Too many questions

Greetings. I've followed this great forum for some time, and have fished the Ft. Morgan beaches during vacations for 3 years now (though only last year was successful). Each year before I get ready for the annual family vacation, I try and do as much research as I can to make the efforts successful and make sure I have the gear I need. The only problem with this, is that with every piece of knowledge or advice I gain, I end up with more questions. Case in point. Last year, we finally figured out that we needed to get our bait into the valley between the sloping beach and what I guessed was the first sand bar (it seems like the beach in front of the house we stay in gently slopes out for well over 100/150 yards before it even gets to chest-deep. There does not appear to be a well defined trench that is remotely reachable from the shore). In order to do so required wading out about high-chest deep and then putting a good cast out there another 150 feet (at least). Then we would wade back in and set the rods in the holders and wait. Generally this effort produced lady fish and nothing else. (we were using carolina rigs with 4oz pyramid weights on fish finder rigs with gulp shrimp bait). This was all fine and good (though we really just wanted to catch specs and the like), until I am guessing I hooked into a shark, or rather I hooked a ladyfish (didn't know it because I 400 feet of line out there and couldn't tell), who then hooked a shark. All of a sudden my rod bent in half and line started screaming off. I tried to set the hook and reel it in, but the fight only lasted several seconds. When I finally got it all in, all I had left was half of a hooked lady fish. Shark? I'm really not interested in catching sharks (one, because I know they require experience to handle (I have none), and two, I am not trying to attract sharks to the beach where people could be swimming). So what, if anything did I do wrong, and how can I prevent that in the future? I wasn't throwing cut bait or live bait (although I have used live shrimp in the past because I thought trout preferred live shrimp on a carolina rig), and I thought I was fishing in the "first cut". Any advice will be much appreciated, (and mostly likely followed up with more questions).

Good luck with your adventures, I am sure you will find all the answers you need on here. Best bet would be to hire Pier#r for a day or half a day and get first hand knowledge from a pro. Just PM him and he will be glad to help you out if he is available.

Thanks. I am considering doing that. need to get the other fishing buddy on board and clear it with the boss (mostly because it means more kid watching time for her and more fun time for me!)

Catching sharks just happens, you don't have to be fishing for them to catch them they will take whatever you have on the line, we catch them off the pier all of the time, if another fish hooks on to what you are casting out then a shark will take it, it just happens. And as for the worry of attracting sharks, they are already there.

ya when we hook a shark i get pissed cuz thats a swivle wire and treble im losin. :(

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Originally Posted by mforbesiii

Thanks. I am considering doing that. need to get the other fishing buddy on board and clear it with the boss (mostly because it means more kid watching time for her and more fun time for me!)

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I can't speak for him, but have known him to guide for families ....at least a adult and a child or 2....why not all learn instead of one....maybe they will remember things you don't after the days activities

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Originally Posted by southernfishin

ya when we hook a shark i get pissed cuz thats a swivle wire and treble im losin. :(

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if your worried about loosing those, you really shouldn't be fishing where toothy fish swim

As far as targeting specific fish, you are already doing that to an extent with the bait/tackle/presentation. After that, it's mostly luck and location. You have no control over luck (unless you've figured out some secrets you'd like to share that won't involve licking shrimp and contracting incurable illnesses), but it's possible that the location is giving you problems.

Some folks are in the situation where they have one spot to fish, and that's it (i.e. that's where their small kids are playing, and there's no possibility of moving elsewhere). If that's the situation you are in, then it's possible that the spot you are fishing on is less favorable to getting bait into the "trench". Look on Google Maps in the satellite view, and you can sometimes see how the sandbar's location is much closer to the shore than others. Sometimes that feature is "always" present (if affected by geography), but the sandbars are also greatly affected by current, which can shift for various reasons and thereby move the sandbars around.

All that said, sometimes you get lucky and the area you are in has a first sandbar that you can hit with a rock. other places you will have a harder time getting to it without (literally) swimming, and of course this is affected by where you are on the tide schedule.

I'm in a similar boat to you (come down on vacation, and don't have as much time to experiment as I'd like), but I will generally try to walk the shoreline for 100+ yards in both directions prior to casting, and sometimes I can re-situate my family in a spot where the trench is in a more achievable spot.

As far as bait goes, you might also try bringing a long-handled bait net to help you catch baitfish/sand fleas in the surf. Although not as effective as a true sand flea rake, I've found them to be capable of doing so with moderate success, and they are much cheaper/easier to pack. I also bought a couple packages of the Fish Bites strips of bait, which can help in a pinch as well. For surf fishing, I've seen large spoons fished jerkbait-style produce some nice speckled trout. I typically fish 2 surf rods at a time, and put different bait on each rod to find out what works best. Last year, though, my buddy got 4 times as many bites as me using lures in the surf, so I may leave a bait rod at home.

So in a nutshell....blah blah blah, it all depends on too many factors to list :) Find a decent spot, and keep slinging bait in different spots until you find something that works. There's definitely something satisfying about figuring it out and doing it yourself.

When I booked time for Pier#er in June he was more than willing to accomadate my whole family including 3 kids under 7 . Thankfully my wife hates fishing so she is going to watch the boys for the morning while my parents and I get the guide time. Pier#er has really exceptional rates and has answered any questions directed at him. Learning to fish with him is looking to be one of the highlights of our forthcoming trip.

Mike

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Originally Posted by ironman172

I can't speak for him, but have known him to guide for families ....at least a adult and a child or 2....why not all learn instead of one....maybe they will remember things you don't after the days activities

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He's got a website too, can't remember it. If anybody knows it post it please.