# Destin 6/25-Surf casting 101 help please.



## Brad6260

*Heading to Destin 6/25* and want to make a legit attempt to surf fish with the correct tackle, bait, rigs etc.
Instead of the usual tossing a 3oz weight with shrimp and squid with my modified Bass fishing gear I really want to try and approach it as an experienced surf caster would for a change and see if I can get better results.

I was given a Penn Sargus 7000 and 10' surf rod. That's it so far.
No line spooled on it yet.

three general questions.
1) Can I spool this outfit for both all purpose fishing for the morning and day and I would also like to try to shark fish some after dark? 
Yes I do know this outfit is undersized to handle the big boys but it's all I have to work with.
Can I go with heavy mono tipped with a light mono leader for one and then add a shark rig steel leader for the other? Or what? suggestions?

2) Not knowing exactly what species I will be encountering in the morning and day what type of all around rig might be suggested to start out with. line size,Leader,hook size etc.
I'll be reliant on the local bait shop for bait suggestions but it usually ends up being frozen shrimp or squid. Any Better/other suggestions? 
Is live bait considered the best and if so is it available and what is required to keep it alive and lively.
For the beach is this even practical without a live well set up? 

3) What are my best bait options for shark after dark or should I just toss cut mullet out and be done with it?
I am in a house right on the beach but please keep in mind my need to keep the load hauling reasonable.

Aside from the obvious tackle ,bait rigging's etc is there anything else that would be necessary to bring along? I have a sand spike, knife and needle nose pliers in my bag.

Any and all suggestions would be most appreciated.
Also if anyone knows the Destin Gulf side well and has specific suggestions or locations close to me that would be great. I am staying right next door to the Crab Trap restaurant on hwy 98.

Thanks very much,
Brad


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## GoVols

Hopefully you get some good replies, but I used live sand fleas on my last trip to Destin and they work great as bait. They are fun to catch and easy to keep, just get a little soft cooler or bucket and keep the sand fleas with some sand and they will keep for a couple days. 

If you catch a ladyfish, be sure to cut it up into little chunks and keep the chunks in a big freezer bag. Those ladyfish chunks make excellent shark bait.

As far as a rig, go to any of the local tackle stores and buy a pompano rig and use a 3 oz pyramid sinker. Half Hitch in Destin has some very nice premaid rigs.

I use 50 lb Power Pro braid line on my equipment. I tied my pompano and shark rigs directly to the Power Pro with no issues.


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## Bump_N_Twitch

if your gonna try shark fishing i wouldnt go smaller than 50lb powerpro. if your gonna be fishing in the gulf look for a 4oz spider weight to keep your bait from washing around. imo dead shrimp work just as well as live shrimp cuz either way there dead after the first soaking. but if you plan on getting live, a 5 gallon bucket and BPS sells an aerator for 7 dollars that clips on the side. i have one and its turned out to be a very good investment. if you wanna catch redfish then cut mullet works the best. also get little bags of snaps and swivels to keep everything flowing smoothly. 

if you wanna still use your bass rig: put on a 3/4oz egg weight followed by a swivel. then a 18 inch 10-15lb mono leader after that with a 1/0 2/0 hook on the end with a shrimp and cast it over the breakers. this will keep you busy cuz youll be catchin little baitfish and whatnots the whole time while your waitin for big boy to go off. 

ladyfish do work really good for sharks. hook one in its head and one a few inches from the tail and slice up (not all the way through) its body so it will bleed once its in the water.


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## xl883lo

Just for general surf fishing I mostly use a couple of 360 Slammers with 7 1/2' St Croix Tidemasters spooled with 12# or 15 # line. I usually throw a 1oz, 1.5 oz or 2 oz depending on the surf. I also have a St Croix surf rod that I will use occaisionally with a Slammer 360 with 15# or a slammer 560 with 20# that I will throw a heavier rig with.

It is my opinion that most of the surf fishing in the AL/MS/Panhandle is more suited to using a typical inshore rod type setup. You said you throw a 3 oz weight......this seems way too heavy on lighter tackle and more suited to the surf setup you just acquired. I would take both rigs and use the lighter tackle in the morning and the heavier rig at night if you want to shark fish. A 7000 Sargus is a huge reel for your typical surf catch pompano, trout, redfish,sheepshead.....I usually think of the big 10'+ rods and the bigger reels being more of an east coast thing.

As far as live bait, I have never had much luck keeping it alive without a lot of hassel and a big livewell setup. The exception being sandfleas. I like "freshdead" shrimp, catching live sandfleas and some sort cut bait.

Most of the time I use a double drop pompano rig made of 12# with a 1.5 oz pyramid weight Kahle hooks for shrimp and circles for sandfleas I use anything from #2 to 2/0 size hooks.

You'll have to ask someone else about the sharks. All I know is lots of the shark guys kayak their baits out to get them well past the second sandbar.


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## Bump_N_Twitch

you dont have to kayak your bait out. thats for the bigger trolling rigs turned surf rod. a spinning rod is only gonna be able to handle a 4 foot, maybe 5 foot shark. and theyll come up "close" to shore to feed


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## Brad6260

Bump_N_Twitch said:


> you dont have to kayak your bait out. thats for the bigger trolling rigs turned surf rod. a spinning rod is only gonna be able to handle a 4 foot, maybe 5 foot shark. and theyll come up "close" to shore to feed


Oh good then I can just swim it out to the five footers! (grin..grin!)

Thanks for the info. It sounds like I have the ability to get two or three rods in use from the heavier bass tackle to the new stouter outfit.


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## Brad6260

any tips for catching ladyfish?


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## Bump_N_Twitch

haha yea swim it out as opposed to casting lol!

ladyfish are the easy part. theyll hit anything. i use a spoon so they dont tear up my grubs. just when they hit it set your hook hard cuz right when they feel the hook they start jumping and theyll throw it


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## xl883lo

Bump_N_Twitch said:


> haha yea swim it out as opposed to casting lol!
> 
> ladyfish are the easy part. theyll hit anything. i use a spoon so they dont tear up my grubs. just when they hit it set your hook hard cuz right when they feel the hook they start jumping and theyll throw it


They are like "Mini-Tarpon". If you don't keep pressure on them they will spit the hook in a heartbeat. A couple of summers ago the Ladyfish were going nuts under the lights at the Perdido Pass Bridge. I had my grandkids down there and they wanted to "catch" a fish. I was trying to hook one and hand them the rod. I bet I set the hook on between 20-25 and would hand them the rod and the ladyfish would spit the hook. It took 20-25 hookups for each kid to finally reel one in.


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## Bump_N_Twitch

yea i hook em all the time but only land a select few. i see them all the time patrolling the west jetti in destin


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## Brad6260

Bump_N_Twitch said:


> yea i hook em all the time but only land a select few. i see them all the time patrolling the west jetti in destin


Hey, speaking of the West jetti.
Is it worth the trek out to the ends of these jetti's.
I found a great web site on the jetti and thought about giving it a try.
Looks like a pretty good haul from the car.
Any tips aside from what's already been mentioned?

I'm renting a beach house right next to the Crab Trap. Any other hot spots close by me worth checking out?

Thanks,
Brad


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## Bump_N_Twitch

the west jetti is my go-to place. but from what ive found out from going out there, during incoming tide the fish will be in the bay, right where the beach and the jetti make an elbow. but outgoing tide before lunch the gulf is the best. i was out there last week and there were schools of lady fish, mullet, reds, a few sheephead, rays, and 2 sharks. you take a top rig and a bucket of shrimp out on the rocks past the breakers and im sure you could come back with just about anything you want.

if i go out there i try to pack light cuz its such a long walk. i take 1 pole with a spoon and fill my pocket with various grubs and jig heads and a lunchbox sized cooler with a handle and a pair of pliers


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## Bump_N_Twitch

the gulf right behind where your staying would be a good spot for shark btw. just walk out as far as you feel comfortable and cast a ladyfish plug then walk back


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## Brad6260

Bump_N_Twitch said:


> the gulf right behind where your staying would be a good spot for shark btw. just walk out as far as you feel comfortable and cast a ladyfish plug then walk back


Thanks for your suggestions.


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## Dugie

Will be there the same time trying to do the same thing...I am staying at the hidden dunes and I am considering hauling a kayak. I fished inshore and caught a bunch of reds with a guide and one monster around the bridge from a rented pontoon while the kids were parasailing. I'll b watching this thread all tips appreciated...

Also would like to take the kids crabbing any thoughts on where?


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## Brad6260

Bump_N_Twitch said:


> the gulf right behind where your staying would be a good spot for shark btw. just walk out as far as you feel comfortable and cast a ladyfish plug then walk back


If I do not have Ladyfish what is likely to be the best offering available from the local bait shop for the evening shark hunt?
In normal conditions what size weight should I expect to be using with my 14/0 shark rig? Pyramid or egg style?

I do not have a kayak and will be casting closer in. Does the rig set up stay the same or do I down size it some.

As I said before my largest reel is the 7ooo sargus. Using the 50# Pro line that was suggested it appears that the reel will max out around 200yards at best. Am I better off going with that or scaling the line size down to get more capacity?

For my general surf set up is it worth messing with a double hook Pompano set up or should I just stay with the simple single 2/0 circle hook off a 15lb mono leader and egg sinker?

Dugie, Good luck down there. If you get a night out and want to sip a beer after dark waiting for a shark bite give me a shout.
I'll be easy to spot. I'm blonde,female, 6'1 125# ,tan and told I look a lot like a bikini model...... Ok so i exaggerated a bit. I am 6'1 male,father of two and told I look like a dad with post traumatic stress syndrome. 
I kid, great crew I've got.


Thanks,
Brad


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## msujmccorm

deleted


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## xl883lo

Brad6260 said:


> If I do not have Ladyfish what is likely to be the best offering available from the local bait shop for the evening shark hunt?
> In normal conditions what size weight should I expect to be using with my 14/0 shark rig? Pyramid or egg style?
> 
> I do not have a kayak and will be casting closer in. Does the rig set up stay the same or do I down size it some.
> 
> As I said before my largest reel is the 7ooo sargus. Using the 50# Pro line that was suggested it appears that the reel will max out around 200yards at best. Am I better off going with that or scaling the line size down to get more capacity?
> 
> For my general surf set up is it worth messing with a double hook Pompano set up or should I just stay with the simple single 2/0 circle hook off a 15lb mono leader and egg sinker?
> 
> Dugie, Good luck down there. If you get a night out and want to sip a beer after dark waiting for a shark bite give me a shout.
> I'll be easy to spot. I'm blonde,female, 6'1 125# ,tan and told I look a lot like a bikini model...... Ok so i exaggerated a bit. I am 6'1 male,father of two and told I look like a dad with post traumatic stress syndrome.
> I kid, great crew I've got.
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> Brad


 
Use pyramid weights even on a single drop rig.......egg weights just roll around in the surf tangling your rig, tearing up your bait and moving toward the shore. The pyramid will burrow into the sand after a couple of waves hit it and hold its position. After a little practice you can get real good at picking the smallest size that will hold depending on how rough the surf is. You will have to make a judgement on the shark wieght on what will hod the bait and the surf I have no real experience but would suspect you want to throw the biggest weight you can with your rod.

The other thing you may want to start doing is to figure where exactly to fish the surf. You want to see if you can find some anomolies in the sand bar. Places where it is closer, holes behind the first bar and rips. I think rips are the best. Fish the rips kind of like you would a pass. The bait fish will spill out the rip on an outgoing tide and the big fish and bait fish come in the rip on the incoming tide. 

When I scout an area I try to see if I can find relatively new aerial photography on one of the free mapping sites(like google earth) and you can usually see some definition. In areas that have some of the big condos you can use binoculars and see alot if you can get up high enough. Last, just learn to look at the surf....Try to catch it at low tide and if you are lucky enough to have good light and flat seas you can see the most. I have even run out in a boat to look at the area right in front of where I was fishing.

The Penn site says you can get 430 yards of 50# braid on a Sargus 7000 so that should be plenty.


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## Brad6260

XL- That's great info. thank you.
I looked high and low on the Penn Site and never found any line capacity info.
Where did you find it?


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## xl883lo

Brad6260 said:


> XL- That's great info. thank you.
> I looked high and low on the Penn Site and never found any line capacity info.
> Where did you find it?


Pennreel.com
Products pulldown.....click reels
In the right margin click spinning and it will open and show models
click Sargus and there you are.

Maybe Bump_N_Twitch will come back on and give you advice on your shark rig. Eggs may work okay for it since if you are getting far enough out for them you may be far enough on the otherside of the second bar and with a bigger more durable bait it may not matter as much.


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## GoVols

xl883lo said:


> Use pyramid weights even on a single drop rig.......egg weights just roll around in the surf tangling your rig, tearing up your bait and moving toward the shore. The pyramid will burrow into the sand after a couple of waves hit it and hold its position. After a little practice you can get real good at picking the smallest size that will hold depending on how rough the surf is. You will have to make a judgement on the shark wieght on what will hod the bait and the surf I have no real experience but would suspect you want to throw the biggest weight you can with your rod.
> 
> The other thing you may want to start doing is to figure where exactly to fish the surf. You want to see if you can find some anomolies in the sand bar. Places where it is closer, holes behind the first bar and rips. I think rips are the best. Fish the rips kind of like you would a pass. The bait fish will spill out the rip on an outgoing tide and the big fish and bait fish come in the rip on the incoming tide.
> 
> When I scout an area I try to see if I can find relatively new aerial photography on one of the free mapping sites(like google earth) and you can usually see some definition. In areas that have some of the big condos you can use binoculars and see alot if you can get up high enough. Last, just learn to look at the surf....Try to catch it at low tide and if you are lucky enough to have good light and flat seas you can see the most. I have even run out in a boat to look at the area right in front of where I was fishing.
> 
> The Penn site says you can get 430 yards of 50# braid on a Sargus 7000 so that should be plenty.


Great advice on observing the sandbar...once I found a spot where the sand bar came close to shore and I could easily cast it into the gut I started to catch a lot fo fish.


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## Brad6260

Isn't technology grand. Here's the overlook of where I will be staying on the beach and my potentially feeble attempts to identify and mark the terrain variations as I would going into a bass tourney. Anything jump out as you experts look at this?

Thanks again for all the input.


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## GoVols

I am no expert but if you are staying in the building with the "X", I would fish immediately in front of it!! The gut between the shore and the sand bar comes close to the beach in that spot and is within casting range. Unless you have a kayak or plan on doing some swimming with your gear those other spots are a long ways off the beach. The fish will channel into that gut close to shore and could be a deadly spot. Good luck!


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## Brad6260

Thanks Vols.
I was not sure if what you guy's had refereed to as the "gut" was the first drop off the sand bar as it comes in which appears to be the case or off the back side of the bar as it goes out where I had marked a few deeper areas. 
I doubt that I will go the kayak route. We've had them in the past for play but the idea of paddling out especially after dark to drop a bait doesn't exactly excite me.
From the comments earlier this is the approach that's taken to get into the larger sharks which I am not set up for anyway.
Hopefully the area right out my back door will produce.
I assume this gut area would be the "sweet" spot to target for the non shark species with my lighter gear as well?

Thanks.


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## 2nd sandbar

i believe this google earth photo was taken November 12, 2007. Some things may have changed since then with storms etc...


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## xl883lo

2nd sandbar said:


> i believe this google earth photo was taken November 12, 2007. Some things may have changed since then with storms etc...


I can't get to it due to restrictions but you can check the date in most of the newer google earth versions......


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## Bump_N_Twitch

Brad6260 said:


> If I do not have Ladyfish what is likely to be the best offering available from the local bait shop for the evening shark hunt?
> 
> mullet or bonita are the best shark bait. the bait shops will most likely have both
> 
> In normal conditions what size weight should I expect to be using with my 14/0 shark rig? Pyramid or egg style?
> 
> i have an 8oz egg on my main line above my clip for the leader. when you say 14/0 do you mean hook size or reel size? cuz your not gonna be doing any casting with a 14/0 reel lol
> 
> I do not have a kayak and will be casting closer in. Does the rig set up stay the same or do I down size it some.
> 
> if im casting bait i shorten the leader down to about 4 feet and dont use a weight so it wont flop around and get all tangled
> 
> As I said before my largest reel is the 7ooo sargus. Using the 50# Pro line that was suggested it appears that the reel will max out around 200yards at best. Am I better off going with that or scaling the line size down to get more capacity?
> 
> dont scale down your line or youll either lose everything or get spooled then lose everything
> 
> For my general surf set up is it worth messing with a double hook Pompano set up or should I just stay with the simple single 2/0 circle hook off a 15lb mono leader and egg sinker?
> 
> i like the multiple hook pomp leaders with a 3-4oz spider weight on the end
> 
> Dugie, Good luck down there. If you get a night out and want to sip a beer after dark waiting for a shark bite give me a shout.
> I'll be easy to spot. I'm blonde,female, 6'1 125# ,tan and told I look a lot like a bikini model...... Ok so i exaggerated a bit. I am 6'1 male,father of two and told I look like a dad with post traumatic stress syndrome.
> I kid, great crew I've got.
> 
> dang you had me goin for a sec hahaha!!
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> Brad


...


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## Brad6260

Thanks B&T. Very helpful.

i have an 8oz egg on my main line above my clip for the leader. when you say 14/0 do you mean hook size or reel size? cuz your not gonna be doing any casting with a 14/0 reel lol
rest easy I'm referring to the hook being a 14/0 which I suspect may bit a bit large for my capabilities.
 

if im casting bait i shorten the leader down to about 4 feet and dont use a weight so it wont flop around and get all tangled
Confused a bit here. When you say don't use a weight are you saying use the 8oz egg as above on the main just no weight off the leader? or am I off ?


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## Bump_N_Twitch

ok i figured u meant hook size lol. just wanted to clarify.

no when im casting i use my 750 spinner reel and ill walk it out and cast the rest of the way. so i just use the weight of the fish as weight and let it float around out there (im in the pass though with no rough surf or anything). if you wanted to use a weight you could add a tag line to the bottom of your leader and clip on a few ounces

when i use the egg weight is on my big reel when i paddle it out. but its on the main line right above where my leader clips on


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## Bump_N_Twitch

oh and the hook size your about right. i use a bent out 10/0 or so circle with a treble on the end as a tag


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## Dugie

Great thread and yes Brad I'll be on the beach at nit for sure giving it a try, my wife will be happier that your not the bikini model type that I'm sure I'll get slapped for searing at anyway.


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## Brad6260

Bump_N_Twitch said:


> ok i figured u meant hook size lol. just wanted to clarify.
> 
> no when im casting i use my 750 spinner reel and ill walk it out and cast the rest of the way. so i just use the weight of the fish as weight and let it float around out there (im in the pass though with no rough surf or anything). if you wanted to use a weight you could add a tag line to the bottom of your leader and clip on a few ounces
> 
> when i use the egg weight is on my big reel when i paddle it out. but its on the main line right above where my leader clips on



Thanks, Now it makes perfect sense.


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## Brad6260

Dugie said:


> Great thread and yes Brad I'll be on the beach at nit for sure giving it a try, my wife will be happier that your not the bikini model type that I'm sure I'll get slapped for searing at anyway.


I hope it's helped you as much as it has me.
Now we just gotta go out and fish!

A sincere thanks to all who have contributed to my surf 101 education.
I'm a long time upland bird hunter and side by side collector who gets great pleasure hearing from and educating novice collectors from all over the globe. It's very gratifying to be on the receiving end of the conversation on this topic and see others willingness to share their sport.

So the lines will be out most mornings and evenings starting the 26th just past the Crab Trap eatery and there's Bud light and Killian's for anyone who want's to drop by.

Good Fishing and lot's of Covey rises.

Brad


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## Bump_N_Twitch

good luck buddy! if you need anymore help just drop a line. oh and were gonna need pictures whenever you land something


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## devinsdad

Brad- Allow me to share a tip that I was taught years ago for shark fishing. This really increases the number of runs. Wrap your hook very tightly in electrical tape from the top all the way down to just above the barb. Eliminates some sort of irritant or taste sharks get when they pick up the bait and make contact with the hook.
To illistrate, wrap a hook as mentioned. Bite down on an unwrapped hook, then the one wrapped in electrical tape. You will feel a huge difference my friend!


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## Bump_N_Twitch

^that makes sense. also, dont all fish have some sort of enhanced magnetic senors in their head and metal irritates it?? i realize tape wont stop a hook from being metal, but what was said just made me think of that


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## Brad6260

devinsdad said:


> Brad- Allow me to share a tip that I was taught years ago for shark fishing. This really increases the number of runs. Wrap your hook very tightly in electrical tape from the top all the way down to just above the barb. Eliminates some sort of irritant or taste sharks get when they pick up the bait and make contact with the hook.
> To illistrate, wrap a hook as mentioned. Bite down on an unwrapped hook, then the one wrapped in electrical tape. You will feel a huge difference my friend!


*Ok, just when I was thinking you fella's were some really good Joe's you throw this one at me.*
"To illustrate, wrap a hook as mentioned. Bite down on an unwrapped hook, then the one wrapped in electrical tape. You will feel a huge difference my friend!"

*So I'm reading this reply from my new friend DevinsDad and I start thinking if this is some kind of "right's of passage" where there's a group of you sitting in some bar in Destin slugging long island teas with a laptop taking bets to see if you can get the newbie flatlander to put a shark hook in his mouth and actually bite down on it. 

kidding aside I'll give the tape a try. Can't see where it can hurt.
Thanks.DD

Have a round on me! 
Cheers,

Brad*


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## Anrab

Brad6260 said:


> I hope it's helped you as much as it has me.
> Now we just gotta go out and fish!
> 
> A sincere thanks to all who have contributed to my surf 101 education.
> I'm a long time upland bird hunter and side by side collector who gets great pleasure hearing from and educating novice collectors from all over the globe. It's very gratifying to be on the receiving end of the conversation on this topic and see others willingness to share their sport.
> 
> So the lines will be out most mornings and evenings starting the 26th just past the Crab Trap eatery and there's Bud light and Killian's for anyone who want's to drop by.
> 
> Good Fishing and lot's of Covey rises.
> 
> Brad


Sounds like fun, I will be just down the road from you (in Navarre beach) the same week with similar plans, fish in the mornings and evenings while the wife and kids are doing their thing. 
I am also an avid upland hunter, admire SxSs but have not the funds for a collection. Maybe our paths crossed on some upland boards over the years. Anyway, it would make for interesting conversation besides fishing. Send me a PM if interested.

Barna


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## devinsdad

Yes, I know it sounds strange to ask you to bite down on a wrapped and unwrapped hook to illistrate my point. However, shark fishing requires very detailed points in many catagories in order to make sure you get as many runs as possible.
Note I didn't say "Catches" because getting a shark to grab your bait and get a hookup is only part of the process. Pickups is only the 1st step. In another post I will discuss baits, your team and release. Did you know you should NEVER put your fresh baits directly on ice because the chlorine in the water to make ice draws out the natural scents sharks are used to smelling before eating a bait? Always wrap your baits in ZipLok bags before putting on ice.


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## Bump_N_Twitch

^you really know a lot about fishing...seriously.


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## devinsdad

I have been fishing for over 40 years. Thank you for the compliment but everything I know has come from the old guys who did the same thing for 40 years before me. Listen to the old guys. They have been there, done that and learned the tricks of the trade when our mothers were wiping our ....
My best compliment is to see my son, Devin, my daughter Amber and maybe one or two others who care to read my postings tell me they had some success.


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## Dugie

Keep the tips coming....thanks again...


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## Brad6260

Devinsdad,
Great details to know and I am absolutely on board with you regarding the small details making all the difference. While I barely know the difference between a Ladyfish and a fishstick in the saltwater world I actually fished the pro bass circuit for a number of years and obviously the same thing holds true there as well. Any advantage!

Of course this could be the part where you try and get me to tell the guy behind the counter at the bait shop that I need a bag of unchlorinated ice!

One concern I have is that I ordered a 300yard spool of 50# pro line(green).
At that point I didn't realize the Sarga 7000 would hold 400+ yards of braid.
I'm thinking I have two options. The line is unopened and can be returned or I can put heavy mono on first as a backing to the pro line. Do most of the shops down there sell Pro line off a bulk spool if I decide to spool it with pro line to it's max and with this reel is 50# still the way to go?

Also ... and I cannot believe I'm considering this but it looks like we will be renting a recreational model kayak for the kids to have on the beach.
Do I even want to consider putting my butt in the thing and dropping a bait out to deeper water ? Before dark I could see it and I am a life long high risk/adventure sports nut but after dark????? From what was said in earlier reply's I may not even come close to being equipped for the bite that could come from further out so should I just avoid it?

Thanks for the great input from all.


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## devinsdad

Brad- I wouldn't use less than 50lb mono, but you will need as much line as possible so as long as you have at least 8' of wire leader you will be OK. I have had sharks run 200 yards of line out in a single burst of speed.
As far as the kayak goes, you can determine your own comfort level of yaking baits out at night. I can tell you I have done it many many times at night and it freaks me out now as much as it did the first time. In the dark, waves moving you around while having a large hook and bloody bait next to you. But when you land that big shark it just all comes together as part of the thrill. My wife HATES when I do it but she never misses a trip.
The number of hookups you will get by taking baits out will amaze you. If you want to start out easy just take your bait out between the 1st & 2nd sandbar. There is a deep trough that runs between the two and lots of sharks cruise it at night. It's only about 75 yards out. I love this sport and would help you in any way possible because of the thrill. Feel free to call me if you have any questions! 850.619.3203. I would love to hear about your first big shark!


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## 2nd sandbar

We will be fishing the beach in Destin between the 10-16th of July if anyone is interested. Usually we go between Silver Shells and Henderson....


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## Bump_N_Twitch

yakin baits out after dark is the best adrenaline high you can get!! i took one out in the pass on the other side of ft pickens with a swift incoming tide. i couldnt see the shore, my buddies with the light (that for some reason they turned off), i couldnt even see water. but i noticed the waves started gettin bigger and bigger and i was tryin to keep upright. i thought i was about to get swamped by some navy ship!! but anyways one grabbed me and took me for a ride till i capsized and stood up in ankle deep water literally 3 feet from shore lol. i had to drag the yak back like 300 yards


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## Bump_N_Twitch

Brad6260 said:


> Also ... and I cannot believe I'm considering this but it looks like we will be renting a recreational model kayak for the kids to have on the beach.
> Do I even want to consider putting my butt in the thing and dropping a bait out to deeper water ? Before dark I could see it and I am a life long high risk/adventure sports nut but after dark????? From what was said in earlier reply's I may not even come close to being equipped for the bite that could come from further out so should I just avoid it?
> 
> Thanks for the great input from all.


also if you want a little bigger rig to put in the water, ive got a 4/0 with a few hundred yards of 80lb mono. just hit me up on here and if im available ill make it down there


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## Brad6260

B-N-T
That sounds good. Thanks for the offer.


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## GoVols

I'd be scared ....less to yak out bait after dark!!


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## Brad6260

Vols,
Check out this video clip. There's not an adult Pampers big enough to hold the load I would be puttin out !

Kidding aside I think my yaking idea may be a bit too much for the women folk to stress over. I'm still wondering if they will at some point figure out that the 14/0 hook rigs I'll be throwing are not for Pompano and ladyfish?


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## Brad6260

Well I Google mapped directions down and have now gotten three different directions from three different sites, Google Maps, mapquest and AAA. 
Anyone care to offer the best way to get down there off I-65 via Birmingham/Montgomery?

Thanks.


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## redfish maniac

There no real good way to go, but I'd likely head south at Montgomery down Hwy. 97 and Hwy. 331 thru Opp, Florala, (SR 85) Crestview (this is where the traffic will likely get heavy), to Niceville (Highway 20) and then south across the toll bridge (Mid Bay Bridge) into Destin which will put you right on Highway 98 (Emerald Coast Parkway) right at the Bass Pro Shop - if you need to pick up some last minute stuff. But, maybe you should follow AAA if you are paying for that service. Good luck - remember to post pictures of your adventures. And hey - I'm with you about paddling a kayak in the darkness in surf carrying a bloody bait - not for me. I think if I flipped out of the yak into the water after throwing a bloody bait out nearby for large sharks - I'd probably stroke-out.


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## Dugie

I am attempting to bring the yak and I like you am hesitant to paddle after dark but at last light I'm sure I'd be game. I plan on practicing alot during the day and I'm gonna bring a gps so I know how far off the beach I get. I also am considering rigging a portable depth finder on it....How deep should the gut be between the sandbars, 1st and 2nd?... Is the depth finder necessary ?


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## Dugie

Also any tips on where to launch and fish in the bay with a yak?


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## Brad6260

Dugie said:


> I am attempting to bring the yak and I like you am hesitant to paddle after dark but at last light I'm sure I'd be game. I plan on practicing alot during the day and I'm gonna bring a gps so I know how far off the beach I get. I also am considering rigging a portable depth finder on it....How deep should the gut be between the sandbars, 1st and 2nd?... Is the depth finder necessary ?


Holy Moly Dugie, That settles it I gotta meet up with you one night.
GPS ??? Depth finder ??? practice ???
All I had planned on was packing the biggest set of balls I have and a couple of cold ones.
Kidding aside this has A-1 entertainment value written all over it.

Anrad and I have exchanged cell#'s and may try to get together while down there. If you want to send me yours in a PM it might be fun to see if there's a time and location one night to watch each other try to land Jaws or at least have witnesses to explain to the lucky wife how her husband got dragged out to sea by a 300lb nurse shark.


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## Bump_N_Twitch

dude ill paddle both of your baits out for free lol! 

me and one of my buddies doubled up on a 9 foot yak and paddled out to where we dump baits to try and catch some spanish. all we managed to catch was each others gotcha lures, some sort of sandfish, and a couple cramps 

but the water will be 10-20 feet? i dunno i never jump out and check lol, thats just an estimate from how far i can see


PS: nurse sharks are the second least harmful sharks next to basking sharks lol. just fyi


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## merri.queen

*Entrega de anillo de compromiso | Momentos VoloPapilio.*

Anillo de Compromiso.

El símbolo de tu amor: El anillo de compromiso

La entrega del anillo de compromiso es uno de los retos más difíciles para quien ha decidido tomar el importante compromiso del matrimonio para su vida.

La forma de entregarlo es quizá más importante que el anillo mismo. Pues no solo habla de un esfuerzo económico sino de tiempo, creatividad y dedicación.

He participado en la entrega de decenas de anillos y me doy cuenta que las posibilidades son infinitas, pero también descubrí que hay 3 elementos que no deben faltar: sorprender, consentir y conmover.

Este momento es sumamente especial y debe ser tan significativo que perdure en el recuerdo de ambos por muchísimo tiempo, que incluso sea un suceso digno de contárselo a sus hijos o nietos. Por eso es muy importante planearlo con anticipación para que impactes y sorprendas a tu pareja.

El anillo de compromiso, tradicionalmente, significa que la persona que lo lleva puesto está enamorada y comprometida con la persona que se lo entrego o en otras palabras “tomado”. Este tiene origen en la historia de los egipcios que tenían la creencia que debería llevarse puesto en el dedo del anillo, donde hasta el día de hoy se acostumbra ponerse, porque a través de ese dedo pasa una vena que envía la sangre al corazón. Mientras que los romanos hacían el anillo de compromiso de hierro para simbolizar fuerza y eternidad.

Hoy en día, el anillo de compromiso simboliza lo mismo que es: amor, compromiso y una boda para la feliz pareja.


http://www.volopapilio.com.mx/Entrega-de-anillo-de-compromiso.htm


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## Dugie

Brad pm sent, I practiced with the yak today it's more of a canoe shape but it would work I'm making a call to another guy who has a more stable yak that I may haul instead. We just need to pick a night a give it a shot. I guess the depth is not neccessary but I'm game for whatever. I feel like the locals may come by to see the train wreck ....lol....but can't catch one with out lines in the water.


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## devinsdad

Glad to see you guys getting together and utilizing the kayak. Yes, it will freak you out but just look at the horizon and rebamber to stay balanced. Don't keep looking down at your bait or anything inside the kayak.
I take it alot slower at night due to the increased risk and pucker-factor. But when you drop that bait, turn around and get back on the beach your adrenaline will be flying high as you wait for the first run.
I am taking my family to the cabins at NAS-Pensacola Wed-Sun for shark fishing in the Pass at night. Will take and post pictures, You guys do the same.


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## Bump_N_Twitch

merri.queen said:


> Anillo de Compromiso.
> 
> El símbolo de tu amor: El anillo de compromiso
> 
> La entrega del anillo de compromiso es uno de los retos más difíciles para quien ha decidido tomar el importante compromiso del matrimonio para su vida.
> 
> La forma de entregarlo es quizá más importante que el anillo mismo. Pues no solo habla de un esfuerzo económico sino de tiempo, creatividad y dedicación.
> 
> He participado en la entrega de decenas de anillos y me doy cuenta que las posibilidades son infinitas, pero también descubrí que hay 3 elementos que no deben faltar: sorprender, consentir y conmover.
> 
> Este momento es sumamente especial y debe ser tan significativo que perdure en el recuerdo de ambos por muchísimo tiempo, que incluso sea un suceso digno de contárselo a sus hijos o nietos. Por eso es muy importante planearlo con anticipación para que impactes y sorprendas a tu pareja.
> 
> El anillo de compromiso, tradicionalmente, significa que la persona que lo lleva puesto está enamorada y comprometida con la persona que se lo entrego o en otras palabras “tomado”. Este tiene origen en la historia de los egipcios que tenían la creencia que debería llevarse puesto en el dedo del anillo, donde hasta el día de hoy se acostumbra ponerse, porque a través de ese dedo pasa una vena que envía la sangre al corazón. Mientras que los romanos hacían el anillo de compromiso de hierro para simbolizar fuerza y eternidad.
> 
> Hoy en día, el anillo de compromiso simboliza lo mismo que es: amor, compromiso y una boda para la feliz pareja.
> 
> 
> http://www.volopapilio.com.mx/Entrega-de-anillo-de-compromiso.htm


thats one hell of a first post :blink:


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## Brad6260

Bump_N_Twitch said:


> thats one hell of a first post :blink:


 No hable espanol but I just assumed it was someone else trying to sell me something to make my Package bigger.


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## Letour

I'll be heading to Destin from Atlanta during the week of the 27th. I'm staying west of henderson park and fishing the beach and the bay. I'll be the only one with the fly rod.


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## 2nd sandbar

Anyone going to be in Destin July 9-17th that might want to try some shark fishing?


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## Dugie

Packed it up tonight and start the trip tomorrow...please continue to throw tips and tricks or reports here I'll be checking back quite a bit during the week.


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## swhitcomb

*Shark fishing in Destin Sept. 22-23*

Hey all! I am going to be down in Destin on Sept. 22-23 and trying out the shark fishing thing from the beach. I looked at Google Earth and the plan right now is to walk down to the west of the public beach just past the parking lot where the road curves. Anyways, I reserved a kayak from a boat rental place, the thought of yaking bait out in the dark makes me a little nervous as well. If there are any of you that would like to meet up with my stepson and I and help us figure all this out that would be awesome. It would be great to have someone out there with some experience to help/teach. Hell, I'd even be willing to pay a guide fee or purchase the beverage of your choice for the help. Let me know.

Thanks.

Steve


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## so_ill

How far out do y'all yak your bait out? I usually just take mine to the shore-side edge of the second sandbar. Anybody find more success going past the second?


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