# Bob Sikes



## ianstuart83 (May 22, 2012)

I was moving some furniture over to a condo for my grandmother and stopped by the bridge on my way home for about 30 mins. All i had was a gotcha lure and i threw that out and caught a ladyfish and lost another. I could see spanish following it in but they never made an aggressive move toward it. 2 people were fishing with LY's and were doing pretty well on the spanish. I think they had 8 or so and they were good size. Other than spanish and ladyfish, i didn't see anything else caught besides pinfish. Ill be using the setup they used today and spend all day on the bridge tomorrow!


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## LUPilot (Apr 10, 2012)

Thanks for the report! I am curious though as I've seen the acronym used here- what is LY?


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## ianstuart83 (May 22, 2012)

Went out to bob sikes today and was fishing LY's and hooked up with good sized . I hooked or at least were bitten by at least 20 and managed to get in 8 keepers. The people next to me were using live shrimp and were killing them as well. Action wasn't consistent all day, one hour you would be hooking up and the next, nothing. All around pretty good day, i plan to go out again friday.!


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## ianstuart83 (May 22, 2012)

LUPilot said:


> Thanks for the report! I am curious though as I've seen the acronym used here- what is LY?


LY's are a kind of baitfish. They are also called menhaden.


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## Youngp (Jan 29, 2012)

ianstuart83 said:


> Went out to bob sikes today and was fishing LY's and hooked up with good sized . I hooked or at least were bitten by at least 20 and managed to get in 8 keepers. The people next to me were using live shrimp and were killing them as well. Action wasn't consistent all day, one hour you would be hooking up and the next, nothing. All around pretty good day, i plan to go out again friday.!


How can I catch LY's for baits? Only nets? Can I catch them with a Sabiki or something? Can I also ask you what was your set up using live fish? I want to catch some Spanish or Red this time. Thanks.


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## Redneckracoon (Jun 8, 2011)

its hard to catch them with a sabiki unless they are good sized and schooling. nets are easiest to catch them with though


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## leeroy87 (May 20, 2012)

If they are schooling and your using a sabiki, cast beyond them about 10 feet and jig a bit as you reel slowly, usually works for me. No net here, so I always have to catch them. gotcha's work to if using the 7/8 or smaller ones.

The ones i get off the sabiki are usually smaller than the ones i get with gotcha's (bigger bait bigger fish i guess)


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## stevesmi (Mar 15, 2012)

how long are the spanish gonna be at bob sikes? they have been thick for a while now 

also the couple that were killing them on live shrimp.. were they bobber fishing or free lining?


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## ianstuart83 (May 22, 2012)

stevesmi said:


> how long are the spanish gonna be at bob sikes? they have been thick for a while now
> 
> also the couple that were killing them on live shrimp.. were they bobber fishing or free lining?


The other couple were free lining shrimp, i had both free lined LY's and some on bobbers, I had about 15 of my 20 hits on the freelined ones. The spanish were all pretty good size, i had one about 24 inches and the rest anywhere from 18-20. The couple next to me caught a monster... we thought it was a king at first. it had to be at least 6-7 pounds, biggest spanish i have seen in a very long time. They were getting more action on the shrimp then i did with LY's, but all the fish that i were getting were very good size. And how long they are gonna be there? i have no idea haha


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## LUPilot (Apr 10, 2012)

About what time were you all out there? I've never had any luck fishing at bob sikes. Also, is there anywhere around here you can buy live menhaden?


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## ianstuart83 (May 22, 2012)

LUPilot said:


> About what time were you all out there? I've never had any luck fishing at bob sikes. Also, is there anywhere around here you can buy live menhaden?


I started catching mine about 10-2Pm. and sorry they are actually thread fin herring, i got confused. And I'm not sure, the weren't hard to catch in the net so if you know how to throw a cast net, i recommend doing that.


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## stevesmi (Mar 15, 2012)

Bob Sikes is thick with fish 24/7.. worst case scenario use cut shrimp on the bottom.. you are guaranteed to catch pinfish, cats, croakers and even white trout. 

what is frustrating is when i am fishing for spanish those damn pinfish are so thick they will steal the bait especially when i free line which almost forces me to use a bobber. i get frustrated really easy so i dont have the patience for it.

when i used to lake fish for crappie, brim would steal my grass shrimp the same way so its part of the process. or fishing for bass the mudfish or gar would steal the bait fish. freelining was always the best way so no surprise


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## Phat Old Man (May 24, 2012)

I'm looking to get out there Friday night. What side do you suggest fishing. The Pensacola Beach side or Gulf Breeze? Or does it really matter?


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## ianstuart83 (May 22, 2012)

Phat Old Man said:


> I'm looking to get out there Friday night. What side do you suggest fishing. The Pensacola Beach side or Gulf Breeze? Or does it really matter?


Ill be going out there friday as well. And i always fish the Pensacola beach side, i have only fished the gulf breeze side once and didn't have any luck.


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## Phat Old Man (May 24, 2012)

That's all I needed to know. Will be the first time fishing Bob Sikes. Looking to have the best exp possible.


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## ianstuart83 (May 22, 2012)

stevesmi said:


> Bob Sikes is thick with fish 24/7.. worst case scenario use cut shrimp on the bottom.. you are guaranteed to catch pinfish, cats, croakers and even white trout.
> 
> what is frustrating is when i am fishing for spanish those damn pinfish are so thick they will steal the bait especially when i free line which almost forces me to use a bobber. i get frustrated really easy so i dont have the patience for it.
> 
> when i used to lake fish for crappie, brim would steal my grass shrimp the same way so its part of the process. or fishing for bass the mudfish or gar would steal the bait fish. freelining was always the best way so no surprise


And yea i forgot to mention earlier that there was an older man catching white trout pretty easily, so yea there is almost always fish there.


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## Phat Old Man (May 24, 2012)

Nice, my buddy and I look for Trout, Redfish, and Spanish. We free line live shrimp and whatever I can catch in my cast net.


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## stevesmi (Mar 15, 2012)

Phat Old Man said:


> I'm looking to get out there Friday night. What side do you suggest fishing. The Pensacola Beach side or Gulf Breeze? Or does it really matter?


you want to fish the east side for 2 reasons. 

1. the current makes it easier to fish that side (it usually moves east) 
2. the pilings if you hook a fish you will be in trouble under the bridge, i have hooked pinfish on that side that have darted under the pilings and i had to cut my line so imagine if you hooked a big fish how pissed you would be. 

just use a whiting rig with cut shrimp and you will catch tons of small fish. as soon as you throw out you get a bite 

or use live shrimp/bait fish 4-6 feet under a bobber or freelining for the larger stuff

and for big reds/sharks you can use pinfish but your odds decrease with this strategy.


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## Youngp (Jan 29, 2012)

When you guys say "free lining", you mean only live bait hooked at the end of main line and the spool opened? no sinker or swivel? What kind of hooks should I use with live shrimp or pin fish? Some said circle or other said treble hooks. Thanks for info. very helpful.


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## Phat Old Man (May 24, 2012)

Yeah just main line and spool open. I just use a normal live bait hook. For bait I use live shrimp on one rod and live bull minnow, pinfish, or LY.


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## stevesmi (Mar 15, 2012)

Youngp said:


> When you guys say "free lining", you mean only live bait hooked at the end of main line and the spool opened? no sinker or swivel? What kind of hooks should I use with live shrimp or pin fish? Some said circle or other said treble hooks. Thanks for info. very helpful.


the dude that was tearing them up told me to use a long shank hook. he said that was the key for the spanish. 

as far as your other questions I have tried all of the above and haven't figured out the best strategy. you will miss a lot of fish if you aren't close to set the hook, thats why i get frustrated and use a bobber. and even then you will miss fish. i got lucky last time and the spanish hooked up on his own, i didn't even need to set the hook, he about took my pole into the water.

your best bet is to go there with your tackle box and watch to see what the people are doing. don't be shy and ask them their strategy. i sure don't mind if you come up to me and ask for help. there is always someone that knows more than you in fishing.


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## DTFuqua (Jan 30, 2012)

And there's also them that will send you on a snipe hunt while they laugh inside just watching you.


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## Phat Old Man (May 24, 2012)

A lot of it has to do with just plain luck. I've seen times where everyone was using the same setup and only one of four people were catching fish.


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