Where Are The Pompano?

Finally went out to Playalinda Beach to see if the Pompano were in the area.

I took a couple of rods rigged with 30# and 60# Power Pro, a few pyramid sinkers, and some shrimp and sand fleas that I picked up at the bait shop.  What I neglected to bring along was a phone charger for my Android, hence no pics.

The weather was nice but a little windy and the surf was relatively calm for the area.

After rigging up with two and three hook pompano rigs and  4 oz. sinkers, I tossed my baits into the fartherest trough on one rod and closer in on the second rod.

I kept losing baits but finally after an hour or so, caught a couple  of small whiting which I released into the surf.

I noticed another surf fisherman a few yards from where I was fishing had been catching whiting and a couple of really nice bluefish on the same rod.

I walked over to him and found that he was using cut baits, clam strips, and sand fleas on the same rig.

After a bit of banter, I found out that he was using something called a Mortician  rig that allowed him to use several size hooks on heavier 60# terminal tackle.

He told me that a surf fisherman in Cocoa Beach told him about the rig and that I should search for it online.

We parted ways and I made a mentaal note to do just that.

Anyway, I believe that the variety of baits he was using on each of his rods is what gave him better luck than what I was having.

It was getting chilly and the bite was slow, so I decided to head for home and some dinner.

Evidently the pompano were on strike this afterrnoon, 

Till next time,

Tight Lines

Barren Beach

I was privy to a barren beach when I got to Playalinda the other day.  The weather was lousy and the waves required a 5 oz. pyramid sinker to hold bottom.

When I got to Playalinda Beach, the tide was almost full.  I had a few river rods with me in the truck that I was going to use for juvenile tarpon in the Vistas, but all the Vistas were cordoned off to vehicles due to the upcoming Space X launch, so I decided to try the surf instead.

I noticed very few vehicles in the lots and decided to fish Lot #8 where I had some decent luck with whiting a couple of weeks ago.

When I got to the end of the walkway, I was the only person on the beach as far as the eye could see.

Undaunted with the heavy surf conditions, I decided to at least give it a try so I tied on a double hook pompano rig baited up with fishbites, and decided on a 4 oz pyramid sinker to hold bottom.

The first cast into the closest trough quickly made me change the sinker to a 5 oz. that I happened to have in my box.

I spent the next hour or so fighting the waves and managed to hook a couple of undersize pompano and one whiting that I released.

I took some pics of the area before I decided to head to Haulover Canal to see if anyone was catching fish over there.

The mullet run was underwhelming this year, and I guess from my experience this afternoon, was just about over.  I didn't spot any fish in the surf and the fish I did catch were by dumb luck.  

You could hardly tell when a fish was on, and I was genuinely surprised when I pulled in my first small pomp.

I left Lot #8 to the pelicans and vultures that were in the parking lot and headed to Haulover before calling it a day.

I had no bait with me and after making several casts with a gold Johnson's Sprite spoon, I packed it in and headed home.

Hope to see the next Space X launch this week.

Till next time,

Tight Lines.

Disappointing Afternoon At Playalinda Beach

It turned out to be a disappointing afternoon at Playalinda Beach but I'm still glad I made the trip.

When I made the snap decision to "hit the beach" and try for a pompano or two, it was about 11:30 am.

I got on my computer to check the tide tables and learned that the high tide was coming in and would be full at around noon.  It wasn't the best time to fish the surf but I decided to try it out anyway,

Picked up some live sand fleas at Mosquito Lagoon Outfitters on the way, and hit the beach only to find a misty fog enveloping the area.

A cold front was bopping around the area and there were a few cars in the lower numbered parking lots.  I planned to fish at lot #8 but they were working on renovating the walkways at #8 and #9, so I hit the next open area which was #10.

A group was unloading their beach "buggy" as I was driving in and a couple was leaving, so I decided to give it a try.

I opted on using only one surf rod, my Okuma Coranado baitrunner loaded with 30 pound braid and an Ande Tournament surf rod.

The surf was rough and I spent a few minutes trying to read the beach for a spot to fish.  I decided on an area where there was a rip and headed to stake out my spot.

About the time I got there, another surf fishermen staked out the area so I moved down from him a few yards and set up my rig.

I tied on a two hook pompano rig with a Sputnik sinker to hold bottom and tossed out two juicy sand fleas just past the first breaker into the deep trough.

I put the rod in the sand spike and waited for something to bite.

For the end of January, there were a lot of surf fishermen on the beach.  Everyone was spread out watching their rods, but nothing seemed to be hitting.

I took some pics of the beach and waited for 20 minutes or so before pulling in to check my line.  Both sand fleas were still on the hooks so I pulled up and moved about 20 yards up the beach to another area.

Again, I tossed out my baits and waited but nothing was hitting.

I tried longer casts way past the outer bar and shorter casts in between the two bars but nothing was biting.

A "snowbird" from Mass, stopped to talk with me if I had any luck and said that the only fish he saw caught was a sheepshead and a couple of whiting at Lot #11.   He told me everyone was after pompano but none were caught.

After he left, I moved on more time and after another 30 minutes without a bite, I packed up and headed to the house.

On the way, I decided to ride around East Gator Creek to see if any topwater action was happening.  

I was behind another car with Florida tags when it stopped and a lady passenger got out and started frantically waving about a gator on the opposite bank.

There were two 10 to 12 foot gators sunning on the bank which is normal on a warm afternoon but apparently she had never seen one that big.

I took a couple of pics and after she got through photographing it, took off again.

I stopped to take a short video below of another large gator swimming along the road before heading home.

Hopefully I'll get out tomorrow to try some fishing again.

Till next time,

Tight Lines.  

Playalinda Beach In October

Playalinda Beach in October can be productive for Pompano when the water temperatures drop, but with the weather we have been enjoying so far, the sea has not been cool enough to get the larger schools moving out of the river to the surf.

Regardless, I decided to take a ride down to the beach after my dentist appointment to see if anybody was catching fish.

I didn't expect a lot of people at the beach, but I was dead wrong.  Evidently, Monday was seniors day and most of the lots had at least a few cars parked.  

Lot #1 had a senior tour bus parked in the lot so I didn't bother stopping there.

Click On Pic Below

I stopped at lots #7, #8, and #10 and saw anglers fishing at all three areas.

The guys were catching whiting and juvenile black drum on sand fleas and clam flavored Fishbites.

I took a few pics at each stop and rode around Eddy Creek to check out the shallow boat launch.

Nobody was fishing on the new pier and only one kayak was out on the lagoon.

I didn't bother fishing any of the areas until I started heading out of the seashore. 

I just had to try my luck along the Vistas to see if I could hook into a juvenile tarpon or two but I struck out at every spot.

It was high noon when I started fishing the Vistas which is probably why I couldn't buy a bite.

When I got to the last small pond just before the ticket booth, I spotted a lot of mullet schooling in the shallows and when I pulled alongside the spot, I saw a nice gator size sea trout busting on a mullet.

Click on Pic Below

I started fishing a Chug Bug smeared up with some Pro-Cure and after wearing out my casting arm, I changed over to a mullet size XPS Slim Dog topwater bait.

I fished around the mullet schools for the next half hour or so and had only one hit which I believe was a large sea trout.

There were definitely fish in the area, but they had a case of lockjaw.   I believe that if I could fish them early in the morning, I would have had better luck.

Anyway, I packed up my rods and headed home for a much needed lunch.

Till next time,
Tight Lines.

Playalinda Pomps and Permit

I've been in Mobile, Al this past week and haven't had much chance to wet a line but Javier Cuazo was kind enough to shoot me some pics of fish he caught this Thursday at Playalinda Beach.

He was fishing in Lot 12 using shrimp for bait and caught about 6 Pompanos/Permits and several  Whiting between the hrs of 0700 through 1300.   

That's 7:00 am to 1:00 pm. for you non-military types.

He also sent me this short video which I decided to post despite the fact that I do not speak Spanish and haven't a clue about what is being said.

They look happy so if it is offensive, which I'm sure it is not, just click out.

The surf in the pics looks much more fishable than the last time I visited Playalinda.

I'll love eating Pompano and will definitely be heading to the beach as soon as I get back home again.

Till next time,

Tight Lines