# trolley fishing on gulf shores pier



## slanddeerhunter

Is anybody else upset about the no trolley fishin on gulf shores pier,or is it just me???????


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## Chris V

I couldn't be happier about it. Sorry


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## slanddeerhunter

why? the trolley fishing is up wind ,upcurrent where no one else can fish.


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## whiskersticker

yea its kinda a crapper ,i use to set mine up for the kids to watch, being they are not really big enough to be on the rail start a petition and lets get trolleys back!!!


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## cigar

Up current where no one else can fish???? You can freeline and snobble upcurrent just fine. Thats the way its done everywhere else on the area piers. What you usually had at the old pier was two or three trolleys tying up half the octagon and everyone else shoulder to shoulder on the down wind side. I guess its an ok way to fish up on the east coast piers where they have a good week if they catch one king, but here it just doesnt make good sense.


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## slanddeerhunter

never saw to many try when current running hard and the wind blow with it,the ones that did usally wound up in the pilings.on a good day with little wind and current yea .but that dont happen that much.


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## cigar

You never saw many try fishing upwind at old GSP because the upwind side was reserved for trolleys only,even if there was only 1 person with a trolley. As for as baits winding up in the pylons, you have to tend your line no matter where you fish on the pier. I couldnt be happier to see the trolleys gone and I think most who fish the piers regularly would agree.


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## stvtackett

alot of people freelined and snobbled when it was not against the rules, the rule was changed to accomadate the trolly fishers, not to help the others. if in the future they allow trollies what i do hope is they do not isolate any type of fishing,let everone try to coexist. but to answer the question, no i am not unhappy, and if anyone wants to protest the new rule, i think they should take a stand and stay at home. that will show'em.


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## SPECKDECK

Please excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is trolley fishing?


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## saltfisher1

For $8 a person plus the price of a license you ought to be able to trolley fish and shark fish.


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## HighCotton

Why wouldanyone want to Mack fish set rods off a pier when you could snobble & sight fish? I really don't understand. If you are hell bent on fishing a set rod, then go out there in the afternoon ... when the West wind picks up & fish a kite. I haven't heard about any kite regulations.


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## John B.

i personally am going to miss the trolley rigs... we would go out there and snake kings off people who were floating baits on those things, hell, one guy tried to get me kicked off... it was hilarious, i'm sorry i can snobble a bait and snake a mackerel that is circling your clumsey trolley rig... haha


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## slanddeerhunter

> *cigar (7/18/2009)*You never saw many try fishing upwind at old GSP because the upwind side was reserved for trolleys only,even if there was only 1 person with a trolley.
> 
> The rules are still the same ,free line down wind down current,and now bottom fishing on the upwind side all they done is cut out trolley fishing the rules for freeliners has not changed.Now you have a bunch of people catching catfish onthe up current side.


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## slanddeerhunter

> *cigar (7/18/2009) What you usually had at the old pier was two or three trolleys tying up half the octagon and everyone else shoulder to shoulder on the down wind side.
> 
> if you look at the picture there are three trolleys out and they take up about 3 feet of the pier not anywhere close to half.*


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## John B.

i just don't see how trolley fishing is anywhere close to being as productive as snobbling a bait.


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## slanddeerhunter

Ive been out there and the only people catching fish were the trolley rigs.Itsso productive because its like kite fishing offshore it keeps a live bait on the surface making wakes. and as far as seeing the fish there aint nothing like seeing a king come from the bottom and crashing a bait ,and going 8 to 10 feet in the air.


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## Garbo

With all due respect, Big Fish move around after being hooked. 

Whether it's kings, bonita, cobia, spanish, bluefish or tarpon, they all move around quite a bit after being hooked. A Trolley Rig takes some time to deploy and in most cases (when it was the standard on the GS pier) were not moved for other anglers that had a fish hooked. So the angler with the hooked fish had to work around the other fishermens gear and Trolley Rods. Some of the most unconcerned,unpolite and hard to fish aroundfishermen I have ever fished around were fishing those Trolley Rods years ago on the Gulf Shore Pier, and thesad thing is they didn't even know they were being that way. 

*Your Picture says alot. *










That is a corner that could and would be have to be used by an angler with a big cobia, king or tarpon, whether the angler wanted to or not. There is no way those three rods and rigs could be or would be moved to allow the other angler to fight the hooked fish. Worst part is that is a corner of the T or end of the pier, and no doubt will have to be used by other aglers. That is one (1) angler and a childwith five (5) rods, To be completely honest the photo lookesto be very uncurtious as well asvery selfish to me. 

I, like many others are very glad Trolley Rigs are banned. 

I guess I would have a different opinion if all fish that were hooked came straight to the angler and they never forced the angler to move left or right,but thank God that is not the case because that wouldn't be any fun at all.


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## jigslinger

Icompletely agree with you Garbo.


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## CatCrusher

If i was that pissed I would just not fish the pier !!!!!!!

Just not enough room for trolley fishing without screwing up everybody else. just my 2 cents


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## Sam Roberts

> *sbarrow (7/19/2009)*If i was that pissed I would just not fish the pier !!!!!!!
> 
> Just not enough room for trolley fishing without screwing up everybody else. just my 2 cents


good idea...all pier rats are inconsiderate


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## slanddeerhunter

> *Garbo (7/19/2009)*With all due respect, Big Fish move around after being hooked.
> 
> Whether it's kings, bonita, cobia, spanish, bluefish or tarpon, they all move around quite a bit after being hooked. A Trolley Rig takes some time to deploy and in most cases (when it was the standard on the GS pier) were not moved for other anglers that had a fish hooked. So the angler with the hooked fish had to work around the other fishermens gear and Trolley Rods. Some of the most unconcerned,unpolite and hard to fish aroundfishermen I have ever fished around were fishing those Trolley Rods years ago on the Gulf Shore Pier, and thesad thing is they didn't even know they were being that way.
> 
> *Your Picture says alot. *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That is a corner that could and would be have to be used by an angler with a big cobia, king or tarpon, whether the angler wanted to or not. There is no way those three rods and rigs could be or would be moved to allow the other angler to fight the hooked fish. Worst part is that is a corner of the T or end of the pier, and no doubt will have to be used by other aglers. That is one (1) angler and a childwith five (5) rods, To be completely honest the photo lookesto be very uncurtious as well asvery selfish to me.
> 
> I, like many others are very glad Trolley Rigs are banned.
> 
> I guess I would have a different opinion if all fish that were hooked came straight to the angler and they never forced the angler to move left or right,but thank God that is not the case because that wouldn't be any fun at all.


two those rigs on the right belong to me amd a friend we were behind the camera,as far curtious ive broke mine off more than once to help a freeliner then gaffed his fish for him


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## Garbo

> *slanddeerhunter (7/19/2009)*
> 
> 
> 
> *Garbo (7/19/2009)*With all due respect, Big Fish move around after being hooked.
> 
> Whether it's kings, bonita, cobia, spanish, bluefish or tarpon, they all move around quite a bit after being hooked. A Trolley Rig takes some time to deploy and in most cases (when it was the standard on the GS pier) were not moved for other anglers that had a fish hooked. So the angler with the hooked fish had to work around the other fishermens gear and Trolley Rods. Some of the most unconcerned,unpolite and hard to fish aroundfishermen I have ever fished around were fishing those Trolley Rods years ago on the Gulf Shore Pier, and thesad thing is they didn't even know they were being that way.
> 
> *Your Picture says alot. *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That is a corner that could and would be have to be used by an angler with a big cobia, king or tarpon, whether the angler wanted to or not. There is no way those three rods and rigs could be or would be moved to allow the other angler to fight the hooked fish. Worst part is that is a corner of the T or end of the pier, and no doubt will have to be used by other aglers. That is one (1) angler and a childwith five (5) rods, To be completely honest the photo lookesto be very uncurtious as well asvery selfish to me.
> 
> I, like many others are very glad Trolley Rigs are banned.
> 
> I guess I would have a different opinion if all fish that were hooked came straight to the angler and they never forced the angler to move left or right,but thank God that is not the case because that wouldn't be any fun at all.
> 
> 
> 
> two those rigs on the right belong to me amd a friend we were behind the camera,as far curtious ive broke mine off more than once to help a freeliner then gaffed his fish for him
Click to expand...

*My opinion is unchanged and may be a stronger opinionthan before. *

*As far as breaking off, or cutting lines, I don't know how often you did it, and I understand you were trying to do the right thing, but cutting lines and leaving 75 to 100yards of line in the gulf is not a good thing at all. Stray Mono in the Gulf or any other body of water is a terrible thing, and something that hopfully not many people practice often. *

*You and your friend had that corner closed, and in a critical moment another anglersgreat catch could have been, and many times has been lost. When you pay admitance to get on the pier you pay fish from the pier, your not paying for a closed to anyone elsesection of water. *

*Again, With all due respect, my opinion is unchanged. *


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## slanddeerhunter

<H2><U>Pier Rules and Regulations</U></H2>

*Limit of 4 rods per fisherman (additional rods brought will be charged $3.50 each)
*

*No trolley fishing permitted*

*Bottom fishing up-wind/up-current*

*Float fishing down-wind/down-current*

*Salt water fishing license required*

*Good conduct/sportsmanship required*

*One crab basket per person (cannot be left unattended and you cannot crab and fish at same time)*

*Catch must be placed in container within 10 minutes*

*Keep tackle andbait OFF of tables and benches*

*Cut your bait at cleaning tables or bait cutting tables only*

*Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times*

*No standing or sitting on rails*

*No jumping/diving off of pier*

*No alcohol allowed on pier*

*No cooking of pier*<H2><U>*PROHIBITED*</U> </H2>

*Pets*-*Soliciting-Shark Fishing-Reels over 4.0-Cast Nets-Gill Nets-Wire Crab Traps-Spears*

*Speer Guns-Bed Rolls-Cots-Sleeping Bags-Sleeping-Skates-Skate Boards-Bicycles-Running*

*Horseplay-Fireworks-Firearms-Sling Shots-Beach Umbrellas-Lounge Chairs*

the rules still state no freeline upwind upcurrent ,do you think the bottom fisher will get out of the way let alone help you again the rule s have not changed just cut out trolley fishing ,by the rule you cant snobble or freeline or float fish up current so what good has it done to outlaw trolley fishing thats my biggest point im trying to get accross.


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## stvtackett

it mentioned freefloating which is a bit difficult to do up wind/up current, however it does NOT mention free lineing or snobbling in the rules. both can be done easily in any current. the old rule stated freelineing/freefloating, this rule does not....


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## fmitchell

Grew up on the old pier (Walt - 1967 - 1974). After reading the post - itis the same old arguement all over again. I will say this - just my 2 cents, I think bothsides are right. When the water is good ( and much of the time that far west it is not) and the fish are biting regularly - freelining is the only way to go. When the water is muddy and the bite is slow (sometimes1 or 2 kings a week - if any) the trolley is the best method. Guys in Pensacola and Destin are mush more successful than guys in GS with freelining.

What about bottom fishing with live bait in the offseason? Willthat have to be freelined?


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## slanddeerhunter

you can bottom fish any time just on the upwind up current side,but in the cold months when there are no kings the rules were more relaxed because all that was out was reds and they hit on the bottom most of the time.


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## stvtackett

> *fmitchell (7/19/2009)*Grew up on the old pier (Walt - 1967 - 1974). After reading the post - itis the same old arguement all over again. I will say this - just my 2 cents, I think bothsides are right. When the water is good ( and much of the time that far west it is not) and the fish are biting regularly - freelining is the only way to go. When the water is muddy and the bite is slow (sometimes1 or 2 kings a week - if any) the trolley is the best method. Guys in Pensacola and Destin are mush more successful than guys in GS with freelining.
> 
> What about bottom fishing with live bait in the offseason? Willthat have to be freelined?


walt, i was a young rat when people like you and ty,joe,gabe and the like were the ones to look up to but when you guys were there the old dudes trolley fished maybe 5 or 6 people were the norm and most all stood and watched thier baits. as time went on trolley riggers used 2 rods and where at the pier house,at the t catching bait,jigging for spanish. then the new fishers watched what was going on and used it as the easy way to fish. now not all trolly fishers are this way, but it is not the exception. you need to come fishing sometime, check out what has changed, also freelinening in pensacola or oip is not the excepted way to fish. if you catch a live sig, hook him in the nose and lean him against the rail till he dies....


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## hotshot

i am more pissed about the no horseplay rule...and here i was all amped up for somehorse play and slingshotting but they done gone and prohibited both of em


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## slanddeerhunter

> *hotshot (7/20/2009)*i am more pissed about the no horseplay rule...and here i was all amped up for somehorse play and slingshotting but they done gone and prohibited both of em


yea i wonder how quick they would throw me off if i brought a trolley rig an launched it with an oversized sling shot!!:moon:moon


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## CJF

WTF does "snobble" mean?:letsdrink


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## jigslinger

Snobbling is basically throwing out a bait, usually dead, and working it slowly back to the pier. When the tides, currents,are right you can work it, keeping your bait up in the water column where you can see it, and keep it in one spot.


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## hjorgan

Do you have to wear a condom when you snobble? Or is a trolley rig better protection?

Damn, glad I have a boat -- kayak -- anything that floats.


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## Thunderstruck

After fishing the old pier for 18 years, I think the trolleys were the only way to fish on a windy day. I don't care how much the free line fans toss out the BS. On most day it just ends up being a basket weaving class. Don't get me wrong I freeline fish too, but screw that on a 10kt wind. Its always nice to cast out in to 30' line arches. But I know ways to still get the same effect without a two rod set up. But for the most part I'am glad I have a boat now.


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## Garbo

> *Thunderstruck (7/23/2009)*After fishing the old pier for 18 years, *<U>I think the trolleys were the only way to fish on a windy day</U>*. I don't care how much the free line fans toss out the BS. On most day it just ends up being a basket weaving class. Don't get me wrong I freeline fish too, but screw that on a 10kt wind. Its always nice to cast out in to 30' line arches. But I know ways to still get the same effect without a two rod set up. But for the most part I'am glad I have a boat now.


With all due respect, there are other ways to fish. 

There are many piers on the gulf coast that have never allowed trolley rig fishing, and they are and have been more productive than the Gulf Shores Pier ever was. There were two piers in Panama City, one in FWB, and one in Pensacola that didn't allow Trolley Rigs and they all had no problems, and the last time I checked the wind blew just as hard at any one or all of those locations as it does in Gulf Shores. To say that trolley rigs were the only way to catch fish on a windy day, just invites some of the guys that fish the other piers in to give some lessons on the Gulf Shores Pier, because they don't have a problem with the wind at all, most oftheguys from the other piers named,would prefer some wind over no wind anyway. Most of the guys I have fished with would be completely capible of outfishing a Trolley Rig angler standing right beside him with a Frozen Cigar Minnow, leader, and a 706, but only one of the two,would be in the others way. 

Odd how the onlyPier that Trolley Rigs are even considered is on the Gulf Shores Pier?


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## cigar

> *Thunderstruck (7/23/2009)*After fishing the old pier for 18 years, I think the trolleys were the only way to fish on a windy day. I don't care how much the free line fans toss out the BS. On most day it just ends up being a basket weaving class. Don't get me wrong I freeline fish too, but screw that on a 10kt wind. Its always nice to cast out in to 30' line arches. But I know ways to still get the same effect without a two rod set up. But for the most part I'am glad I have a boat now.




Seems like a lot of the folks who fished GSP never fished any other piers. Very few people truly freelined anyway, most just float fished with a small foam float above an LY.


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## Chris V

They are stomping the kings on the pier right now with many exceeding 25lbs and I haven't heard anyone even mention the words "trolley rig".


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## Chris V

> *Garbo (7/23/2009)[/bThere are many piers on the gulf coast that have never allowed trolley rig fishing, and <U>they are</U> and have been more productive than the Gulf Shores Pier ever was.quote]
> 
> Present tense isn't withstanding. I don't think this can be claimed anymore now thatGulf Shoreshas a pier that actually goes out in to the gulf a little further. Just go out there and see the numbers of not just fish, but <U>big</U> fish being caught and its pretty easy to see why the old pier wasn't as good; it just didn't get out far enough.*


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## jigslinger

> *tunapopper (7/23/2009)*They are stomping the kings on the pier right now with many exceeding 25lbs and I haven't heard anyone even mention the words "trolley rig".


They need a good piercam on the end.


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## stvtackett

> *Thunderstruck (7/23/2009)*After fishing the old pier for 18 years, I think the trolleys were the only way to fish on a windy day. I don't care how much the free line fans toss out the BS. On most day it just ends up being a basket weaving class. Don't get me wrong I freeline fish too, but screw that on a 10kt wind. Its always nice to cast out in to 30' line arches. But I know ways to still get the same effect without a two rod set up. But for the most part I'am glad I have a boat now.


after fishing this pier since it was built, i never saw the need for trolly fishing myself. i never really float fished either. snobbling was not the prefered way to fish, i always freelined. the trolly rigs were productive for various reasons. one of wihich on productive days with a southeast wind the trollies got that side and the bait gets exposed because it sits in the same area as long as the bait rod is out. when it was free for all trollies were no more productive than any other way. of course the argument of less hook ups with trollies exist depending on who you talk with. alot of that is caused by the person getting the strike would be every where else except tending to thier rod. if that were not the case the trolly fishers would have an argument to continue trolly fishing but as always some spoil it for everybody.


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## slanddeerhunter

Well i went today i snobbled a cig ,no other bait to speek of ,but most of the day the west rail could be used for nothing but a back rest for tourist to lean against and we were all huddled together on the front and east rail. What a waste of about 9 million dollars worth of pier!


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## John B.

i can see why you use trolley rigs, you're not even wearing glasses...

nice king, none the less.


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## slanddeerhunter

> *John B. (7/23/2009)*i can see why you use trolley rigs, you're not even wearing glasses...
> 
> nice king, none the less.


i see okay even if i dont have my sun glasses on ,saw 50 ish cobia today no problem couldnt get him to eat cig and was gone by time i got a jig ready.


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## John B.

> *slanddeerhunter (7/23/2009)*
> 
> 
> 
> *John B. (7/23/2009)*i can see why you use trolley rigs, you're not even wearing glasses...
> 
> nice king, none the less.
> 
> 
> 
> i see okay even if i dont have my sun glasses on ,saw 50 ish cobia today no problem couldnt get him to eat cig and was gone by time i got a jig ready.
Click to expand...

i rest my CASE!!!!!

those were tarpon, not cobia!!!


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## slanddeerhunter

> *John B. (7/23/2009)*
> 
> 
> 
> *slanddeerhunter (7/23/2009)*
> 
> 
> 
> *John B. (7/23/2009)*i can see why you use trolley rigs, you're not even wearing glasses...
> 
> nice king, none the less.
> 
> 
> 
> i see okay even if i dont have my sun glasses on ,saw 50 ish cobia today no problem couldnt get him to eat cig and was gone by time i got a jig ready.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> i rest my CASE!!!!!
> 
> those were tarpon, not cobia!!!
Click to expand...

i did see the tarpon also but not till they came out of water ,they were over 100 yards out


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## LLSWFisherman

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=SmallTxt width="80%"><DIV style="DISPLAY: inline" id=_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl14_smAuthorName_SimpleMenuDivLayer onmouseover="InstantASP_OpenMenuMouseOver('_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl14_smAuthorName','_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl14_smAuthorName_SimpleMenuDivLayer','<table width=100% class=PanelBar_OuterTable cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td><table width=100% cellspacing=1 cellpadding=7><tr><td class=TableCell_Light>View Member\'s Profile</tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light>Add to Buddy List</tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light><a href=__doPostBack(\'butSendPrivateMessage\',\'4431\'); onmouseover=\'window.status=window.location;return true;\'; onmouseout=window.status=\'\';return true; Class=\'SmlLinks\' Title=\'Send Private Message\'>Send Private Message</a></tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light><a href=__doPostBack(\'butSendEmail\',\'4431\'); onmouseover=\'window.status=window.location;return true;\'; onmouseout=window.status=\'\';return true; Class=\'SmlLinks\' Title=\'Send Email To Member\'>Send Email To Member</a></tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light><a href=__doPostBack(\'butShowMemberPosts\',\'4431\'); onmouseover=\'window.status=window.location;return true;\'; onmouseout=window.status=\'\';return true; Class=\'SmlLinks\' Title=\'Find All Member\s Posts\'>Find All Member\'s Posts</a></tr></td></tr></table></td></tr></table>','165px');" onclick="InstantASP_OpenMenu('_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl14_smAuthorName','_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl14_smAuthorName_SimpleMenuDivLayer','<table width=100% class=PanelBar_OuterTable cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td><table width=100% cellspacing=1 cellpadding=7><tr><td class=TableCell_Light>View Member\'s Profile</tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light>Add to Buddy List</tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light><a href=__doPostBack(\'butSendPrivateMessage\',\'4431\'); onmouseover=\'window.status=window.location;return true;\'; onmouseout=window.status=\'\';return true; Class=\'SmlLinks\' Title=\'Send Private Message\'>Send Private Message</a></tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light><a href=__doPostBack(\'butSendEmail\',\'4431\'); onmouseover=\'window.status=window.location;return true;\'; onmouseout=window.status=\'\';return true; Class=\'SmlLinks\' Title=\'Send Email To Member\'>Send Email To Member</a></tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light><a href=__doPostBack(\'butShowMemberPosts\',\'4431\'); onmouseover=\'window.status=window.location;return true;\'; onmouseout=window.status=\'\';return true; Class=\'SmlLinks\' Title=\'Find All Member\s Posts\'>Find All Member\'s Posts</a></tr></td></tr></table></td></tr></table>','165px');">slanddeerhunter</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

You seem to be the only one complannig about no trolly rigs. You might as well give it up. Anybody that freeline and snobbles a bait no that piers on gulf coast is not a place for trolly fishing. Sight fishing is way better and you don't have to worry about getting caught up in other peoples trolly rigs. if you want to trolly fish go to the east coast. that's all they do over there


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## Fiver

> *slanddeerhunter (7/23/2009)*Well i went today i snobbled a cig ,no other bait to speek of ,but most of the day the west rail could be used for nothing but a back rest for tourist to lean against and we were all huddled together on the front and east rail. What a waste of about 9 million dollars worth of pier!


when i stopped by to fish for a few hours yesterday from 4pm-7:30pm, 75% of the octagon was being used by snobblers. I'm not going get into the argument about whether hookup ratio on trolley rigs is significantly lower than when snobbling or freeling or whether they should be allowed/not allowed, but I think you are at least mildly stretching the truth to suit your agenda.There really is no problem with snobbling into the wind unless it gets to be 18 knots or so...at that point, I agree, it become counterproductive to snobble directly into the wind.


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## slanddeerhunter

Well i didnt stretch it with the clouds that went through it was atleast 18knot except about an hour and a half it laid down then a few went to the west rail and i was there from 6am till 2pm.I started to take pics and now i guess i should have.dont mean to sound ugly about it but its always been that way my picture is atleast 10years old and even then the west rail was not used as much as it could be ,even on a calm day.


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## JLMass

Could the argument that people in alabama dont know how to fish like people in florida be used in this certain case or will that just cause a forum war like none of us have ever seen?.......... This is not a statement but a question so i am not liable for what happens after i push the magic button that sends text to where it goes ....


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## slanddeerhunter

> *JLMass (7/24/2009)*Could the argument that people in alabama dont know how to fish like people in florida be used in this certain case or will that just cause a forum war like none of us have ever seen?.......... This is not a statement but a question so i am not liable for what happens after i push the magic button that sends text to where it goes ....


most of the piers in fl. ive fished on are straight T designed piers with only one usable front rail in this case it is hard to denie trolley fishing would be in the way , so when down there i free line or go to the down current side and float a live bait,but our pier is built in ab octagon pattern with three main rails front,east and west,and a lot of the time the west or east is unuseable when the wind or current are moving hard and a trolley lets you fish into the wind and control your bait on the top of the water.


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## John B.

even if it's blowing 25mph, any decent snobbler shouldn't have a problem keeping a bait in the strike zone long enough to catch 2 kings.... just sayin.


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## fishyfingers

I, too, was upset to see the trollies banned from the new pier. That was always my preferred way to fish the old Gulf shores pier and was the only way to catch kings on Dauphin Island back when you could see water from it. Yes they are catching some kings now on snobbled cigs, which is handy since there is NO LIVE BAIT on the pilings yet.I tookwell over a hundred kings of the old GS pier in the last 3 years it stood, and I only fished it from late March through mid-June when I would switch over to DI (I live in Mobile). 70% or so would have been off the trolley rig. Highly effective.

Don't misunderstand me! I can snobble and I can freeline and catch fish. But I'm also lazy and cheap which is why I went to the pier instead of out into the gulf. I've been reading this back and forth bullshit about Florida guys coming over and showing us poor Alabamians how to fish a cig. Well, here are some points you may not be familiar with.

1. Better bring bait with you. I have, in 15 years, caught maybe a dozen fresh cigs on GS pier. They are extremely rare past P'Cola along the beach. I don't want to spend an extra $15 a day for frozen bait to toss at the water, so I catch sardines and hardtails, try tossing the sardines into a breeze and having them land more than 30 yards upwind. If you can do that, then you don't know what 30 yards looks like. I drop my trolley bait 35-45 yards off the rail.

2. Sight Fishing. Give me a break! In our muddy silty water, that fish better be surfing half the time and I don't care what type X-ray glasses you have. When I fished P-Cola, Navarre, and OIP I could see fish just fine. The water is sooo much clearer over there most of the time. Not true this close to Mobile Bay with a west wind pushing great brown plumes down the beach. Drop a live bait down to splash on the surface on that windy side no one was fishing anyhow, and the kings always seem to find it.

my experiences on the old GS pier were always good. Most all the fishermen at the end were cordial and helpful. We co-habitated quite well when conditions allowed for trolleys (they don't always) and when fish were hooked, anglers with some skill were able to play a fish through and around the 7-8 trolleys as well as they were in and out of 40-50 free-lines.

I have had some very successful days on some of the FL piers as well, but I cannot say I've enjoyed the company as well. I don't lump you all together and I don't know any of you personally, but I've had the displeasure of meeting some of the roughest, rude and downright hostile people on some of these trips. I've seen guys tossed off of Navarre over a ling first-shot arguement, and my personal fav: Summer of '04, some friends and I were fishing OIP mid June, wind: nonexistant, current: minimal, bait: everywhere. We fished the end of the pier from 4:30 am on. 5-7:30 am 3 kings caught, one by my friend,none over 15 lbs. 7:30-9 or so a few bonita. anglers present about 50 (this is totals for all anglers present by the way). About 9 am we decide to set up a trolley, out of the way. Put one up facing a little to the North of due west on the N side of the west rail of the octagon. Between about 10 am and 12:30 we caught 4 more kings from 8-12 lbs a bobo and 2 spanish plus a hardhead catfish. The rest of the people at the end had either caught nothing and gone home or stood at the south rail and make comments about the stupid contraption we were fishing with. The last king, and last fish we caught that day, on guy came over and cut my bottom line while I was removing the hook from our fish. I have'nt been back since.


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## slanddeerhunter

Thanks, thought i was the last trolley fisher on the gulf coast. hope to see you out ther one day.


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## cert-315

Ya know, this is just me, but I'm a shorebound fishermen unless I can hitch a ride too,and I still got better things to do with damn near 10 bucks and places to fish (and catch) without bumping elbows and getting crossed over and cut off by 100 people an hour, let alone having to hoist fish up to the level of my roof from the water.

As a GS resident, I'm glad it'sstarting to pay for itself in tax dollars, but I ain't fishin there. Screw the pier.


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## Dasarge

As a newcomer to the Gulf Shores Fishing Pier I took the time this past weekend to watch the activities and try and get a sense of things. I noted that there were several people who apparently made it quite a habbit of fishing off the end of the pier. I would call them long timers. I noted that they seemed to control the center of the pentagon shaped end.I also noted that their equipment consisted of more than a dozen rods & reels. No suprise to me that they were primarily responsible for the majority of hook-ups and collectors of Kings & spanish. After dawn, everyone seemed to converge to the center with dozens of rods flinging their favorite baits. I noted that many children and adults were wandering around and more often than not came dangerously close to being hooked by people not looking behind themselves before hurling their baits. I'd like to thank the park rangers, law inforcement and staff for doing their level best to keep the pier clean, safe and under control...Many fishermen were also courteous and behaved themselves. Its a beautiful pier and deserves to be shared with everyone wanting to catch fish. Please be considerate of others. I purposly avoided fishing on the end to do my part to let others have some elbow room. I didn't catch anything but I still managed to enjoy the experience. I sincerely hope I never reach apoint where I forget that I'm there to have fun..Not to bully, loudmouth or hog choice areas. Who was it that said "Blessed are the Meek, for they shall inherit the Earth?Nuff Said!!


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## Pier#r

Well stated Dasarge :clap


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## CJF

i went yesterday just to check it out. i got there just as a fisherman was fighting a decent shark (blacktip i think). i was amazed at all the morons that this poor guy had to stumble over while fighting this fish! and all the people with lines in the water that wouldent pull them in as this fish was running across them. if i do decide to try my luck at the end of the pier i'm gonna bring a tazer to get those people otta my damn way!


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## stvtackett

> *Dasarge (7/30/2009)*As a newcomer to the Gulf Shores Fishing Pier I took the time this past weekend to watch the activities and try and get a sense of things. I noted that there were several people who apparently made it quite a habbit of fishing off the end of the pier. I would call them long timers. I noted that they seemed to control the center of the pentagon shaped end.I also noted that their equipment consisted of more than a dozen rods & reels. No suprise to me that they were primarily responsible for the majority of hook-ups and collectors of Kings & spanish. After dawn, everyone seemed to converge to the center with dozens of rods flinging their favorite baits. I noted that many children and adults were wandering around and more often than not came dangerously close to being hooked by people not looking behind themselves before hurling their baits. I'd like to thank the park rangers, law inforcement and staff for doing their level best to keep the pier clean, safe and under control...Many fishermen were also courteous and behaved themselves. Its a beautiful pier and deserves to be shared with everyone wanting to catch fish. Please be considerate of others. I purposly avoided fishing on the end to do my part to let others have some elbow room. I didn't catch anything but I still managed to enjoy the experience. I sincerely hope I never reach apoint where I forget that I'm there to have fun..Not to bully, loudmouth or hog choice areas. Who was it that said "Blessed are the Meek, for they shall inherit the Earth?Nuff Said!!


what da heck was you looking at, maybe the 10 year old child thathad enough nuchies to get out there and catch a 20 pound king. maybe it was the 15 year old girl that walked on the pier for the first time last week andfished the end all day and caught 2 schoolies. maybe the girl who sat on the ice chest that was in a wagon almost inside the red line all morning and never got close to being hooked.maybe a 72 year old lady standing on a stool and caught numerous king giving out food outlike everyone was her children. when she walked out on that pier she knew 2 people but when she left she knew everyone. maybe you need to snap on a pair grab a rod and fish. pier fishing is not for the timid or shy, there will be no invitations or begging to join us.


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## cissysdad

please explain to a newbe on pier fishing WHAT is trolly fishing thanks Kent


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## floridafisherman

Kent, trolley rigging is accomplished by setting out a rod with a heavy sinker then sliding a bait down its line on a release clip with a separate rod. The bait is held suspended at the waters surface, where it is hopefully eaten by a king mackeral. The release clip then lets go the line with the bait attached and the fight is on. The trolley rod is then out of the fight unless the fish swims into it or one of the other dozen set out.


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## FishAddict

I don't have a dog in this fight as I fish east of there, but I fished that pier hundreds of times as a youth and neverused a trolley, I couldn't stand them.


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## Dasarge

Being new to the Gulf Shores fishing pier, I can't speak with any authority about the merits of not allowing trolley fishing. I do know, however, that I've fished all over the country and it's a common and expected necessary evil if you want to keep your baits in one place and near the surface. I've been fortunate in being able to fish the past 2 saturday's at the pier and the currents inevitably pulled everyone's rigs to the east. Tangles did occur and most everyone took it in stride and worked with one another. I had to cut my rigs loose on several occassions due to rat's nests but I didn't complain and didn't loose any significant line. A good number of Kings and spanish were caught. All in all, I think it was a pretty nice morning...Staff were professional and everyone worked well together this past Saturday.


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## stvtackett

> *Dasarge (8/2/2009)*Being new to the Gulf Shores fishing pier, I can't speak with any authority about the merits of not allowing trolley fishing. I do know, however, that I've fished all over the country and it's a common and expected necessary evil if you want to keep your baits in one place and near the surface. I've been fortunate in being able to fish the past 2 saturday's at the pier and the currents inevitably pulled everyone's rigs to the east. Tangles did occur and most everyone took it in stride and worked with one another. I had to cut my rigs loose on several occassions due to rat's nests but I didn't complain and didn't loose any significant line. A good number of Kings and spanish were caught. All in all, I think it was a pretty nice morning...Staff were professional and everyone worked well together this past Saturday.


although i was not there yesterday i read your previous post in this thread and saw where youdid not know what went on right in front of your eyes on saturday was a week ago, so i am sure what went on yesterday is a bit fuzzy to you also. now back to your trolly comment. i have fished gs pier long enough to speak with a bit of authority. although you can notsay all trolly fishers acted this way but most did. they would put thier trollies out and evaporate,gone, nowhere to be found. they would be freelining,jigging, at the pierhouse,bathroom and in some instances gone to the store with someone else watching thier rod. now this behavior was not the the rule, however it happened more frequent than to be called the exception. and there are alot of fishers that get penalized for what others do in this instance. but this type of fishing was being used as a fishing of convience, there is alot of people that fish that pier and every other pier that have never owned antrolly anchor or pyamid sinker. if you do not want to get tangled, nudged, bumped, touched or get cooties stay at home.

o


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## Pier#r

Thanks Steve :clap

Do you have any suggestions on how to remove "piercooties" LOL!


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## stvtackett

> *Pier#r (8/2/2009)*Thanks Steve :clap
> 
> Do you have any suggestions on how to remove "piercooties" LOL!


dave, dasarge has posted twice and i think that is all he/she has ever walked on a pier. the person with the most rods in the first post was charlie and he was not even fishing much and had 3 other fishers in his cart. i guess the loud was me, and i don't give a damn what they think about me. i fished for 2 days and saw countless people that looked like they had just started pier fishing including kids under 10 and were fishing the end and catching fish. dasarge needs to change thier name to dablind or dadumbass.


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## FloundernFlorida

Im new to saltwater and I want to know if you will describe whata trolly rig is. I saw some guys killing 20inch spanish on ly using a trolly rig and want to know how to rig it up. Thanks


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