Playalinda Beach surf fishing report for Sept 22, 2018

Just got back to town and decided to make a Playalinda Beach surf fishing report for Sept 22, 2018.

I hit the beach around 4:00 pm with my lifetime beach pass at the ready and discovered that today was a FREE day for beach goers at Playalinda.

I asked the attendant about the fishing but he was oblivious and had no idea what was biting or not biting.

I drove to several parking areas to check out the action (or lack thereof) and talk to a few fishermen to see what was going on.

The first lot I stopped at was #8 just past Eddy Creek where I spotted a guy in the parking lot taking down his surf fishing rod.

He said it was a beautiful day for the beach, but a crappy day for fishing.  He went on to tell me that the rough surf, windy conditions, and seaweed in the ocean made it tough to feel a bite.  He was using live sand fleas for bait and said the only fish he saw caught while he was fishing was a large ladyfish.

I asked him if the mullet were running, and was told that he saw a few small pods moving south, but no bird diving activity.

After thanking him for his input, I walked up the ramp to the beach and took a few pics of some folks enjoying the day and dunking some baits.  I talked to a few more guys on the beach who had caught a few whiting, but nothing of any consequence.

They gave me the same reason as the fellow in the parking lot.  Windy, weedy, and rough.

The story was basically the same at lots #9 and #10.

The water was clean and the tide was going out but for some reason the fish just weren't cooperating today.  Maybe because it was a FREE day.  Who knows.

Anyway, I decided not to bother breaking out my surf rod, instead I drove into Eddy Creek and came up on another surf fisherman who was in the process of leaving.  He told me the same thing.

He had been fishing sand fleas and shrimp for pompano and whiting but he had problems with the weeds and being able to detect a bite.  He had a couple of small whiting that he said he released.

I thanked him for the info and took this vid of a huge tortoise making his way across the parking lot.

The water at Eddy Creek was low and after watching the area for a few minutes for any signs of fish, I decided to head to Peacocks Pocket on the way back to the house.

The Peacocks Pocket  boat launch was occupied by a couple who were dunking baits for redfish.  They said nothing was biting and they were just enjoying the day.

I drove past them and tossed a topwater plug around a couple of areas with only a follow up from a ladyfish, so I decided to head over to East Gator Creek and check out the shallows.

East Gator Creek was covered with floating vegetation in most of the shallows.  The water was crystal clear, and although the floating vegetation made fishing a topwater bait a problem,k I managed to pick up a ladyfish and a couple of small sea trout on an XPS topwater lure.

I moved up the road to check out Catfish Creek Loop, but the road was still closed to vehicle traffic.  I parked and started fishing the XPS Slim Dog around the marsh canal and the shallows on the other side of the road.

After several casts I hooked a nice sea trout and just as I was pulling it out of the canal, a large gator decided he wanted the trout more than I did and came out of the water after it.

I got the sea trout, and the gator slid back into the water and just stayed at the bank looking at me as if I took it's last meal.

I took this quick video of the gator and decided to head home and partake of the ham I had cooking in the oven.

By 7:15 pm I was back home eating a ham sandwich and drinking a glass of moo juice.

Till next time, Tight Lines.