Thread: Kayaking by the pier

Hey guys, I've got a question for some of the regulars on the pier. I've fished from the pier but now I do most of my fishing from my kayak. I understand the benefits of the pier being a structure that holds fish but I also understand that some pier fisherman aren't real keen on "boats" getting to close. Out of respect to you guys and for the fact id hate to targeted, what's a safe distance for a kayak fisherman to fish the pier without causing a riot? Thanks for the insight guys.

Originally Posted by Doubleyaker

Hey guys, I've got a question for some of the regulars on the pier. I've fished from the pier but now I do most of my fishing from my kayak. I understand the benefits of the pier being a structure that holds fish but I also understand that some pier fisherman aren't real keen on "boats" getting to close. Out of respect to you guys and for the fact id hate to targeted, what's a safe distance for a kayak fisherman to fish the pier without causing a riot? Thanks for the insight guys.

The question has been asked before, the concern being that the one asking the question didn't want to be "That Guy" who crossed a written or unwritten boundary. He wanted to know what was cool and what was uncool, essentially.

Consider that the pier fisherman is bound to the pier and he can't go anywhere else. Additionally, consider that the pier fisherman paid $9.00 to fish from the pier. There's a "stay-away" zone of a couple of hundred yards for boats, anyway, I think. But the short answer for what's uncool is -- Attempting to score fish from the area immediately around the pier when you have the whole Gulf - that's not cool at all! Get too close and somebody's going to call Marine Patrol on you. They may or may not write you a ticket. For the record, though, the pier area isn't a sanctuary like a reef. Game fish like king mackerel and spanish mackerel are usually hooked AWAY from the pier, which means that the schools are coming in from deeper water, not from under the pier.

Your best strategy if you're targeting king mackerel is to drift a cigar minnow behind the kayak and head south (assuming that the waves and the weather is fairly calm) watch for jacks and redfish, as well as schools of kings and spanish breaking the surface, feeding on schools of baitfish! You'll have a much better experience in the open spaces finding schools of fish all your own! Remember that in a kayak -- the fish tows YOU around a bit!

Excellent reply. Very pointed and concise. Not a pier fisher myself, so I can only suggest to the question that the "boater" be well away from casting range; temptation and all being what it is.

ALL boats must stay a minimum of 100 yards away from the pier. There are large signs on the outside of the railings.

... and remember a big fish can run 200 to 300 yards away from the pier.

Originally Posted by Pier#r

... and remember a big fish can run 200 to 300 yards away from the pier.

True. Kayak guy with 2 kids was paddling around Navarre pier last year when a nice blacktip hit my gotcha and headed west. He made a beeline toward and went right under the kayak. All I could do was yell and hope they didn't get capsized or tangled in the line. Thankfully, neither happened....and the guy and the kids, a bit wiser, made for different kayak water. In retrospect, I might have considered trying to break him off or cut my line, but as it happened, it never occurred to me. Happened so fast.....

100 yards isn't safe for a kayak. A big angry fish with hooks and line isn't something to get messed up with.

Originally Posted by Pier#r

... and remember a big fish can run 200 to 300 yards away from the pier.

True that; I had a studly King cut off by a boat that was probably outside of or close to the 100 yard limit.
Be careful out there!