# First timer Pickens question



## Fisherdad1 (Oct 4, 2007)

I have been wanting to gig at Pickens during this time of year for the last 3 years. Weather, time off and other factors came together and it looks likeI will finally get my chance tonight (provided my boat/trailer/lights/etc. cooperate) and I need some general info. I know the bank there drops off deep very quickly in a lot of places.What area do you guys gig in? In relation to the Pickens pier - do you work the bank in that pier area back weat, into the bay - or are you working the area east of that, out in the pass itself? I know that there seems to be a long shallow bank just as you turn the corner around the end of Pickens and start heading south out the pass - is that the place to start? 

I'm not asking for honey holes, and would not have the opportunity to clean them out if you did offer them up since I rarely get to go, I just need some general info to make the best of this rare opportunity.

Thanks, Fisherdad1


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## freespool50 (Sep 29, 2007)

there is no general area. pickens is just the "area". it is about 10 miles worth of beach. there is also mccrae. what you posted is where you should start. just pick a spot. it depends on the tide movement and wind. are you poling? then wind will be a major deciding point of which direction you go. if you have a trolling motor it wont. there is more area than you can cover in an avg night if just poling. just go. i would start head west towards pass. just pick your own starting point. just go. just go. did i forget to mention to just go. may see you out there tonight. will be in a 15alumacraft with $1000 inverter running $11 lights.:banghead


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## Barnacle Brain (Oct 2, 2007)

> *freespool50 $1000 inverter running $11 lights.:banghead*


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## Buzzsaw (Nov 9, 2007)

It seems as Floundering has gotten more popular, Ft. Pickens has become the most popular "Hunting Ground" Unfortunately, what this means to the average Flounder Hunter is that if you want to go Floundering on a Friday evening in the middle of November, you will be greeted by 20+ boats from the Old Ft. Pickens Pier East until you reach the Old Coast Guard Station. That beach traditionally produces the most fish and I'm not giving up anyone's honey hole because everybody in Pensacola knows that beach holds a lot of Flounder......

With all of that said.....one must be able to understand the behavior of the Flatfish and try to predict when they will hit the beach. Obviously, the Air Pressure/Wind/Temerature of the air/water/Tide/Moon have everything to do with the movement of the fish. 

I do have a ballzy friend of mine who thought he was going to take his chances and fish the Navy Base Side/NAS Lighthouse beach. He got stopped by a Patrol Boat about three weeks ago. They didn't arrest him but they did do a "Field Interview" where they took his Lisence #/Boat Registration/Etc....and told him that he was getting one official warning and if they caught him back over there, they would be forced to arrest and prosecute him. I know everybody has there own feelings about NAS - Lighthouse Beach but there are often times NAS Security Officers that patrol that beach by foot after dark to ensure that no one comes with in the 500 ft limit......I also know several people who choose to take their chances and go over there anyway. Myself, I don't think the "juice is worth the squeeze".........I'm not a fan of the Federal Government taking my boat/trailer/truck if they catch me over there and decide to prosecute/make an example of me......I would be interested to hear what other Forum Members think about this subject as well if anyone has had any experiences with the NAS Security.....Please share! 

Anyway, I hope this helps! Happy Hunting


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

Just that this was a big loss to us. If the wind was out of the North, then lighthouse beach was the place to go. Not anymore.



Thanks to the people who created 9-11.


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## Midnight Rider (Sep 30, 2007)

Yeah it sucks we lost that beach. Back in the day pre Ivan on a strong north wind I would put my small boat in at Rod And Reel marina and hug the north bank all the way to the lihgthouse beach. Gigged a lot of flounder there on ocasion. My boat was not safe enough to fish fort pickens side or to be crossing the bay in. Sides were a bit to shallow for me.


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## Fisherdad1 (Oct 4, 2007)

WellI got out there late - about 11 pm. Apparently it was a slow night from the people that I talked to.I only gigged for about an hour and 20 minutes before my son (who had fallen asleep) woke up and told me that he had about 20 mosquito bites and wanted to go home. I got one about 20 inches before that.

There were a lot of tighly packed schools of mullet out there.I managed to gig a couple of those too.


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## freespool50 (Sep 29, 2007)

i saw you at the ramp. my $11 light didnt do too bad. but i really need a "real" lite setup. i got two one 14, the other 17. and yeah, the water was slickest i have ever seen in the bay. i did a marathon from chicken bone to just pastcoast guard. all poling!! i wanted to see if i could last to the pass. gettin too old i guess.


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