general Gulf fishing advice needed- Seagrove/Watercolor/Seaside, etc.

[jladdsmith]

Hi all,

Just found out that I'll be spending Thanksgiving with the GF at her folk's place in Seagrove Beach, FL.

As a part of the deal, I've negotiated some fishing time.  Other than a combo bluewater/Miami canal peacock trip, I have no experience in the salt.  

We basically just want to have a good time.  We'd like to go out on the beach one night, maybe an afternoon in some backwater, etc.  We'll be using medium heavy and medium baitcasting/spinning gear on this one.  

My natural approach would be to treat it like I was catfishing in a lake from shore- but with shrimp or something.  If anyone can add anything, I'm not looking for secrets, but any basic area/beach/bait/rigging advice is greatly appreciated!  

By the way, I don't mind over-rigging/baiting and possibly breaking a rod for a good story.

Thanks,

-Jonathan

[jladdsmith]

edit:

Moderator, please move this to the general salt thread.  Doh!

[Steve H]

Jonathan, took care of your request. 

[Dub]

Go over to Graton Beach. Walk down the beach and look for the "FINGERS" that run out into the ocean they look like points on a lake. Fish deep side. I have been told the big reds are running the beach. If you are going to be there for a day or two go over to the old florida shop and ask for jason. If you have time pay him for a guide trip. He is a good guide and it will be worth your money. Tell him Todd sent you. LOL! I am over at Ft Walton this week end. I will try to give you a report, if I can get the wind to lay down. Flats skiffs don't work well in 3-4' seas.

[jladdsmith]

Dub/Todd,

Thanks so much for the advice.  I did go check out the beach at Grayton, but by the time a fishing window came open, it was more convenient to go directly across the street at Seagrove.  There were a couple of decent bars that were accessible and I fished the deeper sides of each.

The smaller reds were schooling and about once every 30 mins or so you could count on having to manage double bites/hookups.  I went out Friday night for a couple of hours- and in all, caught 8 fish- 4 redfish in the 20-24 inch range, three black drum (thought they were sheepshead at the time), and one other thing I couldn't identify.   Snuck out again on Saturday night and didn't even get a single bite. 

It was a lot of fun, and absolutely foolproof.   Half the fun was the mystery of whatever was on the other end of the line.   Oh, and it's been a while since I've had a fish 'run' on me, so that was cool too! 

- Jonathan

[icthus]

The salt is the best!!!!!!!  Glad you had a good time lets see some fish porn.

Icthus

[Dub]

Jonathan, Next time you are down give Jason a call at OLD FLORIDA OUTFITTERS. He is a good guide and I am sure can put you on some reds in skinny. Mike Mangum is another good guy that runs the bay charters for them as well. Jason and I went out sat for some reds up in the skinny and boy did we find'em.

[jladdsmith]

Yeah, I'll definitely do a guide trip next time.  A taste is all I needed.

It was my first time to visit that specific area, and it was nice, very un-Florida like (no Banana Pete's or alien themed airbrush/tattoo/head shops on every corner).  Maybe that was harsh.  It's just a very welcome and unexpected break from the Riviera as I knew it.  I still wouldn't want to live there though. 

We stopped by Old Florida a couple of times, but Jason was apparently out with you!  My GF used to live down there and is friends with the girls that run the Watercolor shop next door.  Hanging out with the locals was cool- especially at Bud&Alleys, Red Bar, etc.  Oh, and I really felt like a goober asking the locals about "THE FINGERS" at Grayton!  "Some guy on a message board from Tennessee told me that I should fish the deep side of "THE FINGERS!"      I did see what you were talking about, and could definitely see that as a good description at low tide.  About a dozen cocktails into Saturday night, I almost got stuck when the tide came back in on one of the two FINGERS across from Seagrove  

Glad you got into 'em.  We froze our asses off, and had a great time doing it. 

BTW, did you fish the lakes at all?  Which boat were you on?  I watched a few coming in and out of Grayton- just curious to see if that was you.  PM if you'd rather not clog up the board.  Thanks again for the advice, and I'll hook up with Jason on the next trip.