Fishing Report Pier and Surf

By: Noel Kuhn

Thismonth could very well be the best month of the year for Pompano and Whiting. The Whiting were on fire all of February and some Pompano started showing up in Ponte Vedra the second week of last month. Usually the Pomps do not show up until the water temp gets back up to 64 degrees. They are now here so it is go time!

My favorite bait is sand fleas. However they have been really hard to come by in this cool water. The best time to gather them is on a sunny 80 degree afternoon on a low tide. Look for them on or just before that first trough drop off. Live clams are my next choice. Those are easy to get at your local seafood market. If you do not know, every fish in the surf will gobble up a fresh shrimp! Back in the 70’s that is all I used. Think about it. No circle hooks, no beads, no floats and no double dropper rigs was the norm. Back then we used small J hooks and a one inch long piece of fresh shrimp. So do not over think it. All you have to do is put a good bait in front of a hungry fish.

Now, where to put that good fresh bait. When possible I put one short. Then one just inside the bar. Then one past the bar. If I catch two fish on the same rod I will move all rods to that distance. Beyond that, I look for a sand bar that is just starting to have waves break on it. It does not matter incoming or outgoing. When the waves start breaking it stirs up new food i.e. sand fleas, Donax clams, ghost shrimp and small Calico/ Spotted crabs. Since fish do not have hands, they rely on the waves to stir up their food. Hence new waves breaking equals new food for them. Target that area!

The double dropper rig is what I use 95% of the time. The only time I use the fish finder/sinker slider rig is when I am fishing with the current in the run out or in the inlet with swift moving tide. Hooks are the same on both 2/0 Eagle Claw L197. Do not get too caught up on beads and floats. Just remember, all you have to do is put a good bait in front of a hungry fish.

Now get out there and catch them up! It is go time! Spring has sprung! See you on the beach!

TIDE CHART - March

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