EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

Like I said in my last post I'm headed to Seagrove Beach FL for a week long getaway.  I'd love to get in some fishing while I am down there, but I can't afford the 400-600$ 4hr charter trips that seem to be the norm down there. Can there be any successful fishing just wading out in the surf and casting a rod? I've only fished the gulf once, and that was off the pier at Matagorda Bay, using live shrimp for bait, and we managed to catch a little bit of everything. What kind of tackle set up would be good for this? I've got anything from light crappie rigs to some heavy duty catfish setups. I'm not looking to catch Jaws or anything, just looking for an oppurtunity to try a new type of fishing. Any input here is appreciated. Thanks.

Yeah you can.  Just gotta find a point or like an island where the tide will move the water past the point and fish the incoming or out going tide.  I know you can get on snook at the beaches here if you know how to fish them.  Oh and shrimp will work but if you can get your hands on threadies or pin fish those work great for snook and reds.

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Something like this would work fine from the surf. Use cut mullet, Shrimp, squid, or clams for bait.

We just had a 11-13 foot great white come through jupiter fl!

Should not be any Great Whites on the Gulf coast...yes on the east coast.  My choise of bait was always pin fish or mullet.  You should be able to find both at most fishing and tackle stores.  I prefer getting real lite tackle and trying to catch my own pin fish with a very small piece of shrimp.  The pin fish caught on a hook live longer than the ones caught in a cast net.

Some of the best fishing is at night around boat docks and piers.  Find a large marina that has lights for night time and you can have all the fun fishing you want and dont have to pay.  Get a medium weight rod reel, large swivels and small weight.  Hook the pin fish through the tail and fish right next to the pilings at night.  Snook are sometimes plentiful on beaches, bridges, and piers. 

You can also have a real good time fishing up next to the mangroves if you find some small islands.

I fished FL for many years and there is a lot of fun in catching grouper and snapper off shore; but I always thought fishing the marinas and mangroves was just as much fun.

Theres two Great Whites in the gulf right now off of cape coral.. Both were tagged in Cap Cod.  You can track them on the net, don't remember the website off hand.   Granted they are at least a hundred or more miles off.