# Shoreline at Choctaw



## screwballl (Feb 1, 2011)

I've decided to try more shoreline fishing here in Niceville into the bay and am looking for some recommendations for lures (real and artificals), tackle, suggested line, etc. This will be from the shoreline or possibly bridges around Niceville (north end of Choctaw Bay).

I've done some charter and boat fishing on the bay (and got decent at learning some locations and patterns from a boat) but they always had their own rods, knew the limits, etc. I was thinking of using my jon boat but it only has a 36lb trolling motor and will take forever to get anywhere (and no plans to get a gas engine).

I already have a decent setup and lures for freshwater fishing (bass and bream), so I am wondering if I could get away with just using what I got or is there enough of a difference to require going to circle hooks instead of normal 3/0 to 5/0 hooks?

I plan to use my main "lake vegetation" setup which has 15-20lb braid, 2500 spinning reel and 7" rod, but will also bring 1 or 2 other similar setups but spooled with 12 lb copoly line.

So far the suggestions I have seen is :

- soak some fresh peeled shrimp or cut mullet in the water like in a net bag (may end up using frozen shrimp at some point since I don't have a net for mullet)
- topwater plugs in the morning
- gold spoons and grubs on the bottom in the afternoon to evening
- silver clear or white lipless cranks (I have several of these already around 1/2 to 3/4 oz, although I am wondering if they may be a bit small)

Also any suggested places to go? I do not have base access, but I do have fishing eglin permit. I was thinking the main places would be: 
Lions Park, 
Lincoln Park, 
the bridge, dock and shoreline areas of Toms Bayou, 
shoreline by Hampton Inn on Rocky Bayou
maybe the eglin park by the Mid Bay bridge

If anyone has fished these spots and had better luck at certain times of the year, that would be helpful.


Something I haven't seen much mention of is setups that may require weights, what sizes and types, and how they are typically setup. Remember this will be from the shoreline or possibly bridges around Niceville/Valp, not the gulf side beaches/intracoastal waters.


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## screwballl (Feb 1, 2011)

Wirelessly posted

I actually went to the little pier in Valp by Toms Bayou today, got some frozen shrimp. Caught a few small croakers and undersized trout, but was nice to get away from home.


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## screwballl (Feb 1, 2011)

Wirelessly posted

so no one has suggestions?


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## Crestliner VT19 (Feb 14, 2012)

Fishing around niceville is great. All you need is DOA shrimp in 1/4 ounce, Mirrodines, and a good top water bait like a Zara spook. I Bass fish all the time, and is my favorite thing to do. All my bass setups work great for fishing the bay. We caught several trout, reds and blues in Rocky Yesterday. I go fishing 4 to 5 days(when wife is working). Im on the water alot and right now you can just about catch anything in the bay in shallow water 1 to 4 feet. White point flats are a great place to go since you have a Eglin Permit. The wife is working all weekend, so I can fish all day Friday, and the weekend. If the tide is right you don't need to have a boat to have a good time in the bay.


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## screwballl (Feb 1, 2011)

thanks for the info.

I've been to the Valp dock a few times now (Sunday daytime, Tuesday and Wed evenings) and only caught a few small croakers and small trout Sunday on frozen shrimp on the bottom. Unfortunately that wind was bad each time so it was hard to see the small bites.
I saw on Sunday Willingham there in Valp had a sign for shrimp $2/lb (may be a sell off on Sundays since he is closed Mon and Tue) so I will have to check that out and buy a few pounds and just keep them frozen until needed.

With the dock being so slow (according to others there too), I was looking for other places with easy access.

Where along Rocky and white point do you go or suggest?


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## Crestliner VT19 (Feb 14, 2012)

Go anywhere you see grass at white point. It is a huge flat. Rocky is difficult from the bank because the fish I catch are away from public access.


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## 7M (Jan 5, 2008)

I fish with the 7M mirrolure. It can be fished on top or twiched as subsurface lure. White point would be a great place to use the 7M. It's difficult to use the lure from a bridge or pier. I use 4lb diameter Power Pro (15lb test) for long casts. (Also 20lb shock leader) Vary the speed of the retrieve until you find out what the fish want. ALWAYS start with a slow retrieve, strong pull splat, rest for a four cout, splat rest for a four count. I use this lure all day long in 1-4 feet of water. Once you get the hang of it you won't want to use anything else...


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## screwballl (Feb 1, 2011)

Wirelessly posted

thanks, i took my daughter with me today to the valp dock but that was a circus with all the people, and only caught a few croakers.
Then went over to white point with shrimp this evening and got nothing. Also tried a gold johnsons spoon for a bit but no takers.
There was a guy with his 2 sons that caught a few good sized trout but he was also waist deep in the water and using live pinfish


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## screwballl (Feb 1, 2011)

Another thing I forgot to mention is from White Point, I know it is tough because anytime I have been out on a boat in the area, most of the fish I would want to be going after sit at the edge of the flats where to drops off, and It is tough to reach that from the shore. I think I will do what I saw that other guy do next time, wear my swimming trunks and wade out waist deep and get some pin fish so I can reach to the edge of that drop off. Speaking of which I need to pick up a small casting net...


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