# Okaloosa pier



## livewildforlife

I have heard many good things about Navarre, pensecola and pcb piers. Yet one that I've only heard scattered info on but I now am within driving distance to is okaloosa pier. What I have heard is encouraging but would appreciate any and all info/tips on the pier. I am not a googan And fished almost daily at gulf shores last season. I really would like to know the local unspoken rules so don't step on toes same goes for Navarre. Been told Navarre can get nasty if not a local. Truly like to fish on both of them without having any issues or getting treated as a googan. I unfortunately will be confined to mAinly weekends due to work schedule. How packed full of tourists do the piers get and what months are worst June thru August? Do locals prefer to free line live bait on down current side while throwing lures up current? Are trolley rigs used and if so what areas predominantly? Can sharks be landed? Any decent king, jack, action after dark on either pier with full moon? Is it true that come summer and fall actually can get action from sailfish and chicken dolphin on those piers? I could just go and assume it's like gulf shores pier at both Navarre and okaloosa but could be sorely mistaken. Feel free to respond via [email protected] or 334-685-4552


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## bigrick

Just find the biggest, baddest mother f*cker out there and punch him square in the face and then you pretty much run things from that point on.


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## JD7.62

Only one line in the water on the pier at a time on Navarre. 

No trolley rigs.

Do not put a set line in the pomp hole or at the end of the pier if you want to make friends. In the spring make sure your cart and gear is on the west rail, east rail in the fall. 

Sharks can be landed. 

And yes pelagics come through all the piers occasionally except for gulf shores.


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## steelhead

Navarre Pier has some good folks that fish it. The previous poster gave some good advice. I really enjoy sight fishing for pomps from the pier. Plus, the competition keeps thing interesting. Unless, you are around Mark Nelson. That dude can slay some pomps.


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## SteveCal

There is no hierarchy on Okaloossa Pier that I have seen in the years I've fished there. People seem to get along just fine. Altho during Cobia and Mackerel seasons the end of the pier can get kind of crowded and busy. I have never seen it to busy after 9 PM or so. 

Like others, I get on the pier and find a relatively open spot and put my lines out. If crowded, one line. If not crowded, up to four lines. I always take my own bait.

There seems to be more tourist then fishers on the pier at any time. And they almost always like to stop and watch and talk to the guys/gals fishing. I usually answer their first question with, "Oh. I'm with the Florida Feed The Fish Commission. I feed the fish." Good ice breaker and mood setter and sometimes takes a second to sink in.

Pier visitors can be entertaining at bar closing time.


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## bdyboarder86

I would add no sabikis at the end while king fishing unless there is not bite at all, but I still tend to wait until someone else throws one. I have seen people damn near fight because a sabiki tangled with someone fighting a king. Not pretty


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## livewildforlife

Thanks for the feedback and I'll have to pass on the punch biggest badass in the mouth advice. I just was curious as to the locals rules. Gulf shores pier definitely had rules that only the regulars knew and would follow. So figured the other large piers would also have unspoken local rules. FYI I understand the no sabiki off the end of the pier. I actually had googans get there lines cut as I fought a large jack last year and they got tangled In my line as I called coming down the rail. We'll the googies didn't understand what that meant and as they got tangled another regular just went along cutting there lines with his knife or few got burnt off by my braid. Anyways they're was some definite bad reactions from a few but I just kept fighting the fish and let the others tangle it out. Anyways issues like that are why I ask. I will just have to start putting in my time and go from there. Sounds as if it's all fairly basic common sense. That rule about the gear though on different rail for spring vs fall is highly appreciated.


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## Dimebag

If you go to the end of the pier in navarre, don't bottom fish. You will get asked not do it in any fashion lol....the shark guys do it at night so they don't have to worry about the crowds. Good luck battling it with the cobia guys. Can be a rough on haha

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk


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## weedline

i have fished them all and i do it so seldomly that no one knows me i used to fish pc alot 20 + years ago so i know how to pier fish and never had a problem with anyone the regulars have gaffed my fish with no issues just go out and fish dont act stupid and u will fit in remember all the piers are first shot during cobia season so obide by that


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## cody&ryand

weedline said:


> i have fished them all and i do it so seldomly that no one knows me i used to fish pc alot 20 + years ago so i know how to pier fish and never had a problem with anyone the regulars have gaffed my fish with no issues just go out and fish dont act stupid and u will fit in remember all the piers are first shot during cobia season so obide by that


Navarre isn't first shot if I'm not mistaken


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## reelthrill

Okaloosa is by far the best tarpon pier if you like to tarpon fish. It is the worse cobia pier, and can be good for kings at times.


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## weedline

cody&ryand said:


> Navarre isn't first shot if I'm not mistaken


u may be right i thought it had changed recently


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## cody&ryand

weedline said:


> u may be right i thought it had changed recently


Pretty sure it is still the only "cut throat" pier around here now


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## Duff

bigrick said:


> Just find the biggest, baddest mother f*cker out there and punch him square in the face and then you pretty much run things from that point on.


 Damn man I spot water all over my phone.


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## livewildforlife

I went to okaloosa today for the first time. Overall seemed alright with couple ole regulars giving me run down. Which seems as if grade A for tarpon, so so for kings and Spanish and we'll not so good for ling. fishing today was slow but that's not surprising being post frontal. Going to Navarre tomorrow. Thanks for all the feedback.


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## livewildforlife

Oh yeah forgot to mention I got to meet the flipper problem. GSP has shark problem while okaloosa looks to have a flipper problem.


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## SteveCal

livewildforlife said:


> Oh yeah forgot to mention I got to meet the flipper problem. GSP has shark problem while okaloosa looks to have a flipper problem.


Yeah. Sorry. Forgot to mention that but your right. Flipper and Fred always seem to show up. And you can watch a hammerhead or bull swim toward the beach at times. Swimmers never see them as they swim by.


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## Randall2point0

Wirelessly posted

Haven't been to okaloosa in years, I normally fish Pensacola. When does the tarpon bite normally pick up?


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## Jackin' 'Em Up

Randall2point0 said:


> Wirelessly posted
> 
> Haven't been to okaloosa in years, I normally fish Pensacola. When does the tarpon bite normally pick up?


From my experience they start to show up late june till early august but can be hit or miss.


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## Randall2point0

Wirelessly posted

Thanks. I really hope the tarpon bite is as good as last years on Pensacola pier.


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## reelthrill

Tarpon bite started on June first last year and went through the middle of August. Never really let up on Okaloosa


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## Randall2point0

Wirelessly posted

Reelthrill, do you mainly fish Pensacola or Okaloosa?


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## reelthrill

Randall2point0 said:


> Wirelessly posted
> 
> Reelthrill, do you mainly fish Pensacola or Okaloosa?


Fish Navarre for everything but tarpon. I do catch a few tarpon each year off Navarre, but Okaloosa is much better. Pcola was pretty good as well last year.


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## R33lF1sh3r88

The only 2 piers that in aware of being first shot from pensacola to Panama are those 2. As far as I have been told and seen navarre and chokaloosa are both at your own risk sling a away


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## weedline

okalosa has been first shot for years


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## SteveCal

weedline said:


> okalosa has been first shot for years


What does 'first shot' mean?


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## NKlamerus

SteveCal said:


> What does 'first shot' mean?


You see a fish(cobia), you call "First Shot" 

Meaning you get rights to the first cast on a fish. 

God forbid it's called at the same time, or "I didn't hear you"


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## SteveCal

NKlamerus said:


> You see a fish(cobia), you call "First Shot"
> 
> Meaning you get rights to the first cast on a fish.
> 
> God forbid it's called at the same time, or "I didn't hear you"



Dayem. Thats bad for us deaf guys.


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## DaggerYak

Oakaloosa is a good tarpon pier. I fish it a handfull of times a year. Here's a vid that I got last year of a double hookup.


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## SteveCal

That blond kid lives on that pier. Pretty sharp for his age. Will offer help and is very polite.


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## DaggerYak

SteveCal said:


> That blond kid lives on that pier. Pretty sharp for his age. Will offer help and is very polite.


I've seen him there a bunch too... idk he's alright. If you hook up he's going to come stand a few feet away and cast on your fish trying to pick up a follower (just like he does in the video). Kind of rude in my opinion. I'd never do that to someone hooked up with a large fish. 

But on the other hand... the crowd factor is what makes pier fishing interesting.


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## livewildforlife

Bombing on someone that's already hooked up is a quick way to get your line cut if you do hook up or punched. Least at gssp it's a big NO NO least on that pier to put another line in the water when someone is fighting a fish. Rather it's a unspoken rule that others start reeling in to get out of the way. But that's for locals and regulars to know. That blond kid sounds as if he is a regular so definitely should know better. But not all piers have the same unspoken rules set by the locals. Sounds as if and appears that some piers are free for all clusters.


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## sabinelakehustler

livewildforlife said:


> Bombing on someone that's already hooked up is a quick way to get your line cut if you do hook up or punched. Least at gssp it's a big NO NO least on that pier to put another line in the water when someone is fighting a fish. Rather it's a unspoken rule that others start reeling in to get out of the way. But that's for locals and regulars to know. That blond kid sounds as if he is a regular so definitely should know better. But not all piers have the same unspoken rules set by the locals. Sounds as if and appears that some piers are free for all clusters.


I fish Pensacola every year, That's why I fish 40 braid, had fish hook up and people act like I'm invisible, and bombing away on both sides. I don't care 40 braid slice 15lb mono all day everyday! lol not trying to sound like a dick, but same guys that think they own the place, have no respect for us visitors. every time I make a trip to gulf breeze, that's 5k plus. So people like me pump good money into the local area. Two years ago the mahis was running my mom in law 3/4 way down there pier catching hard tails and lady fish, they knocked her over chasing down a dodo, and kept going no apologies. She said never again! lol! just a few dumb asses, 90% of the people are awesome, just the few that ruins it for everybody.


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## livewildforlife

I fish Pensacola every year, That's why I fish 40 braid, had fish hook up and people act like I'm invisible, and bombing away on both sides. I don't care 40 braid slice 15lb mono all day everyday! lol not trying to sound like a dick, but same guys that think they own the place, have no respect for us visitors. every time I make a trip to gulf breeze, that's 5k plus. So people like me pump good money into the local area. Two years ago the mahis was running my mom in law 3/4 way down there pier catching hard tails and lady fish, they knocked her over chasing down a dodo, and kept going no apologies. She said never again! lol! just a few dumb asses, 90% of the people are awesome, just the few that ruins it for everybody.

I also use braid not only because it can cut thru fluro and mono. But I do appreciate that braid can and has for me multiple times in the past cut thru mono and fluro. I also am not trying to sound like a dick. But if I am fighting a fish And someone casts over me with mono or fluro line than that's there fault not mine. I can't speak for pcola but I fished gssp last season hard as in essentially everyday from may thru October sometimes twice a day. So I was a local and I got to know plenty of other locals. Almost none of them including myself acted like we owned the pier. Most of the locals including myself would go out of our way to help non locals in anyway we could. Plus I got to know plenty of non locals that were great people and also good fisherman. 90% time there usually isn't ever a problem. But at times both non locals and locals would get all worked up and start doing things like casting over others or not clearing the rail etc. those issues though would get resolved one way or the other. A lot of it comes down to common sense and common courtesy. Unfortunately googans and plain ole assholes or dumbasses have neither common sense or common courtesy.


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## kingfish501

Livewild.....ever thought that maybe some of the problems you run into on piers is your attitude?

You want to be treated like a local, but then throw in that you are a visitor and spend good money here on vacation. Newsflash, bud....we locals spend good money here all year long.

Are you one of those who hooks up in the southeast corner and wants to stand there while your fish runs off to the southwest or do you go with the fish? That usually stops people from throwing over you. Do you know how to do the pier "dance"....over the lines in closer than your fish, under the lines, further out than your fish or when you hook up, expect everyone to quit fishing until your fish hits the deck? 

Us locals expect people to throw if there is a second fish or it comes back in with followers.....or we'll tell people to throw on a another fish....it's all part of the game. If you don't like the game...change games.


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## livewildforlife

Kingfish I think you got the local and non local mixed up. I live on the coast and fished gssp last year everyday from may thru October. I currently am hitting pcb every weekend till I move back to gulf shores next weekend. I had copied the other gentlemans sabinelakeh post and than started my post under it. I definitely am very familiar with pier rules both written and unwritten. I follow my fish. Am highly familiar with how to pier dance I.e. Weave my line between others depending on position of my fish. Yet I do not know what pier you primarily fish but it's not that I expect others to quit fishing when I am hooked up. But their is a huge difference between someone taking a accurate shot at a follower or school and someone making a toss over my line while I am following and actively fighting a fish. It takes coordination of myself and other fisherman to make the overall pier dance work effectively. I am totally with you on most of your points especially locals/regulars spending more than fair share of money at the piers all season long. Anyways you may want to direct the post at the other gentleman.


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## kingfish501

Livewild, misread it. Sorry about that.


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## Mare_Mortis

I fished gsp for the first time a few years ago, being used to the bob hall pier Texas prison rules I was not really looking forward to fishing, just wanted to check it out...the locals gave me a hard time as I walked up, laughed at my gear and the rigs I had. After they scolded me for only having braid, they explained that it's not visible and pulls too much drag in the wind. Then one guy reeled up cut his steel leader off and handed it to me, another guy had just pulled up some L-why and handed me one, and two guys that were on the down wind side pulled up and moved to the front so I could fish braid with less wind drift. Within 15mins I had my first king on. I had no idea what it was at the time but the guy next to me yelled King and everyone on my side reeled up, and two guys ran over with gaffs... Everyone out there took care of me better than the best guided trip I have ever been on. When the spinners got thick everyone pulled up and sat around talking for about an hour and I mentioned I really wanted a good jack. When the jacks rolled in the first guy to see the school yelled at me and put me right one them. The next day I watched as a guy was destroying the Spanish on a bubble rig. As he was walking one to his cooler he handed me his rod and said "keep'em biting, I'm trying to get my limit for tonight." I helped him limit and he cut off his bubble rig, gave it to me and said thanks as he walked off...the whole experience was amazing, like a cheesy Disney movie. There is a pecking order, and a few curmudgeons, but all in all it was a great time. Other than having to deal with the never ending "roll tide" outbursts, I have much respect for the locals of gulf shores pier.


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## livewildforlife

There is a pecking order, and a few curmudgeons, but all in all it was a great time. Other than having to deal with the never ending "roll tide" outbursts, I have much respect for the locals of gulf shores pier.


Now that's truth right there. Gssp has a great bunch of regulars. I myself got schooled hard and learned a ton my first full season at gsp. I have to state though I've been fishing pcb a lot so far this season. Pcb also has a great group of regulars. Maybe I'm wrong but I'm willing to bet that every major pier from pcb to gsp has a group of regulars that overall is a decent group of guys and gals. Just have to take the time to get to know them. Possibly for some you may also have to prove your not a googan. But the social aspect of piers is one of the reasons why I enjoy pier fishing. Even when the fishing is slow usually plenty of good ole fun and crap talking to be had.


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## kingfish501

Livewild, you fishing the city pier or county pier?


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## Blazerz65

What's word with the Tarpon at okaloosa on wesnday? Isn't it a month early for them to be rolling through? Anyone out their to actually confirm it


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## LiquidFishing

there was like 4-5 of them


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## reelthrill

Not unusual for them to trickle by from now on. Last year it started heavy on June first.


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## Blazerz65

Only get off of school for so many weeks. Will be down for the next 2-3 weeks. Maybe at the end I could get in in the start of it


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