# Panama City Beach Pier



## BillyAndryusky (Jun 18, 2012)

Im heading down to pc this weekend and I was wondering what is running? Also what is the best technique to catch these fish. I'll be mainly fishing from the pier and the surf. Thanks


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## Dustin Pate (Jun 18, 2012)

Kings, Bobo's, spanish, redfish have all been caught good the last week. Drifting live or dead baits.


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## BillyAndryusky (Jun 18, 2012)

Do you just put it behind a bobber? If so how much line from your hook to your bobber? Thanks for the info.


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## Dustin Pate (Jun 18, 2012)

No float. Main line (15lb) to a small swivel to a section of 7 strand wire (12-16 inches) to a treble hook (#2-#4). Wire can be tied with a basic overhand knot if in a hurry or a figure 8 knot. You can wrap it if you want but not needed.


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## bluemarlin (Jun 18, 2012)

You may want to have a rod set up with a trebel hook and weight below to snatch bait close to the pilings. The Dan Russell Pier holds a special place for me... Have fun, good luck, and ask the old timers questions if you need help while you're there.


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## M80 (Jun 18, 2012)

June is best time to catch sub-surface red's.  Go out to Saint Andrew's park and go out the jeti's.  I went all the way and worked back.  Make sure you have polarized glasses and just watch for them coming.  I used a topwater lure like a spook.  Just throw out in front of them and twitch it just a little and hold on.  Im serious, call me crazy but three years ago I caught 5 over 15pds in about 2 hours doing this.  With a 5500 abu and 30pd. test with a steel leader on a flippen rod.  It was all I could handle.  Cant wait to try it again.  Im sure if you go you problably want catch any(at least that's the way it is for me when someone tell's me stuff like this), but you got to try it.  It was a blast.


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## BillyAndryusky (Jun 19, 2012)

mwilliams80 can you walk to those jeti's or do you need to have a boat?

dustin: this may be a dumb question but how does your bait sink then? Does the weight of the bait sink it or would I need to put on a weight.


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## Jasper (Jun 19, 2012)

My favorite tactic for pier fishing is a bubble rig. This picture shows a straw rig for a lure but I use Clouser minnows instead. The straw is simply a 3 or 4" piece of flourescent tubing (go to Wal Mart in PC) slid over a 3' piece of 40 to 60 lb mono leader with a treble hook. Fill the bubble up with water and you can cast it a country mile. You can catch spanish, kings, blues, skipjacks, redfish, etc.

Lean over the railing and rip it back across the surface top water style and hang on...........good grief it's fun.

Good luck!


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## BillyAndryusky (Jun 19, 2012)

would either of these work behind a bubble rig? I have caught a few spanish mackerel on these lures so I know they work I just don't know if they would work behind a bubble rig.


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## Jasper (Jun 19, 2012)

BillyAndryusky said:


> would either of these work behind a bubble rig? I have caught a few spanish mackerel on these lures so I know they work I just don't know if they would work behind a bubble rig.



Those are a little heavy for a bubble IMO; you can cast those on their own. Here's a Clouser minnow like I use.


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## Paymaster (Jun 19, 2012)

Jasper said:


> My favorite tactic for pier fishing is a bubble rig. This picture shows a straw rig for a lure but I use Clouser minnows instead. The straw is simply a 3 or 4" piece of flourescent tubing (go to Wal Mart in PC) slid over a 3' piece of 40 to 60 lb mono leader with a treble hook. Fill the bubble up with water and you can cast it a country mile. You can catch spanish, kings, blues, skipjacks, redfish, etc.
> 
> Lean over the railing and rip it back across the surface top water style and hang on...........good grief it's fun.
> 
> Good luck!



That is what I use as well. I fill the bubble with parafin or water and fish Clousers behind the bubble on an 18-24" steel leader.


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## Dustin Pate (Jun 19, 2012)

I'll also vouch for the bubble. There are times when it is deadly and can catch numbers and numbers of fish. The only clousers I use are the ones Paymaster ties. The fish love them and they are incredibly durable even on the toothy guys!


Also, you mentioned about letting the live bait sink to the bottom. You don't want it to. The fish are feeding in the top of the water column. The tactic is called snobbling and you are basically working the bait slowly back to the pier...let it sink just out of sight and slowly pull it back to surface. When a fish eats it just be sure to free line it long enough for them to get the bait good and then let them run.


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## BillyAndryusky (Jun 19, 2012)

Thanks for the help guys. Can I get those clouser minnows down in PC?

Sounds good dustin I will be trying this technique out this weekend.


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## FishingAddict (Jun 19, 2012)

Billy- the bubble rig is to cast a light lure (like a fly) a long way.  There is no need to use one with a gotcha or jig.

Your best bet on the pier is, as Dustin point out, live bait.  Tie a sabiki rig (or buy one) and cast it through the bait clouds that will most likely be near the pier.  Put the bait on the wire leader, and cast it out and free line it.  Just pay attention to the tides and other peoples lines so it doesn't get to be a mess.

Personally, I like single stranded line instead of 7 strand, but that's just one man's opinion.   Plus I typically fish from the yak (in the same areas), so that might make a difference but I'm not sure.

A small spoon or gotcha tossed between the two sand bars can yield all kinds of fun things while you wait for the big bite and you might even end up with some great bait like a blue runner.  For me, sometimes it's just fun to toss out the sabikki rig; I've caught everything from small bonita (which tear the heck out of it, which is why it's a good idea to learn to make them), to spanish, to countless other things on them.

Have fun!


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## BillyAndryusky (Jun 20, 2012)

Sounds great. I have a few poles so Ill keep trying different techniques until something hits. On the pier is it best to be the furthest down the pier or somewhere in the middle?


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## Paymaster (Jun 20, 2012)

I fish all the way down and go early. You can probably find Clousers in PC Beach some where, I just don't know where due to tying my own. But, I know Bass Pro in Destin has them. If you use soda straws, stop at McDonalds and get a few. Just cut them into 3 equal lengths from each straw. MickyDs are tuffer than most others.


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## jsav (Jun 20, 2012)

the bubble rig was the way to go last week, a guy caught about 12 spanish between daylight to about 9


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## Dustin Pate (Jun 20, 2012)

The guys fishing for kings will be at the end. That doesn't mean you won't catch one somewhere else but your odds are better there. The front line is gonna be all folks drifting baits and it isn't a good idea to jump in there are throw lures amongst them. Get on the sides or on down the deck. Also if drifting and you have never done it before take a few minutes and watch how others are doing it.


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## Jasper (Jun 21, 2012)

BillyAndryusky said:


> On the pier is it best to be the furthest down the pier or somewhere in the middle?



The guys at the end of the pier are mostly king fishing or waiting on the tarpon to hopefully come through. That's not the place to throw a bubble rig.

I don't really like to be that crowded so I stay closer to the beach. The spanish mackerel are often closer in, I seldom get more than halfway out on the pier. There are usually some big bull reds around as well.


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## Paymaster (Jun 21, 2012)

Another option is to go to St Andrews S.P. Pier and Jetty.


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## throwdown (Jun 24, 2012)

That Gotcha works very well at St. Andrews. Just make sure you are using a metal leader, or that $7 lure will be gone in 3 seconds. I love to fly fish there, will be there at the end of August with a new batch of flies. Oh and please heed my warning, do not speed in the park, they do not think it's funny!


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## F.A.R.R. (Jun 24, 2012)

Paymaster said:


> That is what I use as well. I fill the bubble with parafin or water and fish Clousers behind the bubble on an 18-24" steel leader.



What size (hook size) do you like for the Clousers?


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## Paymaster (Jun 24, 2012)

Most that I tie are on size #1. I have tied them on smaller hooks but mostly 1s.


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## F.A.R.R. (Jun 24, 2012)

Paymaster said:


> Most that I tie are on size #1. I have tied them on smaller hooks but mostly 1s.



Thanks-I'm gonna tie up a bunch for next years trip-I never thought of trying it but can see where it would be a killer on Spanish and Ladyfish!


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## T-Boy (Jun 25, 2012)

F.A.R.R. said:


> Thanks-I'm gonna tie up a bunch for next years trip-I never thought of trying it but can see where it would be a killer on Spanish and Ladyfish!



Sometimes it more about the time of day you fish and the Spanish being there than any certain bait. I've seen them hit a spoon fished deep when they wouldn't hit a bubble rig. Then I've seen them hit bubbles when they wouldn't hit the spoon.  When they are chewing good they will hit anything. I was bit off on a bubble rig and tied a treble hook on without the straw in error and they hit the hook.

I will defer to better fishermen but don't forget about drifting small bait like cigar minnows or small herring with 18lb wire leader with a #6 treble. I seem to catch larger Spanish and maybe a king doing this.

Best thing to do is watch the locals and learn what is working for them. I learn something new every trip. I am still amazed at how leader shy these fish can be on bright sunny days. You switch to 30lb flouro for leader instead of wire and start catching fish. ( mixed in with a few bite offs)

Have a great time.


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