# Newbie fishing from dock in Santa Rosa sound



## Mercpower (Mar 13, 2014)

Moving to pensacola beach next week from Arkansas and have been studying this forum for tips. My question is our house backs up to Santa Rosa and has a small dock....what can I expect to catch? What should i specifically target? I have read up on using shrimp under corks and artificial lures. Am I going to have much success from the shore in the sound on the south side or is a kayak needed?


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

A kayak will greatly expand your fishing opportunities. If your dock doesnt already have them, invest in some nice lights shinning into the water or even underwater lights. This will attract bait and attract game fish to your dock for much more productive fishing!


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## BigRed38 (May 5, 2009)

A kayak is a MUST. If you have or add lights, like JD said, you will attract bait which in turn will attract Redfish, Speckled Trout, Flounder and a few other species. Welcome to the area!


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## sailor (Oct 29, 2007)

You catch specks, reds, sheepshead, and flounder, plus a ton of pinfish, catfish and occasional stingray, all depending on your location and time of the year. If you have a light on the dock and the water is deep enough you can have your fill of specks during the summer using any bait, but live shrimp is like gold. You don't need a boat or kayak unless you want to go to someone else's dock or hit some grass flats during the day.


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## Tobiwan (Apr 27, 2012)

If the dock is over grass I would suggest small live pinfish either under a cork or on a Carolina rig. If there is no grass shrimp will work great.

Get a chair and a 6 pack, throw your pinfish or shrimp out there and chillax until something runs off with it.


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## Mercpower (Mar 13, 2014)

Great thanks for all the info....this is a super helpful fourm. so is Pickens the place to go for surf fishing it looks like? My little boy is begging to try to catch a shark when we get there...he's five so I'm trying to keep this in perspective....surf fishing the best option? I hate looking like a tourist trying to figure it out! Lol


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## Fisherdad1 (Oct 4, 2007)

Like JD said, good lights are a must. Not to be a buzz kill, but keep in mind that not all docks are created equal. I used to dock fish a lot as a teenager and in my experience you can catch them 'till your arms fall off on one dock and the one literally right next to it can be a barren wasteland. It can also be seasonal or "situational". My grandparents had a dock on Cinco Bayou and their neighbors did not mind if we fished on their dock too. 90+% of the time we got squat on my grandparents dock and tore them up 40 feet away. the depths were quite a bit different. It was shallower, about 4 feet deep, on the good dock (which is counter to my boat fishing experience with productive docks). Then every once in a blue moon they would be thick at my grandparents dock (lots of bait around) and nothing at the other dock. Never found a pattern to it.

My in-laws have a dock on east bay right now. I have fished it periodically for two years and caught two redfish. I have seen one flounder and no trout over 10 inches - and very few of those. Their dock is VERY shallow. On a good high tide it is two feet at best. I have caught the most fish off dock lights freelining live baits on a small circle hook (#4 - #1 depending upon size of bait). Best lure for me has been an original Rapala floating minnow. Mirrodine also good. Then a fluke on an unweighted hook.

Your experience in the Sound will probably be better than that. If not get the kayak. Actually, get the kayak anyway. I love it and it really gives you lots of options.

Have fun and be sure to attend some of the free fishing seminars around the area. you will learn a lot and meet other fisherman.


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## Ceffalo (Sep 5, 2012)

*Nights and lights..*

No doubt..not all lights are created equal..And some of the most promising looking hold nothing,yet year after year,others seem to produce.


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