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Fishing the Panama City Beach County Pier in October – Part 1
In the case of pier fishing 10% of pier anglers catch 90% of the fish, however this isn’t simply because they’re higher pier anglers than everybody else. It’s extra alongside the road that the ten% of pier anglers are those who actually put within the time and spend probably the most time on the market. The fish being across the pier isn’t a assured factor, you would hear a great report from the day earlier than and present up the following day to seek out it completely lifeless with nobody catching something. Generally it takes all of half-hour for the fish to maneuver on from the pier. I deliberate a last-minute journey all the way down to Panama Metropolis Seashore to go fish on the County Pier within the again half of October. I stored a watch on the studies and requested my mates down there to attempt to time it to the king mackerel. However even with studies and favorable climate circumstances, as I stated earlier a day, and even half-hour could make the distinction between limiting out or struggling all day.
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The explanation I selected to go down in October is that it’s thought of a great month to fish the pier. The warmth of the summer time is gone, water temps are in a extra comfy zone once more, and the bait is often thick across the pier. So following my pal Sam’s weekly fishing reports I noticed a few good weeks of fishing and a gentle climate sample, and thought it will be a great time to make a last-minute journey down. So, I loaded all my gear into the truck, booked a resort, and slept for just a few hours earlier than heading out round 3 am to begin the 6-hour drive all the way down to the coast. After an extended uneventful drive largely at nighttime, I obtained to town correct round 8:30 am with the time zone change. Earlier than hitting the pier I needed to make a pair stops, to seize some dwell bait, get a few odds and ends, and go to a great pal. After getting all that achieved I obtained to the County Pier parking zone round 9:30 am and already noticed individuals leaving with coolers that had the tails of king mackerel protruding of them.
This was nice information, or not less than I believed it was. I had made it on a great day for kings it appeared like. Speaking to one of many guys he informed me kings had been on fireplace that morning since dawn. A number of individuals had restricted out and over 18 kings had been introduced up over the rail. However then he informed me that the chunk shut down round 8:30. That there have been nonetheless Spanish mackerel and bluefish hanging round however the king mackerel had made themselves scarce. However even nonetheless I had nothing higher to do, I drove all the best way all the way down to fish. In order that’s what I used to be going to do. So, I paid my $6 on the pier home and headed in direction of the tip, stopping right here and there to have a look into the emerald water to search for bait or simply to talk with different fishermen I do know.
As soon as I obtained to the tip, I did see loads of individuals nonetheless fishing for kings however I didn’t see a single king get connected whereas I used to be rigging up my rods. So as an alternative of making an attempt to fish some frozen cigar minnows, I made a decision to attempt to make some bait with a sabiki rig. Whereas focusing on some dwell cigs I ended up with a extra unusual bait, a goggle eye. These are high-dollar baits down in south Florida, with a dozen dwell goggle eyes costing about $90 and $45 for a dozen recent lifeless ones. They appear much like cigar minnows however have a deeper physique and bigger eye. They’re additionally a bit hardier on the hook. So I obtained him rigged up on my king chief and slung him out on the west of the pier. Letting it swim and take line to go additional out and hopefully get munched by a king. I stored the road on my index finger as an alternative of the curler as I did this. So if a king did come by and eat the goggle eye, I may give it slack and let it take the entire bait down with no stress. Then as soon as I used to be certain it ate the entire bait I may put the road on the curler to set the hook.
With this premium high quality bait, I hoped to entice one of many scarce kings far out from the pier. After 5 minutes of letting the goggle eye swim out, it began to freak out. I may really feel it making an attempt to run from one thing via the road. So after I felt the hit I gave it slack, letting it get swallowed up. Afterward, I set the hook, hoping for that drag-screaming run of a king. As a substitute, the drag simply clicked a few instances and fought a bit. I believed I will need to have missed the king and simply began reeling in, however the fish fought a bit. So I believed the goggle eye was nonetheless on there, however I wanted to test it out simply to see what situation it was in. After cranking a bit I observed it was really a fish and never my bait kicking round so I introduced it in, disappointingly a smallish bluefish had eaten the bait.
I wasn’t the one angler having issues with the bluefish although, it appeared like a faculty of them had pushed in and began to eat up all of the dwell baits that had been being solid out. The blues additionally appeared to push the baitfish out from the pier on the similar time making it tougher to get dwell bait. This went on for a few hours with not a lot motion occurring. Till my pal George lastly obtained a stable chunk from a king mackerel, it took a giant run at first after which began to take him backwards and forwards throughout the tip of the pier. He needed to be a bit extra mild with the king on account of his lighter shock chief of 15# monofilament. However after a number of passes, he lastly wore the fish down and obtained it pier aspect. I had my pier gaff prepared for it, and gaffed the king as quickly as George slide the fish over my gaff within the water. We then pulled that king up and over the rail.
Since I gaffed the fish for him George provided to let me have the king mackerel, which I gladly accepted. However we needed to wait until Sam got here out onto the pier earlier than I may intestine the fish. George was fishing within the month-long match on the pier for King Mackerel and wished to weigh his fish for it. So to maintain it from drying out and shedding any weight, we caught it on ice in my kill bag. However the king was so lengthy the tail was nonetheless protruding of the bag, so I wrapped that in a moist rag to maintain it from drying out. We waited until a bit previous midday for Sam to reach, as quickly as he did we took the king all the way down to the pier home to weigh it on the dimensions stand. The fish got here in round 21 kilos, however was nonetheless 6 kilos shy of George’s 2nd place fish. All of us headed again out to the tip, the place I promptly gutted the king assist let the blood drain out.
I stored fishing until effectively previous 2 however noticed the ice I had purchased that morning for the kill bag was melting off. So I believed it was a great time to go off the pier and get some ice for my huge cooler to retailer the king mackerel in. Additionally I used to be ravenous and wanted to eat one thing. I requested my mates Sam and Ivan if I may go away my gear on their carts, which they stated sure to, after which headed off the pier with simply the kill bag and king. I obtained again to the truck and drove over to Buddy Gandy’s Seafood Market again over the bridge in Panama Metropolis for ice. They’ve among the most cost-effective ice on the town, stuffed up my 165qt cooler for $10. It might have value me over $40 {dollars} if I used to be utilizing an ice machine and much more if I went to a retailer. After packing the king within the ice at Buddy Gandy’s I made a small cease for some lunch on my means again to the pier. I obtained again out to the tip of the pier and located that one other king had been caught whereas I used to be gone, and shortly after arriving Sam additionally connected on a king. It being later within the day Sam had a little bit of bother coping with the vacationer crowd making an attempt to go up and down the rail whereas combating the fish, however after a short time he obtained the fish subsequent to the pier. I had my gaff prepared once more however I used to be a bit sluggish on yanking the rope and caught the fish within the softer stomach space. I knew it was a nasty gaff shot however unable to make one other I needed to simply attempt to get the fish up on the deck. Midway up the gaff tine ripped out however fortunately similar was prepared for this was in free spool.
We obtained the king located and caught a great gaff shot into it this time and introduced it up on the deck. Ivan was particularly pleased with this as a result of Sam stated the king was his to take house for his spouse. This fish got here out to be about 19 lbs a stable fish. I stored fishing for kings for the remainder of the day and had just one chunk. Which after all occurred when i used to be simply messing round with my line on the curler. I had a half-dead cigar minnow on and I used to be simply jigging it close to the pier messing with the bluefish, when from out beneath the pier a king got here up and slammed it. Or course my line being on the curler put stress on it and the king dropped the cig after simply taking a bit of it. After that, in addition to some bluefish and ladyfish, it stayed sluggish until sundown. There was no repeat of the morning’s chunk. So, I known as it quits, I wanted to get some issues from Walmart in addition to get some dinner. Day 1 of my pier fishing journey was over, however I nonetheless had one other day and a half left. Higher go to mattress early to get out on the pier at 5 am the following day.
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