Destin fishing?

[swamp snorkler]

Originally Posted by BIG-C

I sent you a PM I'm going there end of next week,thinking of bringing my boat.

Florida just called me to tell you to leave your boat at home you catch to many fish and their Sac Aux Lait supply is running low...... LOL

[BananaTom]

Sand Fleas on a double hook rig, with a pyramid lead weight on the end. I am lazy, and buy the pre-made rigs at the bait shops. Even the ones with three hooks. The hooks need to be small, so they hook the fleas without breaking the shells too much. A hook too large, and the Fleas will fly off during the cast.

The best Flea is a pregnant female. The eggs kinds look like like a blue crab.

Now many say "Let the Momma lay her eggs"

Fleas can be bought from the bait shops, live most of the time, and frozen. Live are best. I usually stop and buy a dozen to start fishin as soon as I get to the beach. Then rake for the rest, to fish all day.

The Pompano are still hitting the beach, the Ladies / Skipjacks just showed, a few Red Fish are cruising the beach, as well as black drum.

You can also catch sting rays, ate my first one this weekend.

And the ever pain in the butt hard hards seem to be hungry right now.

Surf fishing is an art. First, you know/learn where to fish. In a wash out, or area of a rip tide. Look for the hole in the sand bar. And put your lines in the middle.

Next, how to reel in a fish from the beach. Very Very very slowly. This way you attract the beach combers to stop and watch.

Then when you get it to shore, do NOT let it get in the sand. Walk it back to your sand stake, and then hang, the fish there for the beach combers to come get a closer look.

When all interest in your catch has continued walking down the beach, go back to fishing.

Think about this: When you fish in a boat, with a couple of guys, and catch a fish, you get a patt on the back, and a beer. Whe you catch a fish on the beach, as described above, you get a display of Bikini's standing around you, asking all sorts of questions.

The one question I always like :"Hey, you got someone to help you eat all these fish tonight?" and I reply with a smile, " Yes Ma'am I do, but thanks for your concern"

Can you tell I LOVE surf fishing!!!

[Top Dawg]

Thanks for the replies fellas

[BananaTom]

One of your's on SC is over in the Pensacola area this week. Convinced him to come eat some FREE Raw Oysters on Pensacola Beach Wed.

His name is insidiator

[Duck Butter]

Digging for the fleas is fun for the kids and is a great beer drinking activity for the adults!


BananaTom: do sandfleas bite? i never have held em long enough near their mouthparts to allow one to bite but they look like they would

[BananaTom]

Originally Posted by Duck Butter

BananaTom: do sandfleas bite? i never have held em long enough near their mouthparts to allow one to bite but they look like they would

Nope, they do NOT bite. They wil tickle the kids hands, when they try to dig into them.

They do not cause pain nor blood.

It fun catching them, and then showing people that do not know about them, what is under the childrens butt, while they sit on the beach.

I like to catch a few, and turn them loose around some kids digging a sand pond.

[Duck Butter]

Originally Posted by BananaTom

Nope, they do NOT bite. They wil tickle the kids hands, when they try to dig into them.

They do not cause pain nor blood.

It fun catching them, and then showing people that do not know about them, what is under the childrens butt, while they sit on the beach.

I like to catch a few, and turn them loose around some kids digging a sand pond.

Thanks

[BananaTom]

Originally Posted by Duck Butter

BananaTom: do sandfleas bite? i never have held em long enough near their mouthparts to allow one to bite but they look like they would

On second thought, I put a bunch of live ones in my swim trunks with the mess pockets and kept them there for a few hours.

They tried to dig into my skin. I did not realize it, till I got home ,and my wife asked why I was bleeding.

So do not put them in your pockets for a bunch of hours.

[Duck Butter]

Originally Posted by BananaTom

On second thought, I put a bunch of live ones in my swim trunks with the mess pockets and kept them there for a few hours.

They tried to dig into my skin. I did not realize it, till I got home ,and my wife asked why I was bleeding.

So do not put them in your pockets for a bunch of hours.

Do not put sand fleas in pockets, check!

[jpeff31787]

wheres the best place to dig/rake for them? Are they real common or will it take some time to find one?

[Duck Butter]

Originally Posted by jpeff31787

wheres the best place to dig/rake for them? Are they real common or will it take some time to find one?

We always just dug em by hand as we were fishing. When the waves come up on the beach and water recedes you will see em digging back into the wet sand. They dig fast too!

[jpeff31787]

Originally Posted by Duck Butter

We always just dug em by hand as we were fishing. When the waves come up on the beach and water recedes you will see em digging back into the wet sand. They dig fast too!

Ok I know exactly what you are talking about! I never could catch those little suckers and always wondered what they were.

[Duck Butter]

Originally Posted by jpeff31787

Ok I know exactly what you are talking about! I never could catch those little suckers and always wondered what they were.

Take the advice about the small hook for em because they sling off really easy

[bmac]

I bought a rake two summers ago. Still have not gotten the hang of catching them though. My nephew found a few last year. This summer we are going to keep trying it and I'm going to take your advice and buy a few from a bait shop to get started.

Oh btw what kind of rod/reel do you use to catch pompano? All I have are trout rods and I'm wondering if I need to buy one of those long surf rods instead.

[Top Dawg]

How do pompano fair? Are they pretty good to eat? Never ate one

[BananaTom]

Originally Posted by bmac

All I have are trout rods and I'm wondering if I need to buy one of those long surf rods instead.

No, a long surf rod is not needed. A couple of years ago, I used a long surf rod, and a short rod. It seemed to me the shorter always caught more.

The nicest thing about long rods, is the fact that beach combers can walk under the line. To combat that with the shorter rod, I used a longer sand stake. That way the line is high above the head of that passing Bikini.

[BananaTom]

[QUOTE=bmac;586093]I bought a rake two summers ago. Still have not gotten the hang of catching them though. [QUOTE]

You need to look for the fleas first, then dig them.

From a distance you can see the "Vee" the water makes around them, as it rushed back, after a wave.

Once you see them, run up and dig, they will go deep, so you do have to be fast.

[BananaTom]

Originally Posted by Top Dawg

How do pompano fair? Are they pretty good to eat? Never ate one

Pompano are said to be the best fish ever to eat, by many.

[BananaTom]

Below is a link to the Pensacola Fishing Forum, and a great thread which is "Stickyed" in the Surf Fishing section.

GO TO POST #61.

The earlier post lost the pics, so the pics at #61 will teach you all you need to know.

The entire thread is great, also.

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f30/sandfles-17414/index2/

[bmac]

Originally Posted by BananaTom

Pompano are said to be the best fish ever to eat, by many.

Someone gave me a fresh pompano once. I baked it in the oven with lemon and butter. I got about one bite out of it...my 10 year old absolutely demolished it! That is his favorite fish by far.