Pier & Shore Fishing Outlook

Pier & Shore Fishing Outlook

By David “The Pierpounder” Thornton

The coastal angling version of making lemonade occurs whenever the weather isn’t kind, or our primary target species is not available, or the beaches crowd out with swimmers as summer nears. T
his fortnight begins on all of those notes as the wind pattern has conspired to assure a rough period for at least the rest of the week. Springtime spawning patterns run their course with various fish species like pompano, which are rapidly thinning in numbers throughout the surf zone as we approach the full moon on May 26.
Of course, some pompano will still be available to interested anglers, and some limits are still being caught on set rigs. But savvy anglers should be prepared to alter their tactics, and even their focus if conditions are not in their favor.
Plus, the distraction of competing fish species (like ladyfish) rapidly filling into the near shore waters make targeting pompano all the more difficult in late May. The water temperatures have been languishing in the middle 70s, but are due to jump into the upper 70s to near 80 by month’s end. This year, perhaps because of the frequency of late season cold fronts, the air and water temperature have lagged behind historic norms.
Best times to fish on the beach this time of year are before 9 a.m., and after 4 p.m. when there are far fewer folks in the water, and on the beach. If you want to fish all day, try a full-time fishing venue like the Gulf State Park Pier, Perdido Pass seawall, or Little Lagoon Pass. Better yet, walk a little farther to a more secluded spot to avoid the throngs of swimmers also invading the surf zone.
There are chunks of undeveloped shoreline even in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. And the National Wildlife Refuge along the Fort Morgan peninsula offers miles of open beaches to fish. What we don’t want (or need) is confrontations with swimmers or land owners about fishermen just trying to fish. Let’s be smart!
Angling options still abound though, for those willing to “make lemonade” and adjust to the conditions and concentrate on whatever species are available.
Ladyfish (also called “skipjacks”) are a fine example. They are good gamefish on light tackle, and can provide almost unending hours of fun for fishermen of all ages in the coming months, even in rough or dingy water. Newbie anglers especially, are rarely disappointed by their sporty leaps and sheer numbers. They are available now in droves from the pier, but also from the seawall at Alabama Point, and even from the gulf beaches at times. Likewise, blue runner (called “hardtails”) are readily available, pull hard, and strike a variety of small baits or lures intended for other species. They too are plentiful at the pier, Lagoon Pass and west jetty.
Both of these species also make surprisingly good eating, and “bleeding” any fish only makes it better for the table. The meat of the blue runner is firm and flavorful, not unlike their much larger cousins the amberjack. They are quite tasty when pan-sauteed in olive oil with just a dash of salt & pepper, or Cavender’s Greek Seasonings.
Ladyfish are a little more challenging because of the numerous “Y” bones in their fillets. But the flesh is very mild and light colored when cooked. The meat can be easily scraped from the fillet (leaving the bones and skin) with a fork or spoon. Then it can be steamed, boiled or baked with a little seasoning for fish salad, or formed into fish cakes. A fast, simple recipe shared by some friends on the pier is to season the meat in a bowl, add a little butter, and microwave it for a couple of minutes. Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it!
Black drum fishing from the banks along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway has gained much popularity this year. These brood fish usually weigh twenty pounds or more, and are tough fighters noted for their stamina because of the broad tail. A few “bull” redfish are caught by these anglers as well.
Canal fishing is a great alternative to fighting crashing waves and scores of folks vying for the same strip of sand on the beach. Drum may live to be 15 to 40 years old, and the larger specimens are coarse fleshed, and often riddled with spaghetti worms. A parasite that often infests members of the drum species like speckled trout. Though they are unsightly, they are harmless to humans and disappear when cooked. Mmm, yummy ;-). Big drum are good candidates for catch, photo, and release.
More conventional target species like spanish mackerel have been making recent showings at the pier, and even within reach of some beaches near Fort Morgan when the water has been fairly calm and clear. Some very fat mackerel near three pounds have been landed from the pier by anglers drifting live shrimp when lures weren’t working nearly as well. Marauding sharks are almost always an issue to be dealt with on the pier. But that just adds to the thrill of the catch sometimes.
Some pompano are still being caught, along with occasional flounder. Though many of both have been just undersized. Seems that is often the plague to anglers these days. Another good alternative species to target is spadefish. These unregulated, tasty panfish have a really small mouth, so using hooks of smaller size (#6 or even #8) will increase the catch rate. They will bite small pieces of cut shrimp, although small strips of squid or Fishbites will stay on the hook much longer.
So far this spring speckled trout fishing has not seemed quite as strong as in recent years. Perhaps the cooler water or rougher conditions have contributed to that. But the large numbers of sharks prowling the surf zone this spring hasn’t helped the trout fishing either. This should be prime time to surf cast for speckled trout, especially nearer to Fort Morgan. Once the wind and seas calm down, we should see a rapid warm up in air and water temperatures. And that would be better conditions for topwater plugging for trout in the early mornings. But don’t forget the suspending and slow sinking plugs and spoons, because you never know what conditions you may have to adjust to, or what may bite.
Good luck!