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Wife and I have rented a house on the bay at Fort Morgan for the last week in September. The place has a fishing pier into the bay. It is located just west of the Navy Cove Condos. Any advise for fishing from the pier would be appreciated. What could we hope to catch? What baits would you advise?
Thanks, Glen
Utilize the SEARCH bar to read previous discussions on catching speckled trout, redfish, and flounder in Little Lagoon during the fall. The techniques, baits, etc. should be the same. You may want to take a shop light with a 50' cord in case the pier itself doesn't have a light. Late Night fishing in the bays under lights can be excellent!
Reds, specs, white trout & flounder.
Gulps, live shrimp & bull minnows.
Have fun!
Check at the Fort Morgan marina (next to Tacky Jacks), they may have live bait you can buy.
IF conditions are not conducive for cathing on the bay side, just a short drive to gulf beach access will get in position for catching other fish as well ;-)
+1 on the light for night fishing. The trout start late, usually after 10:00 and be vewy, vewy quiet. Footsteps on the dock will turn off the bite, but if they stop just be quiet or go away for a while (20-30 minutes) and they usually start back up. Barefoot tiptoeing is best - no talking.
Turn your light on at sundown and leave it on until you are done fishing (at least).
Light line, small baits (we use small jigs mostly). Look for the trout to show flashes of white belly or light hits on the surface to let you know they are feeding.
Crabbing is good.
Edit: keep an eye out for gators at night if you have small kids or dogs, there are some big ones in the ponds east of Navy Cove condos that feed on discarded fish carcasses at night.
Great time for specs we use green lights to get bait moving early.Frednic is right fishing later after dark or 4am till daybreak best time.My grandson likes after 10 pm but I like early am I have the dock to myself and it's quiet.Now what I do early am is throw a line with cut bait out far as I can cast and stick rod in rod holder.And fish around light with live shrimp or mirror lures for specs.Specs like small lures so use very light tackle.I like minnows at times,Specs are shy sometimes so change up often.Reds are around so have net close by.I sometime live line a croaker if I catch a small one.
The marina has bait call but fresh bait is key.The marina has a few spots where you can fish there dock they charge 4 bucks.Now if the blue fish are biting I think it's the spot to go you can catch a smell of fish in no time.Any shiny lures moving will get the job done.
I walk the right side of the dock and fish the end near the fish cleaning table.Be careful the rocks stick out some so bring a few lures or hooks you will lose some if not careful.
i fish top water only there but bluefish always around late September October.The people at the marina are great ask them what's biting.Lunch time go to Tacy Jacks great burgers.Have fun fishing the bay out front and go to Pier.I like to mix it up surf fishing dock fishing and pier and if your catching somewhere don't leave.Have Fun catch em up take care. Tom
Thanks guys, I appreciate the information. glen
Is a shrimp better free lined or behind a popping cork fishing dock lights at night for specs?
Freeline gets my vote. Much quieter. Depends on the wind I guess, if you can cast well enough without much weight.
Freelined, no weight or cork.
Cast lures well outside the lights and then work back into the lighted area. Most times you will get hit as you cross in from the darker area.
Don't cast right into the fish or make too much noise or you will spook the fish. Stand as far back on the dock as you can and still be able to cast.
Be aware that the bay is full of pinfish and you will go through a lot of shrimp. Larger shrimp seem to be able to avoid the pinfish a little better.
Also, don't throw them in a cooler and let them flop around in the ice. That will spook them.
It may be hit or miss on good trout at that time. Dinks no problem and reds should be real good...just about time for the trout to do that disappear thing they do every year.
Thanks Captain Jay, Two questions. What are dinks and what would youj suggest for bait for the reds?
Dinks are small specs, too small to keep.
For reds, live shrimp, small croakers or mullet, Gulps, etc..
Still good trout down through that area as of yeaterday gcryar! But there is very little live bait in the way of finger mullet or shrimp or small menhaden.