Orange Beach 1/14-1/15 advice

I'm heading down and staying at a hotel on the beach a week from Saturday. I've been fishing for 40 years, but 99.9% freshwater. I've taken several charters, fished once in the surf, but never on a pier. My son really has interest in fishing from a pier so I'm planning on taking him. I might also try on the beach if time allows. Do 7.5', and 8' MH rods with 3k size reels sound good for us to use?

I checked the article on page 12 of this https://issuu.com/gulfcoastllc/docs/bb and started reading some of this http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com/f28/. Any additional advice here greatly appreciated. I'll also be visiting J&M tackle. I worked at a tackle shop in high school and enjoyed giving good advice to customers; I try to visit the local store everywhere I fish. The BeachBits article mentions ghost shrimp, is that something a bait store would have and how difficult are the suckers to keep alive? Should I bring a bait bucket or is there another effective frozen/power bait option? I have concerns about things a local angler would have and I won't; drop net for instance. Is it safe to assume I could talk someone into helping me out?

Thanks!
- Matt -

You'll always be able to ask for help on the GSP pier. People here are more than willing to help out.
As far as bait goes, yes, ghost shrimp are a powerful bait and all you need is a bait bucket with some sand and water to keep them alive. But, they usually won't keep more than a day. People freeze them and use them later, but in my experience, they're only used for Sheephead and they're hard to come by now, as well as hard to keep on the hook, since they're so soft. Bait stores don't handle them. You have to pump your own from the surf and that's more gear! I would opt for live shrimp which is usually readily available or fiddler crabs if they are available. Shrimp and crabs aren't always available, depending what the distributor can catch, so weather is also a factor.

good fishing...

Mat,
i just read the article you referred to above and see it was written by David Thorton, aka Pier #r on the forum, a local shore guide that most consider an expert. He's a really great guy and offers some great advice, but don't be fooled by his catches. Most of us are not nearly as productive as he is!;);)

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Originally Posted by fshntime

Mat,
i just read the article you referred to above and see it was written by David Thorton, aka Pier #r on the forum, a local shore guide that most consider an expert. He's a really great guy and offers some great advice, but don't be fooled by his catches. Most of us are not nearly as productive as he is!;);)

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Can you point us were to find this article by this world renowned angler

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Originally Posted by jollymon

Can you point us were to find this article by this world renowned angler

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Page 12 of current issue, read it online here, https://issuu.com/gulfcoastllc/docs/bb

What Chile said or just click on the link OHMatt provided.

Good timing OHMatt! Brent's about to crank the live well up on the end! Some of the guys were wondering who will be in charge of bait distribution. I suggested Mr. Wire or Lou!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fshntime

You'll always be able to ask for help on the GSP pier. People here are more than willing to help out.
As far as bait goes, yes, ghost shrimp are a powerful bait and all you need is a bait bucket with some sand and water to keep them alive. But, they usually won't keep more than a day. People freeze them and use them later, but in my experience, they're only used for Sheephead and they're hard to come by now, as well as hard to keep on the hook, since they're so soft. Bait stores don't handle them. You have to pump your own from the surf and that's more gear! I would opt for live shrimp which is usually readily available or fiddler crabs if they are available. Shrimp and crabs aren't always available, depending what the distributor can catch, so weather is also a factor.

good fishing...

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So I was just watching a youtube video on how to pump ghost shrimp. That's pretty darned cool. I think my kids might enjoy doing that. I'd think these shrimp would be in the tide year round, is that correct?

Thanks!
- Matt -

Pier##1, A man of many talents, from fishing, offering great advice to the ignorants as myself.. to penmanship. Great article.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OHMatt

So I was just watching a youtube video on how to pump ghost shrimp. That's pretty darned cool. I think my kids might enjoy doing that. I'd think these shrimp would be in the tide year round, is that correct?

Thanks!
- Matt -

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Ghost shrimp are there year round. They can be tough to catch but the kids will have a blast gathering them unless the water is frigid. If you find a large quantity freeze them in ziplock bags laid flat, maybe a dozen or so per bag. I'm not local but I fish the pier and surf 4 or 5 week trips a year. For me, ghost shrimp out produce all other live bait hands down for pompano, sheepshead and redfish. It is difficult to use them successfully in warm water due to the presence of so many bait stealers. Go by J&M and get a few 1 or 2 oz pyramid sinkers if you plan to fish the surf. Birng your aerated bait bucket for live shrimp in case the surf is too high or rough to gather ghost shrimp. Good luck.

My son and I went to Home Depot and got the parts on Sunday and he assembled it last night. I drilled the holes for him but otherwise it was all him.. He's "pumped" :D to try catching the shrimp.