Whiting Rigs?

I have a few mini-fishermen with me this week. I was thinking about trying to set them up for whiting in the near surf. Think Zebcos.

What is the smallest size hook that you guys would recommend for whiting? I do have some double drop whiting rigs, but I'm considering setting them up with carolina rigs with maybe 1/2 or 3/4 oz sinkers instead. Is that too light or too round? I'm just thinking that keeping it simple will be the ticket with small kids. They will likely not be casting, but only reeling them back in.

Bait wise, I'm thinking pinkie-tip size bites of fresh shrimp, and/or fish bites.

So, are there any holes in this plan, and what is the smallest effective hook size?

I like size 6 kayle, but they do swallow it at times. Might not hook as many with 4 or 2 but with the kids it might be easier in the long run.

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Originally Posted by Grandpa Kirk

I like size 6 kayle, but they do swallow it at times. Might not hook as many with 4 or 2 but with the kids it might be easier in the long run.

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Yep, about a #4 kahle. backwoods, you may only be casting 25 or 30 ft. Use the least amount of weight the current allows. Enjoy them babies, and let 'em fish.

bait is right on, fresh dead PEELED shrimp will catch fish if they are in the surf, fingertip size, almost impossible for the piece of shrimp to be too small,

fishbites work too, but my first preference would be the shrimp

took the advice from all on this forum...... made my own rigs from 15lb flurocarbon..ready for some surf action.

You've got it backwoods Small pieces of fresh dead shrimp on a carolina rig should do the trick and remember the fish won't be far out

I use a #4 baitholder, a 10-12" 12# mono leader, a swivel and a 1/4 to 1/2 oz egg sinker when fishing for whiting.
Small zebco rigs will be fine, unless they happen to hang into a redfish and then it will make for a good story!
I had good luck with pink and white fishbites back in June.

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Originally Posted by CarlF

I use a #4 baitholder, a 10-12" 12# mono leader, a swivel and a 1/4 to 1/2 oz egg sinker when fishing for whiting.
Small zebco rigs will be fine, unless they happen to hang into a redfish and then it will make for a good story!
I had good luck with pink and white fishbites back in June.

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I personally wouldn't be heartbroken if I saw "Dora the Explorer" headed towards cuba. It's not worth the 25 cents of plastic that it was made of. It is possible that other parties might not share my feelings on the matter, unfortunately. I've already got other rigs "up my sleeve" in case something "bad" happens to Dora.


http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...tid=4173&stc=1

That's a fine bull bream, and she's a cutie pie.

That is one cute kid you've got there!

I have caught whiting using small pre-made snapper rigs tossed 10 yards from the beach.

Like how gear and clothes are coordinated !

Never lose that rig; that precious photo and the actual pole will be priceless somewhere down the road, I would think.

When fishing from the beach don't throw too far out.. Filet some of those whiting, fry them, and teach the kids to love eating fish.

I am a complete "new boy" when it comes to saltwater fishing so take this with a grain of salt- I fished in front of Bluewater Condos the week of Sept 1 every morning around daylight for a week. After feeding the little bait stealer fish one morning and catching nothing I went to J& M Tackle on Canal Rd and the nice and knowledgeable people there showed me a top/bottom rig with floats and a #2 Circle hook (not 2/0) - really small hook - I put a small pink fish bite strip on one hook and a white strip (1/2 to 1") on the other hook with a 1/4 to 3/8 bell sinker and had a ball catching small Whiting and a few small Pampano. The great thing for me was that I had no gut hooks . I never used circle hooks before but for this kind of fishing they worked great. Had a big bird buddy behind me several mornings that waited for me to feed him - looked like what we call a Blue Heron here in N AL? When I get within 25-50 yards from them here bass fishing they take off - he got within 10-20 feet from me to take my fish.

Had the same thing happen to me bird wise on the two mornings I fished in front of Phoenix 5 this past weekend...caught lots of whiting and a few pompano on smaller hooks with fish bites and frozen shrimp, and fed almost all of them to the Great Blue Heron that set down almost as soon as I started putting bait in the water.

Tell me you didn"t !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

A couple of Whiting maybe, but the small Pompano are to valuable a resource to be feeding to some shore bird. When your kids grow up and ask you why they can't catch any Pompano maybe you can explain to them about uncaring fishermen who fed all the little ones to the Heron's because they didn't think those little ones would grow up to make more. I guess some people have never heard that old saying, "Waste not, Want Not"

We learned our lesson way back, concerning the Herons. Once they become used to you, they will take bait out of your bucket and even try to snatch baited shrimp from your line when you are not watching closely.

That's a common mistake.
Keep in mind you are not doing the (wild) bird any favors.
They can quickly become conditioned to humans feeding them and they spend all their time following humans (hoping to mooch more fish),
instead of seeking their food naturally.
It messes up natural selection and creates a bunch of aggressive 'freeloading' birds fighting each other and encroaching on ANY people on the beach (looking for food) because they have forgotten how.

Wow, that sounds to much like our society today.