# Inshore Questions



## COfishing (Sep 9, 2015)

Hello All, I've been enjoying everyones post, stories and pics. We're coming down in early June. We've got a place in Perdido Key(off sharp reef rd) with a pier. Im fairly confident fishing from the pier and shore fishing. However this time we are getting a boat for a few days. I'd like any advice on how to get on some fish, from the boat. Trolling, dropping, drifting? Bait, artificials? All the fishing we would be doing would be in the bays and/or intercostal. Any tips would be great, also what is typically biting at that time of year, we usually come in early fall.


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## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

The grass flats will be alive by then. Look at google maps and you can find them. Big Lagoon has plenty. I use artificials. As always, look for birds and bait activity and water movement. Also, dock fishing around Ono Island at night should be good at that time. Be careful though. You have both Alabama and Florida waters. I would get both state fishing license staying where you will be.


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## COfishing (Sep 9, 2015)

Thanks for the reply bamacpa:thumbup:, nobody else must inshore fish...Lol. We always buy both licenses just because we rotate around depending on the wind and the bite at the time. I've got a buddy in Lillian and he gives us some tips, but he's mainly a shore fisherman. We usually stay closer to Lillian on the Bay so were looking forward to being on some new areas. Maybe I'll PM you in the future if I got any other questions, if thats cool.


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## Green9550 (Jan 31, 2018)

By then the trout will be back in ol river the morning top water bite is usually good and will slack off around 7ish I'd suggest using a top dog jr and swap the trebles for in lines to keep the grass off when the top bite dies I have good luck with doa shrimp with a few drops of pro cure fished right near the edge of the grass flats and on the side closest to the drop off just get on google maps and pick out some grass flats the lights are always a good bet if the bite gets picky I like to switch to light tackle 1/8 ounce jig with a little zoom imitation glass minnow


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## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

COfishing said:


> Thanks for the reply bamacpa:thumbup:, nobody else must inshore fish...Lol. We always buy both licenses just because we rotate around depending on the wind and the bite at the time. I've got a buddy in Lillian and he gives us some tips, but he's mainly a shore fisherman. We usually stay closer to Lillian on the Bay so were looking forward to being on some new areas. Maybe I'll PM you in the future if I got any other questions, if thats cool.


Anytime. Although there are many others more knowledgeable than me. I’ll help any way I can though.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

June is an outstanding month to inshore fish and you'll certainly be in a good spot to get started. 

As mentioned above, the grassbeds in ole river and along the ICW going east into Big Lagoon will be hot with Trout, Reds, Jacks and a few others. Must-haves including topwaters, twitchbaits an assortment of soft plastics. There are days where the grass will be extremely aggravating and I usually throw weedless-rigged soft plastics on those outings. The obvious tactic is to fish the potholes, edges and drops through the grass but don't overlook pitching around the boathouses on the north side of ole river.

Moving into the ICW, I almost always spend some time around the Theo Barr bridge. This is the bridge carrying you from Perdido Key towards P'cola. There's plenty of nice Mangrove Snapper, Drum, Reds and some very big Trout. A lot of people say you need live bait there for the big trout but that's not true and I've had luck with some gators there on deeper running jerkbaits and fast sinking twitchbaits. If the Ladyfish are thick around the bridge in can be tough.

Off the beaches, the Kings and Spanish should be thick. Just troll spoons, Yo Zuri Crystal Minnows and a deep diving plug somewhere in your spread. 

How big of a boat will you have access to?


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## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

And as always, go to Sam's stock up and talk with Chris. No better advice.


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## COfishing (Sep 9, 2015)

Thanks for the tips guys. We're getting a 21ft center console w/ live wells rod holders etc... Set up for fishing is what the rental place tells me.(Harbor View Marina, best prices) We can only stay on the ICW or the Bays(No Gulf) which is fine. I was also thinking about some cajun poppers w/ plastics/bait for my nephew and another less experienced fisherman. My 13yo and my wife are experienced fisherman, he always catches em(Go figure). I will definitely post up with any other questions I've got. I will also stop by the bait shop and get the latest and greatest updates. Does Sam's have live shrimp? We always seem to be getting these for the pier at night too. The bridge you're talking about, which one exactly is it, i tried looking up on google and didn't find it. Thanks agains guys


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## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

COfishing said:


> Thanks for the tips guys. We're getting a 21ft center console w/ live wells rod holders etc... Set up for fishing is what the rental place tells me.(Harbor View Marina, best prices) We can only stay on the ICW or the Bays(No Gulf) which is fine. I was also thinking about some cajun poppers w/ plastics/bait for my nephew and another less experienced fisherman. My 13yo and my wife are experienced fisherman, he always catches em(Go figure). I will definitely post up with any other questions I've got. I will also stop by the bait shop and get the latest and greatest updates. Does Sam's have live shrimp? We always seem to be getting these for the pier at night too. The bridge you're talking about, which one exactly is it, i tried looking up on google and didn't find it. Thanks agains guys


Theo’s Barr bridge is the bridge you will go under going into Big Lagoon from Perdido on th ICW.


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## MillerLight21 (Aug 9, 2010)

COfishing said:


> Thanks for the tips guys. We're getting a 21ft center console w/ live wells rod holders etc... Set up for fishing is what the rental place tells me.(Harbor View Marina, best prices) We can only stay on the ICW or the Bays(No Gulf) which is fine. I was also thinking about some cajun poppers w/ plastics/bait for my nephew and another less experienced fisherman. My 13yo and my wife are experienced fisherman, he always catches em(Go figure). I will definitely post up with any other questions I've got. I will also stop by the bait shop and get the latest and greatest updates. Does Sam's have live shrimp? We always seem to be getting these for the pier at night too. The bridge you're talking about, which one exactly is it, i tried looking up on google and didn't find it. Thanks agains guys




Why no gulf? 


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## COfishing (Sep 9, 2015)

*Why no Gulf*

Rental Company Rules. Rules generally suck, but whatever. theres a lot of water to access inshore. Hopefully we can find the fish.


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## MillerLight21 (Aug 9, 2010)

Ah sorry missed the rental part. Was wondering why a 21 footer wasn’t able to go out. My bad  


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## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

Best piece of advice I have been given thus far, and I've been given many, as I have been learning too... look for the mullet. If you see a lot of mullet jumping, that's a good place to stop and fish. Advice already given is all good, try variety of topwater, swimbaits, twitchbaits, bottom bumping grubs and jigs, till you figure out what they want.

I have done well in that area using Yum Money Minnows on a weedless belly weighted hook setup, just 1/8 ounce, enough to make it swim down when you pause the retrieve. The Money Minnows are soft and not that durable, but they wiggle well on a slow fall, which is nice. Zman baits are tougher but harder to rig, but they work, too. I like pearl color, and if there is some dinge to the water, dip the tail in some chartreuse Spike-It dye. Ply the grass flats around and in between and in front of the docks from Galvez Landing towards the end of Perdido Key. Weedless setup because there is a lot of loose grass that flows with the tides. I would get the bigger trout where the 'dark spots' are in the grass... the potholes. Let the bait sink into each pothole and then start the retrieve again. Hold on to your rod, I have almost had them jerk it out my hand when I got a little bored between hits and let down my guard. 

Look for places where wind or tide makes current flowing past any kind of point or structure and look for the mullet. If you find both, good chance to find reds or trout.

Also catch live pinfish about palm sized and drift them through the pass on a bottom rig.... drop to the bottom and reel up a few cranks and drift through with the tide, you can pick up a bull red sometimes on a moving tide, although this works better earlier like in April and May from what I've seen.

The jetty in the pass, the one with the smokestack looking pipe at the end of it, is a good place to find mangrove snapper and pinfish, hard tails, spanish running through, sometimes a red... live shrimp is always a good bet there, just take a lot because you'll go through it with all the pinfish.

Sit down with a beer or glass of wine and sift through old posts on the forums from this time of year, there are lots of tidbits to be had using the search function and just read stuff from years past. Learned a lot that way myself.

Good luck and hope you have a great trip!


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## COfishing (Sep 9, 2015)

*Cant wait*

Surfrider, Thanks, that's the type of stuff i'm looking for:thumbup:. I've already been thru many post from that time and pics, I always try to see what lure/bait everyone is using. I've been spending lots of time on here and buying tackle(it's great), June can't come early enough, plus that means no more snow removal til Nov/Dec. Thanks all for tips, I'll learn how to post pics before my trip so I can post updates. 
Happy Fishing til then.


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## Whompuscat (Mar 11, 2009)

Very appreciative of the folks with knowledge that reply to requests from others.


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