# Pensacola Beach Pier Sightfishing



## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

Anyone that lives close enough to go to the Pensacola Beach Pier should count it while counting their blessings. It is a wonderful place to spend some extra time and it is truly a blessing to have easyaccess to the type of water that is the norm there. 

I have spent a few morning and afternoon hours watching and waiting for Pompano to swim down the beach, and it is a gift to be able to have easy access to it if you do. The water is most commonly very clear and it is great for sightfishing most anything you care to fish for in season of course. 

Sightfishing is something many people on the forum completely understand, but if you don't or have never done it, you should try it, as it adds a huge value to your experience. More or less you stand on the pier at the water depth your target species is most likely to be in and wait until you see the fish you would like to catch before you cast to it and attempt to fool it into taking your lure or bait. You can watch the fish and it's response to your attempt to trick it into taking your offering and sometimes the fishwill take and sometimes it may not, but either way it is a great way to fish, and the reward of catching a fish you spotted and witnessed your ability to fool is extremely rewarding, and something that most fishermen fall in love with very quickly. 

There are alot of people that fish the Pensacola Beach Pier that have a great ability to see fish, and have alot of experience at fooling and catching them. These people are normally very helpful if watch them and learn from them.They are some of the most talented people I have ever fished with or around. But the pier is somewhat competitive as just as you are they are looking for fish too, and no different than you are trying to catch fish, sometimes the same fish as you, so understand the enviroment is a little different in *"you and everyone else is in the same boat"* more or less. With that understanding you will see that most will be very helpful and easy to meet. 

I have had many a great conversation with the guys out there and spent a few hours looking at some of the prettiest water in the gulf. It is truly a blessing to have access to something as great as the Pensacola Beach Pier, and no one that has easy accessto it shouldtake it for granted. If you ask, I would bet there are many that would love to have the ability to just go fish it,before or after work. I wish I had time to go more often, as it has always been somewhat a therapy for me to spend some time out there, and I could use more therapy. 

Go try sightfishing the Pier, and good luck. It is Awesome.


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

awesome read garbo!!!! i'll fish next toy any day sir! :bowdown


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## nb&twil (Oct 2, 2007)

Garbo, we've had this conversation on more than one occasion. How "fooling" the fish and seeing it all happen is so much more rewarding than just merely cranking them in. I am certainly one that falls into the category of "I wish I could fish more." Now that I'm in Texas, there is some great fishing, but there is almost NO sightfishing, and that kills me! Piers are plentiful along the beach here (2 within a half hour drive for me), but I just can't get excited about soaking a live bait and sitting around waiting for a fish to find my bait in the chocolate milk.

You are exactly right. Anyone that has the opportunity to fish one of the local piers up there (or any sightfishing for that matter) should count it as a blessing and enjoy it every possible moment. Just yesterday I was driving down the roadand just daydreaming about throwing to a king mackerel and working a bait, then feeding it to him, then setting the hook. I miss the panhandle piers SO BAD! Hopefully I'll be back to visit soon.


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## NavinR.Johnson (Jan 24, 2009)

People just dont understand that most of the pro fisherman,best fisherman from our area started on those piers.


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## Tyler Massey (Oct 2, 2007)

Garbo, I have never formally met you but i have seen you at the pier once or twice. I hope i get the opportunity to meet you this year.



I fell in love with sight fishing the first time i fished at the pier when i was about 14. I have spent every available moment since doing it. There is nothing like seeing a King mackerel sucking down your cigar minnow of watching that cobia coming in from 200 yards away. It is something that i will be doing as long as i am capable and truly thankful that i was exposed to it at a young age.


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## JLMass (Oct 1, 2007)

i will stick to blind jigging for pompano for god knows i cant hit a damn thing when im trying but when i just toss i end up in front of the big hungry ones


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## Kingfshr (Aug 30, 2008)

Anybody use Smelly Jelly on Pomp jigs?


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Kingfshr (1/26/2009)*Anybody use Smelly Jelly on Pomp jigs?


i've used it, and really don't notice too much of a difference, however, tip your jig with a sandflea a tad bit smaller than a dime, it'll make the difference.


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## Dylan (Apr 15, 2008)

Good read Garbo..Maybe we can share a beer on the pier one day..I think the whole sightfishing thing is great..It also gives you an understanding of the action of the bait and how the knots affect them..When you are sightfishing youll get to see a fish eat and how the fish reacts to different presentations..You can apply this to blind casting too thus enabling you to catch more fish..


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## tideline_two (Oct 8, 2007)

yall are very lucky to live where you are at! i've fished the pier a few times when i'm dowm visiting my daugher's family and each time i've had a ball! i fish out of murrells inlet s.c. and i fish a LOT. mostly near shore mostly kings and cobia or in the inlet itself for trout and spottails (redfish). i am pretty good at sight fishing on our flats but the guys that fish yalls piers are in a different league. they see fish and identify em before i even see em...and i used to think i was pretty good. if our water was has clear as yalls is i couldn't sleep at night just thinking about getting out there again. almost like fishing in a aquarium


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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

I agree, the sightfishing aspect of the pier is the big thing that keeps me going there. The competition isn't a bad thing either, it hones your skills andmakes you a better fisherman.


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

i wish we didn't have first shot, it would be wayyyy more fun without it.

i'm gonna go look for pomps and redfish tomorrow around 10 if anyone wants to join.


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## Travis Gill (Oct 6, 2007)

> *John B. (1/26/2009)*i wish we didn't have first shot, it would be wayyyy more fun without it.
> 
> 
> > Thats just cause you can't see worht a darn:letspartyoke


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Freespool (1/26/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *John B. (1/26/2009)*i wish we didn't have first shot, it would be wayyyy more fun without it.
> ...


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## Travis Gill (Oct 6, 2007)

That is true


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## atlast740 (Dec 19, 2007)

for u early risers that want to get a breath of fresh air just look out across the gulf, here is the site for okaloosaislandcams.com user name pier 1 password fishing 2


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## konz (Oct 1, 2007)

I plan on heading out there more often this spring. I want to better my sight fishing skills. When I am out there I find myself watching others more so than actually fishing. Some of those guys really know there stuff.


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

thanks for the link to the camera Frank!...

man, there is nothing like watching 20 popano come in in 2 feet of water and watching them fight over your jig!


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## atlast740 (Dec 19, 2007)

there is 3 cams 24/7 pier is open now from 5 am to 9pm , will start being open 24 hrs aday next month


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## theflyingburritto (Jan 7, 2009)

what about the okaloosa island pier, is it suppose to be as good as the one in pensacola? I remember going out there a long time ago and never having any luck. Back then i probably didnt have the slightest clue as to what i was doing. I'd like to go back out there and try it out again.


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## atlast740 (Dec 19, 2007)

the pier at okaloosa is not as good as p cola for cobia fishing but for bait and kings its ok also catch a lot of pompano on this pier


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## atlast740 (Dec 19, 2007)

john if u still on call me at 259 8214


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## TURTLE (May 22, 2008)

> *atlast740 (1/27/2009)*for u early risers that want to get a breath of fresh air just look out across the gulf, here is the site for okaloosaislandcams.com user name pier 1 password fishing 2


Is there a trick to signing in to the web cam? I have tried about every combo of peir 1 and fishing 2.


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## atlast740 (Dec 19, 2007)

okaloosa island cams. com user pier 1 password fishing 2


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## atlast740 (Dec 19, 2007)

might try www in front of it


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## Mascus (Mar 12, 2008)

Site fishing is something I am still a rookie at but like most of you, I too have been coached by many on the pier at both P'cola and Okaloosa and hope to sharpen my skills this coming Spring. The Pompano eluded me on more than one occasion this past year. I managed to hook 3 but never got them in the cooler. My goal for 2009 is to rectify this problem. Pompano has now become my new target species for this year. And you guys are correct, site fishing is addictive!


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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

Speaking of pompano, I can't wait to try to put some flies in front of them!


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## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

> *true-king (1/27/2009)*Speaking of pompano, I can't wait to try to put some flies in front of them!


*Well they are here in force now. Huge numbers in some areas. Let us know how you do. *

*Good stuff out there right now. Really good stuff. *


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## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

Good Time to Sightfish Kings, now.


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## nb&twil (Oct 2, 2007)

Good time to bring this back up to the top. Man, just thinking about putting a bait in front of a big king swimming around looking for lunch... Tricking the fish and watching it all happen. There is no better rush.


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