# SGI in October ???



## mcfay (Aug 6, 2012)

I will be headed to SGI the second week of October for several days.  I am new to the surf fishing and would like to here any advice out there that may help my trip.  What bites that time of year and what should be used.  Thanks


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## Dustin Pate (Aug 6, 2012)

Everything is biting. Probably one of the best times of the year. Redfish are my favorite target at that time wading in the bayside of the island. They also get in the surf along with whiting, pompano and others.


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## mcfay (Aug 6, 2012)

How do fish for the reds on the bay side and what would you use for bait in the surf??? Thanks for the help


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## BME013 (Aug 6, 2012)

Reds and trout should be biting good with the weather turning.  I would rather fish the bay side.  I would use a gold spoon for reds and berkley gulp with like a 1/4 jig head.  You can catch anything on that.
I would also NOT use wire leaders or heavy line.  Try 8 to 15 pound line with a fluorocarbon leader that is 12 to 15lb test. A 7ft or 7'6 spinning rod.

If surf fishing you can cast a spoon or mirro lure.  If using bait make sure it is fresh!


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## Dentman (Aug 6, 2012)

*Sgi*

Youth camp boat ramp, walk right and wade out to oyster bar by channel on outgoing tide, gold spoon, gulp shrimp under Cajun thunder popping cork or mirror lure m5211. Trout, reds, Spanish.....awesome
Happy Fishin


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## Dustin Pate (Aug 6, 2012)

mcfay said:


> How do fish for the reds on the bay side and what would you use for bait in the surf??? Thanks for the help



My bait of choice for reds are finger mullet that you can cast net most anywhere on the bay side. Do a search under my name for SGI and you should find plenty of tips and rigs to use. Good starting point is the youth ramp in the State Park and 6th Street East at the estuary. I fish the mullet on a carolina rig. I recommend braid as main line (oysters) and a 20-30 lb fluoro. leader. Top it with either a 1/0 kahle or circle hook.

On the beach fresh shrimp fished on a carolina rig or a double drop rig will catch anything that swims. I like a smaller hook for pomps and whiting..something like a #2 circle. For a chance at a big bull red take a small whiting and cut it into and chunk it out.


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## mcfay (Aug 7, 2012)

Dustin,I appreciate the info.  What about wading out from the youth boat ramp or other places on the bay side.  Can you give me a little information on that.  I was on the island last week and I saw several people wading and casting along 98 as we were heading toward Carabelle.


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## Dustin Pate (Aug 7, 2012)

At the youth ramp your best bet is to just walk the shore to the left of the ramp all the way to the point. There is a channel in front of you that is like a highway for the fish. If I am just wading and tossing spoons or jigs under a cajun thunder I prefer a higher tide that will bring the fish up to the grass. For live bait I prefer a falling tide that drops the fish back into the channel where they are easy pickings for the carolina rig on bottom.


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## FSU Turtle (Aug 7, 2012)

Dustin Pate said:


> At the youth ramp your best bet is to just walk the shore to the left of the ramp all the way to the point. There is a channel in front of you that is like a highway for the fish. If I am just wading and tossing spoons or jigs under a cajun thunder I prefer a higher tide that will bring the fish up to the grass. For live bait I prefer a falling tide that drops the fish back into the channel where they are easy pickings for the carolina rig on bottom.



x2
For me I like to fish along the grass during the higher tide cycle with artificials and cast to them. Weedless jerk baits and spoons usually work well. For meat fishing put a small mullet on the bottom of the channel during the lower tide cycle, but you will also catch more trash fish.


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## buckblaster47 (Aug 7, 2012)

where is SGI?


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## Dustin Pate (Aug 8, 2012)

buckblaster47 said:


> where is SGI?



St. George Island. It is on the Florida gulf coast southwest of Tallahassee or an hour or so east of Panama City.


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## Dutch1 (Aug 13, 2012)

*I hope your luck was better than mine...*

I just fished SGI for a solid week. Monday AM was good and then it shut down. I tried the east end, shore, youth camp, and the bridges with no luck all week all hours of the day and tide. . . . I didn't try 6th street. I wish I would have known about that spot. I threw everything at them I could think of. Top water, cajun thunder, shrimp, gulp, etc.

We had a ton of sargasso weed come in on shore Tuesday morning and it didn't really go away until Saturday evening. 

Next time, I WILL have a boat. But hey, I was fishing and not working!


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## Dustin Pate (Aug 13, 2012)

Dutch1 said:


> I just fished SGI for a solid week. Monday AM was good and then it shut down. I tried the east end, shore, youth camp, and the bridges with no luck all week all hours of the day and tide. . . . I didn't try 6th street. I wish I would have known about that spot. I threw everything at them I could think of. Top water, cajun thunder, shrimp, gulp, etc.
> 
> We had a ton of sargasso weed come in on shore Tuesday morning and it didn't really go away until Saturday evening.
> 
> Next time, I WILL have a boat. But hey, I was fishing and not working!



You try live bait (mullet or pinfish)?


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## Dutch1 (Aug 14, 2012)

That's the weird part, you couldn't find pinfish, finger mullet, etc. Guys were just walking around in the water with cast nets looking and couldn't find hardly anything. I saw one group of guys on the east end that had 4 finger mullet and they ended up leaving because they couldn't catch any more.  I don't know if it was a double whammy with all the rain from last week and then the sargasso too but they just couldn't be found. Everyone you talked to was disgusted because they were fishing their butts off and couldn't even get a pull. 

Maybe next time. . .


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## PitBllDog (Sep 13, 2012)

best time of year.. gold spoon all you need


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## Anvil Head (Sep 14, 2012)

Dress your gold spoon with red hook(s). That micro touch of red will give you a 2:1 jump on your partner........shhh, don't tell him 'til the bite slows...........and you're tired of grinning!
Agree with the lighter lines, seldom fish with anything heavier than 12 and a slightly heavier leader. More bites and hookups, just have to learn to use your drag properly. Of course that changes if you're soaking fingers in the trench on a carolina....need to bump up your line #s a bit. The big eaters will stretch your limits, but what fun!

This one was on a crab imitation fly just east of SGI in Alligator Bay. Worked my #8 St. Croix pretty good. Thank the Lord for a screw in extension on the SC! Amazing what a 3"-4" extension adds to the leverage.


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