# Navarre 9/22 Morning



## rweakley (Aug 23, 2012)

I went out this morning and started fishing around 6. As soon as we rolled out on the bridge, I lent out my net to a guy hauling in a good sized red. He ended up being a big help to me, since it was my first time fishing a pier. He set me up a rig to try to snag a sheephead, of which I saw plenty today. Unfortunately, I was unable to hook up with one...I've heard they're great eating. Then he spotted a huge red and had me go run and grab a minnow. Threw that bad boy out and dragged it up near the red, and he took off with it! Unfortunately, He swam back under the pier and around the piling and snapped the line off. (Any suggestions to prevent this are MORE than welcome! Larger tackle maybe?) The only other real action I saw today was some guy that brought in a good sized flounder.

There were quite a few people filling up buckets of what I was told are baby jack crevalles and other small fish (pinfish maybe?)

Remoras were out as well.

So...from about 6 to 11 I saw three fish hooked and two pulled in (not counting remoras and the small fish).

I did get into an argument with a pelican though. We fought over my bait and I won, the thing flinging about 4 feet away from him...then before I could yank it away, we got into another fight! Now I know where the saying "bird brain" came from.


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## Smarty (Nov 23, 2008)

Reds are notorious for running toward structure and cutting you off. I use 20lb test on one pole and 40lb on another for redfish. The trick is to get his head out of water as quick as possible. Once you do that he will stop fighting for the most part. Always having a bridge net handy will certainly pay off. Only use as much force as necessary to keep his head up or you'll be fighting him again and giving him another chance to cut you off.


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

lmao I wish someone had a go pro to record u fighting the bird! 

I was fishing topwater in my kayak last year minding my own business. then this pelican shows up and dives on my lure... once he surfaces again I see it on his beak, he tries to get it off by running his beak on his wing but hooks the other trebles in it. At this point Im like crap what do I do?
I want my lure back and I know he wont survive like that . I peddle towards him and he starts sorta flying and pulling drag. I start reeling him and and begin to hear honking. Turns out he pulled me just far enough to be in clear view for people driving on the bridge. they are honking, pointing and laughing at me! I finally real him close enough to grab his beak and free him. 

I bet that looked crazy on the bridge...


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

Rweakly Did I meet you on base at whiting recently ? Or Am I confusing you?


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## rweakley (Aug 23, 2012)

oxbeast1210 said:


> Rweakly Did I meet you on base at whiting recently ? Or Am I confusing you?


Yeah and I tried to PM you but for some reason I didn't have the option to. That's why I sent the friend request.


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

I think you have to have a certain amount of posts to be able to Pm. Im going to try to send you my number I have two kayaks at the moment and can show u some of the spots I was talking about.
Oscar


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## rweakley (Aug 23, 2012)

Smarty said:


> Reds are notorious for running toward structure and cutting you off. I use 20lb test on one pole and 40lb on another for redfish. The trick is to get his head out of water as quick as possible. Once you do that he will stop fighting for the most part. Always having a bridge net handy will certainly pay off. Only use as much force as necessary to keep his head up or you'll be fighting him again and giving him another chance to cut you off.


Thanks. I think I may be under-tackled. I have a 6 foot med action rod with a spinner that holds only about 100 yards of 10lbs. My son has about the same. Thats what I hooked the red on. The only other setup I have is a used one I bought for kings with an 8 1/2' rod and I wanna say around 200 yards of 14lbs. Unless you're talking about braid there's no way I could spool enough of 40 lb test onto even my larger reel. Maybe not even 20.

So to get him out of the water quickly do you just crank down the drag (since you use heavy line) and use the pull-reel down-pull method? 

Suggestions welcome. I'm new at this and would like to have a successful trip one of these days!


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

Yeah that's kinda light for pier fishing but perfect for the kayak lol


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## Smarty (Nov 23, 2008)

rweakley said:


> Thanks. I think I may be under-tackled. I have a 6 foot med action rod with a spinner that holds only about 100 yards of 10lbs. My son has about the same. Thats what I hooked the red on. The only other setup I have is a used one I bought for kings with an 8 1/2' rod and I wanna say around 200 yards of 14lbs. Unless you're talking about braid there's no way I could spool enough of 40 lb test onto even my larger reel. Maybe not even 20.
> 
> So to get him out of the water quickly do you just crank down the drag (since you use heavy line) and use the pull-reel down-pull method?
> 
> Suggestions welcome. I'm new at this and would like to have a successful trip one of these days!


I normally fish the bridges and here's what I use.
I almost always use a Carolina rig on everything. Leader length depends on what I'm after but always between 12in and 24in. long.
1)Eagle Claw 7ft Surf Beast and Eagle Claw FL50 spinning reel. I use 40lb test Berkley and Eagle Claw #2 or Mustad #5 circle hooks. Leader length 20-24in and a small pin fish or white grunt hooked through the tail or behind the head (best results for me behind the head). Either on the bottom or using a white ballon suspended approx. 5-6ft under the surface. If the ballon is too close it will spook the fish. This is my main rod to target Redfish or sharks.
2)Shakespeare 7ft Ugly Stick and Shakespeare #50 spinning reel with 20lb line using the same set up as above but sometimes used with shrimp on bottom or cutbait to target Reds, blackdrum, grouper, mangrove or lane snapper, specs, and any other bottom feeders.
3)Shakespeare 7ft Tiger Spinning rod with a cheap $10 Shakespeare Durango spinning reel and I think 10lb test line that comes with it. I use Eagle Claw #1 or #4(smaller) baitholder hooks to target Snapper, flounder, pompano, sheepshead, specs, whiting, croakers, and to catch baitfish for 1) and 2). 
4) Shakespeare Durango 6ft rod with the same $10 spinning reel and same hooks as 3) for targeting the same species. I also will switch up 3) and 4) with artificials like Gulp shrimp and Gotcha lures for specs, flounder, spanish, reds, whiting or anything else that's good table fare. 
I normally don't target Kings but if I do it would be with 1) set up and if so 40lb or stronger steel leader. Same goes for sharks. I usually night fish and like stated above on the bridges. 
I always set my drag according to line strength, loose enough on all my rods so that if a fish makes a hard run away from me it will possibly set the hook while taking some line and not break my rod which I have seen happen to a few folks. Always be sure to have a video camera ready for those youtube moments :laughing: Once I know I've hooked them I'll gradually tighten the drag as I'm reeling them in according to how hard they are pulling so I can maintain control. No need to ever tighten down all the way because you never know when something bigger might come along and swallow what you've got on the hook then break you off. 
Sharks will striaght out pull like a dragster so watch that drag setting and be ready to fight!
Usually reds will make a short strong run away from you then turn heading toward any structure in an attempt to cut you off. When they do I'll hold my rod sideways and walk the opposite direction and pull just enough to turn their head and then they'll run the opposite direction then I do the same while slowly reeling in maintaining control and basically walking them toward me. Make sure to keep the slack out of the line and be ready for them to run under the bridge or pier and attempt to cut you off there. If they are big bull reds and they succeed then you've only lost a few pennies in tackle and saved yourself the workout of pulling them up just to have to release them and possibly causing them more harm than if the hook just stays in. If it's a legal one then try to get it's head slightly out of the water and net it asap. 
Black drum will fight hard to stay on the bottom and will try to cut you off underneath the bridge or pier.
Snapper and flounder will nibble on the shrimp or cutbait at 1st. Once they do I slowly reel a couple of turns and wait again. If the bait or some of it is still on the hook they will come get it and that's when I set the hook if I can. They'll a lot of times only fight a little then pull as you reel them in. 
Grouper will make a hard run to get inside the closest structure so heavier line is a must. Hopefully you can catch them and turn their head before they make it then the fight is on.
Sheepshead will steal your bait before you even know it. Small baitholder hooks work better with small live shrimp or sandfleas. At 1st nibble try and set the hook and they will fight hard the whole time. Don't be suprised if they bite the hook in half though so always be prepared with plenty.
You'll usually know if it's a bait fish like croaker, grunts, or pinfish because they just about always fight the whole time you reel them in.
Still trying to gain some experience with pompano because it's really good table fare but I normally don't fish off the beaches or pier so I don't see them very often. Of course timing and luck is always a factor when fishing. I normally fish Bob Sikes late at night by myself. Old fat white guy wearing hat with L.E.D. lights, rolling red cooler with white top, a chair out but never sitting and radio listening to TK101 or some heavy metal music. Name is Marty. 
Hope some of this helps you and your boy have a good time and maybe I'll sometime see you out there :thumbsup:


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## rweakley (Aug 23, 2012)

Wow awesome post! And so much more than I would have expected. Thanks for putting in the time to help educate me. Maybe next time I'm down, I'll have to rent some heavier equipment. Maybe I'll shoot you a message and try to be there sometime you're there and get some pointers from you on the bridge! You seem like you really know your stuff.


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## Smarty (Nov 23, 2008)

rweakley said:


> Wow awesome post! And so much more than I would have expected. Thanks for putting in the time to help educate me. Maybe next time I'm down, I'll have to rent some heavier equipment. Maybe I'll shoot you a message and try to be there sometime you're there and get some pointers from you on the bridge! You seem like you really know your stuff.


Nope just an average Joe. Like I said, timing and a little luck are necessary especially if you're landlocked. All the skill in the world isn't going to help if you don't have those two things. North wind was blowing hard and the moon was lighting up the water. Weather conditions mean a lot. I just got home after spending about 4hrs out on the bridge. Got cut off by a 4ft shark on my 20lb test line which is too small and wasn't using steel leader at the time. Wasn't exactly what I was after but that's what took the bait. Total was very slow. 2 Toadfish, 1 puffer, 3 white trout, 3 white grunts, 9 pinfish, 2 undersized mangrove, and 1 baby lane snapper. Was basically just feeding them for the next time. Maybe by then they'll be bigger :yes: 
[/ATTACH]


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## JonnyT (Dec 2, 2007)

Grab a pelican so that its beak is closed and he will calm down like an upside-down shark. I've done it this way about 10 times.


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## rweakley (Aug 23, 2012)

JonnyT said:


> Grab a pelican so that its beak is closed and he will calm down like an upside-down shark. I've done it this way about 10 times.


Ha ha so this is way more common than it should be!

Luckily he let go in the water so I didn't have to haul him up to the pier.


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## devndeb (Mar 16, 2008)

Also, Be careful how you word certain aspects of your posts as well...I just KNOW that when you were fishing for Sheepheads, you were trying to "snag" them with a live shrimp or a sand flea and a hook...as trying to "Snag" them using a jerk rig would be against the FWC regulations...we all know what you REALLY meant...:whistling:


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## devndeb (Mar 16, 2008)

Also, WELCOME to the forum!!!!:clap:


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## rweakley (Aug 23, 2012)

Oh...roger. I was using a shrimp on a small hook the guy I mentioned gave me. All mine where too large. Like size 1 was about the smallest I had. He gave me a six or eight I think.

I meant snag in the way of the American-English rhetoric, not in the sense of trying to hook it in the side, which is what I'm guessing you're refering to.

But yes I will be more careful of my wording.


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## rweakley (Aug 23, 2012)

I would like to point out that terpdoc recently used the word "snagged" in reference to the black drum he caught in his recent pier report! It doesn't have to be taken literally!


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