First time pier fishing in Gulf Shores

Hey guys...been lurking. I'm headed your way next week for a family vacation.

I live in Corpus Christi, TX and fish the Bob hall pier quite a bit, as well as the surf and jettys. I won't. Be bringing any of my surf gear, but am bringing some pier gear.

My questions are...what species should I target this time of year? Are sabiki rigs for making bait worth bringing? my rods are 8' medium heavy Tica Dolphin spinning rods with Quantum Boca PTSD 50 reels filled with 30# braid.

i normally run live shrimp or finger mullet in Texas...either under a popping cork with a short trace if single strand wire and a 2/0 Gamakatsu octopus circle hook, or I will free line them. I will also fish live shrimp, finger mullet or cut bait on the bottom with a simple Carolina rig.

i also throw crippled herrings and gotcha plugs and spoons for Spanish Mackerel.

also..is J&M "the" place for bait?

thanks in advance.

Use the sibiki to catch some live LY. Free line is usually the ticket here. 16 inches or so of wire usually does well, and most folks use #4 treble, 4x strong. Or #2. Small swivel of course.

Sometimes the cork works to keep the bait up near the surface. People will make fun of you, except when you catch kings and they don't.

J&M is the place. In fact, after you visit you may want to start driving there from Corpus.

Good luck. Write reports and post pictures.

Thanks...what are 'LY'?

also...can you guys slide line off the pier, or is that what y'all call trolley fishing?

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Originally Posted by OsnolaKinnarf

Thanks...what are 'LY'?

also...can you guys slide line off the pier, or is that what y'all call trolley fishing?

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Welcome board Osnola!
LY is actually a Scaled Sardine and can be caught on a Sabiki or red ribbon net rig (available at J&M Tackle.
Scaled sardine, Harengula jaguana

Single line trolley aka zipline is aloud, but two rod rigs are not.

Thought Sabiki rigs weren't allowed on the pier??

Sabikis are allowed, just limited to number of hooks (5, I think) and cannot be cast overhand (the overhand cast is the BIG deal).

Osnola, LY is a local corruption of "Alewife". If you google that you will not find the local critters, just a cousin.