Fishing in oct

Some live shrimp are great if you want to go through the effort, but jigs and topwaters work well also. You might also try putting in at the end of 395 at Tucker Bayou. That gives you access to the bayou, the bay, the intracoastal, and Peach Creek.

thanks kurt, what about the beach...was there in apr for pompano run...is there a fall run....did the bluefish ever show up...i had also tended to stay in the southern part of the bay at hogtown...what about north side...is grayton
park overfished or is that pretty good..

where do you get live shrimp...only bait shop i've ever seen is north of 331 bridge but never been there..have a castnet but trying not to haul all that in a kayak...soaked frozen shrimp in saltwater in the past...what do you think?...

thanks kurt, what about the beach...was there in apr for pompano run...is there a fall run....did the bluefish ever show up...i had also tended to stay in the southern part of the bay at hogtown...what about north side...is grayton
park overfished or is that pretty good..

where do you get live shrimp...only bait shop i've ever seen is north of 331 bridge but never been there..have a castnet but trying not to haul all that in a kayak...soaked frozen shrimp in saltwater in the past...what do you think?...

You can skip the live shrimp and go for the dead, head on shrimp found at Shrimpers on Hwy 98 about 1 mile west of Hwy 393. They sell for around $4per pound, and you can eat the leftovers if properly stored.

The bait shop just north of the bay on 331 (Ernie's Bait Stand) closed. Someone is doing something to the property, but I don't know what. After Ernie's closed, Beach Island Cafe (farther north on 311--used to be called 'Reddicks') then became the only place to get live bait.

Beach Island closed a month or so ago and right after it did, Copeland's Gun Shop (even farther north on 331, but still not all the way to Hwy 20) put in some tanks and now he sells live shrimp.

Shrimp are ok, but if you want to use live bait, take a sabiki rig to the Eastern Lake outflow and catch pinfish.

thanks, everybody seems to like eastern lake and tucker bayou...is there anywhere else besides those and western lake at the park

thanks, everybody seems to like eastern lake and tucker bayou...is there anywhere else besides those and western lake at the park

LOTS...actually Eastern & Western Lakes are fine, but there's a lot of smaller, less popular places farther west along 30-A. And Camp Creek Lake and Deer Lake to the east...also Lake Powell.

What you might really want focus on though, given that you are bringing a kayak and want to do some inshore, would be the bay and its tributary bayous. Point Washington might be easiest one for you to get into (take 395 north until you can't anymore), or you can just go right up 331 to the bay and park anywhere on the side of the road.

If you don't mind a little bit of a drive, go up to Rocky Bayou on the northwest side of the bay. Kayak fishing there is great and you get into a few more saltwater species (still lots of reds, specks and flounder, but now you're also getting into jacks and spanish mack as well).

hey slowmovin, never used a sabiki rig for baitfish...do you bait it...my uncle used to just use small hooks w/chicken livers like a pomp rig...i've got a cast net but would like to learn how to use your rig...

r/e the bays...used hogtown a couple of times because close to my place but if you like the tribs north, would love to give it a try...any others?...is the salinity better on that n/w side?...red

Sabiki's are generally about 4 to 6 feet long and have a tiny fly-looking lures on a dropper loop every foot or so. You jiggle them in the water (preferably in a school of bait fish) and can often get three or four at a time. You can make them yourself or spring for the $5 or so to buy them at most any tackle store.

I like using them because since I mostly fish alone a cast net is overkill for me. Plus, I'll usually cut off all but one or two of them, so I don't have to deal with four live pinfish when I only need one at the moment.

Here's some more info http://www.fishing-catalog.com/sabiki/

You can skip the live shrimp and go for the dead, head on shrimp found at Shrimpers on Hwy 98 about 1 mile west of Hwy 393. They sell for around $4per pound, and you can eat the leftovers if properly stored.

that's some expensive bait!

If you don't mind a little bit of a drive, go up to Rocky Bayou on the northwest side of the bay. Kayak fishing there is great and you get into a few more saltwater species (still lots of reds, specks and flounder, but now you're also getting into jacks and spanish mack as well).

Secret Fishing Spot #417:

For dead bait that is a lot. But, when buying live ones from the bait shops they're around $3 or $4 per dozen--which is a lot less than a pound.

Back when Beach Island was still in business they used to sell both bait and seafood. Whenever I'd go there for shrimp Dave (the owner) would ask "You want eatin' shrimp, or fishin' shrimp?"

The $4 ones from Shrimpers that SJ is talking about are the best, freshest eatin' shrimp I've found.

Hey aquatic biology, thanks for the secret spot..i'll be kayaking, where do i put in? (Fred Gannon)...any others?

Yum! Another thing about those farmed gulf-looking Thailand shrimp from wal-mart (see environmental danger thread) that are fully cooked and quick frozen in the red-top bag is that they are fully cooked and quick frozen - quick thaw in microwave, too, especially wrapped in bacon! I suddenly know what I'm having for breakfast this AM!

that's some expensive bait!

You are at the beach. Everything is expensive unless you do it yourself, like catching bait. Most people opt for convenience.

You are at the beach. Everything is expensive unless you do it yourself, like catching bait. Most people opt for convenience.

Probably true, but there's also the whole of Destin's waterfront boatyard to find bait for sale if you're going all the way to Rocky Bayou or Fred Gannon to fish! Got to be some cheaper bait you're just going to throw away.

:wub: I love bacon wrapped shrimp! (the cholesterol! 😱) :wub:

Probably true, but there's also the whole of Destin's waterfront boatyard to find bait for sale if you're going all the way to Rocky Bayou or Fred Gannon to fish! Got to be some cheaper bait you're just going to throw away.

I hear you, but if you are fishing here, why spend an exta $6 on gas and take up another hour of your time by going into Destin in order to save $2 on bait?
Maybe if you use the pricier bait, you will catch pricier fish:idontno:, thus making it well worth the cost.

This thread is starting to make me nervous. :nono1:


Don't make me unleash the secret weapon! :pissed:

This thread is starting to make me nervous. :nono1:


Don't make me unleash the secret weapon! :pissed:

Sand fleas? Inland redfish love them!

Next best secret weaphon is those little dark colored fiddler crabs you can pick up by the bucketful here and there. Watch out for the big claw - it really hurts if it gets a hold of some loose skin between your fingers!

And if that's not enough to get you supper, just have a kid grab some shiner minnows and get out the flounder rig!