Pier & Shore Fishing Outlook 12/23/24-12/8/25
Pier & Shore Fishing Outlook 12/23/24-12/8/25
By David “The Pierpounder” Thornton
Winter officially began on the solstice December 21. It may take a while to notice but the length of daylight hours is actually getting longer now. If our current weather pattern holds through the rest of the year, we should be seeing mostly mild (near average) temperatures with perhaps a bit more precipitation than we have been seeing. The cool spells have been relatively short so far in December, though long range indications are we may see it turn cooler by the beginning of the new year. So, how does all this play out for fishing? Moderate air temps in the 70s have moderated water temperatures in the Gulf back into the upper 60s. That is slightly above average giving us a nice variety of options to pursue whenever conditions allow.
While this seems to have aided the flounder and pompano bites in the surf (especially along Perdido Key), it has not enticed many sheepshead to move en masse into the Gulf or even Perdido Pass yet. Plenty of sheepshead are being reported in the back bays, while only a few are being caught at the pass or the Gulf State Park Pier. So, a typical winter pattern has not yet developed. But once the water cools back into the middle to low 60s, the general movement of sheepshead into the pass and Gulf should begin to occur, but the spawn is still three months away. Whiting numbers (and size) are off again so far this fall, but cooler winter weather may spark their appearance just off the beaches and around the State Pier too. Not surprising, a few stray spanish mackerel have been caught on occasion at the pier during the previous fortnight, mostly at first light on the medium to large size sabiki rigs.
Little Lagoon Pass has silted in again, and fishing there seems to have suffered because of the shallow water at the mouth. But it is being dredged and some speckled trout should be available along the sandbar drop offs north of the bridge late afternoons with an incoming tide. Try lures that imitate mullet like MirrOlure 52M or the TT series or shallow divers like the Yozurri and Rapala brands. This because menhaden are long gone and mullet are the primary forage fish left in the lagoon.
Similarly, speckled trout may be found from the banks of the Intercoastal Waterway in Gulf Shores to Orange Beach. Throwing artificials from the banks of the canal has been quite effective for anglers like Rodney Johnson lately. Drifting live shrimp will produce trout, though you can cover much more water when throwing lures. Some slot sized redfish, sheepshead and oversized black drum should be active in the canal too. Try half a crab for large black drum, a great catch and release fish.
There may even be some specks, redfish, and who knows what else around the lighted portion along the seawall at Perdido Pass too, though mostly in the evening on the incoming tide. However, the diurnal tidal progression will be interrupted around the NEAP tide occurring January 6th. Then try drifting live shrimp in the current, while ordinarily a variety of lures or jigs fished at variable speeds should garner strikes. Bluefish are usually available from the jetties this time of year, with the pearl color Zoom Fluke on a ¼ ounce jig head being quite effective at times. Sure the soft plastic tails get shredded by the razor sharp teeth of bluefish, but they are a hardy lure in general. It is not uncommon to catch two or even three fish on a single tail, especially if you keep a tube of Super Glue handy to put the tail back together after being sliced up. Besides, these lures are cheaper than live shrimp! Throwing them in the surf on calm days can even produce flounder which have also been a little more active than normal in this mild water. Concentrate your efforts along the sandbar drop offs to the southwest of beach points. You will probably do best by wading which is not very comfortable in 65 degree water without waders or boots.
Beach venues have mostly been hot or cold as far as catching fish. Often because likely looking spots will produce little or no action in the morning on the low tide. But the same location may come alive the last few hours of daylight as the incoming tide adds a little more water depth and perhaps a few degrees warmer water to stimulate pompano, whiting, redfish, and drum to feed before dark. Sometimes bluefish get in the mix too, and have been known to bite the tails off whiting that are on the hook.
If you’re not sure about how to tackle up to fish the beach, or just want to learn more about reading the beach to determine where and when to fish, you might consider hiring a beach fishing guide through one of the well equipped local bait and tackle shops in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, or Perdido Key. None is closer to the water than the intently supplied trailer of Blane Roberts (Panhandle Salt) on Perdido Key Boulevard. Just one of many places you can find just what you need to be more successful in the surf.
Fishers on the Gulf State Park Pier have many of these options available from this single venue. From whiting and pompano in the surfzone, to flounder and sheepshead anywhere under the pier. A wide variety of fish species may be available to be caught from the pier on a given day. Even in winter occasional surprise catches like red snapper, blackfish, and even bonita (Little tunny) may be caught from the octagon at the south end of the pier. This will be the first winter in 5 years that option has been accessible to pier anglers.
Similar to beach fishing, whiting and pompano are caught on bottom using shrimp and Fishbites, but perhaps more are caught on ghost shrimp. Sheepshead, drum, redfish, and even flounder will eat ghost shrimp too. Most flounder are targeted with bull minnows, and not much else will eat that bait except redfish, bluefish and snapper sometimes. But flounder can also be caught on jigs bounced off the bottom. A ¾ ounce jig with a 3 inch long strip of fresh cut mullet is a great addition. They also like artificial shrimp, especially the scented ones like Gulp, and of course the live version too! Sheepshead however, only rarely strike a lure, and are often targeted with live shrimp or fiddler crabs. They sometimes suspend in the water column, feeding on algae and small invertebrates clinging to the piling. Other times, they may be at rest or feeding in loose schools on the bottom where they prefer a live ghost shrimp. A flounder isn’t likely to pass up a ghost shrimp either, nor a redfish, black drum or even those large whiting that like to hang around the pier in winter. Guess what the best all round bait is? So, bundle up in layered clothing and go have fun!