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rsquared -> RE: Surf Fishing (5/7/2008 9:29:30 PM)
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Crappie -
I see that Marco is on the Gulf side of FL. Never fished the Gulf in FL, but have fished several times in the Gulf in Mississippi over the past 10 years. If Marco is anything like the coast in MS, I'd put away the surf rod (like a 9 or 10 footer with 30 lb. line) and downsize to something more in the 7.5 foot range with a little backbone. I usually run 10 lb. mono for a main line with a 2-3 foot leader of 20 lb. mono for the toothy critters like speckled trout & flounder. Lots of locals I run into use the braided lines with wire leaders on their spin & baitcasting outfits. I have done reasonably well on crappie jigs (Mister Twister type) for flounder, live shrimp and cocahoe minnows for the trout & flounder, and have tied into a few big red fish, but have only landed small ones.
By far, my most productive trip was last summer when I started using the Berkley Gulp shrimp. It is far cheaper than live shrimp or minnows, and I found it to be more effective at keeping the trash fish off of my line. You can fish them about 3-4 feet under a weighted float on a jig head on a 1/2-1 oz. jig head or bottom bounce them. I prefer white jig heads with the Gulp shrimp in Copper penny or white.
Like kayak said, look for structure like jettys, piers, pilings, drop offs, or channels running along harbors. My favorite spot is along a jetty next to a harbor. If a pier is closed or private, just wade along them if the water isn't too deep, casting under and along them. Run down or storm damaged piers are usually pretty good too, as many fishermen bypass them. I seem to do best right at sunrise, when the sun is creeping up over the water. Great time to throw top waters like the Long A bomber for speckled trout.
I don't really know what species of fish you'd be running into around Marco though. If you're after snook or tarpon, you'd definitely want to go with a different set up as I have never targeted them and don't have the faintest idea how to go about it. But if you're happy with speckled trout (by far the best tasting fish I've ever caught, IMO), flounder, and smaller reds, you should do pretty well with that set up.
Like the others have said, visit a local tackle shop if you can and talk to the locals. Watch and learn.
Oh yeah, if you happen to catch a ladyfish (kind of a small tarpon-looking fish with big eyes) make sure when you pick it up, you hold it away from you 'cause the first thing they do when you touch them is crap everywhere.
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