill them.... I've been to the Pier quite a few times but this go round I"m for sure going to land my first king... thanks for the help and I was actually going to go to Navarre I keep hearing good things about it...


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## MrFish49 (Jun 30, 2012)

A big king will absolutely wreck a large hardtail, it's just the big kings are just harder to find. Also the hardtail tend to have a mind of their own and can tangle you up.


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## alfinez (Apr 24, 2010)

MrFish49 said:


> A big king will absolutely wreck a large hardtail, it's just the big kings are just harder to find. Also the hardtail tend to have a mind of their own and can tangle you up.


Really.... Thanks for the info.... I was actually thinking about casting on the K's that swim up to the Pier. I don't know how many times I'd be fishing mid pier and look down and see a 36-48' King right under me....


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## stevesmi (Mar 15, 2012)

FUPAGUNT said:


> Hardtails seem to do ok but your best friend is the cigar minnow.. if you can find one live thats awesome but they seem few and far to come by, all shops sell frozen ones.. I started kingfishing from the pier about a month ago and have been tearing them up on frozen cigs..


do you jig the cigars? or just free line? 

yeah sometimes the guys at the pcola pier are trash, just gotta stay away from them. i get more annoyed with the tourists talking to me while i am having a bad day asking the same questions over and over.


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## bassassassin (May 30, 2009)

Cigs are the best all around king bait imo. Live or dead


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## PompChaser315 (Feb 18, 2011)

stevesmi said:


> do you jig the cigars? or just free line?
> 
> yeah sometimes the guys at the pcola pier are trash, just gotta stay away from them. i get more annoyed with the tourists talking to me while i am having a bad day asking the same questions over and over.


I free line the cigs and try to keep them about a foot below the surface. If the wind/current is too strong to sink them a lil i will add a couple small splitshots just above the leader to keep it down


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## alfinez (Apr 24, 2010)

I've been relegated to pointing and laughing at those guys, I mean I'm from NYC these guys don't know what a bad day is like. Yeah I plan on drifting some Cig's, I was just wondering if my little guy's having fun Sabiki'ing these guys might as well use them for bait...


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