Nothing is ever assured in terms of pier fishing, the fish which can be thick at some point may be gone the subsequent. It may be much more drastic than that with the distinction between a tremendous day and a simply okay one being half-hour. That is much more the case in terms of pier fishing, the place you’re caught with what you get. There is no such thing as a looking or chasing after the fish, you get what you get on the pier that’s it. So, after I deliberate my last-minute journey right down to Panama Metropolis Seashore within the again half of October, I attempted to stack the deck in my favor. My schedule is fairly versatile lets me chase the wind and stories to try to discover the very best king mackerel chunk attainable. However like I mentioned earlier a day and even half-hour may be the distinction between a feast or famine on the pier.
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October is traditionally thought of a very good month for pier fishing. The warmth of the summer season is gone, and the water temperatures are beginning to fall right into a extra comfy vary once more. So, the chunk tends to choose up across the pier with bait and predators placing up a very good exhibiting. So, I used to be following my pal Sam’s weekly fishing report moderately intently beginning within the second half of September to see when a very good time may be to make one final journey right down to the County Pier this yr. Lastly, I noticed just a few good stories lined up with some free time I needed to go right down to the coast for just a few days. So, I packed my gear within the truck, booked a resort, and slept for just a few hours earlier than heading out round 3 am to start out the 6-hour drive right down to Panama Metropolis Seashore. After the lengthy uneventful drive, I arrived within the metropolis round 8:30 am with the time zone change. I needed to run round to a few stops first earlier than hitting the pier to seize some stay bait, get a few odds and ends, and go to a very good pal. In spite of everything that was finished, I received to the pier round 9:30 am and already noticed individuals leaving with coolers that had the tails of king mackerel protruding of them.
This had me excited, I believed I had gotten the timing excellent. Speaking with one of many guys there he informed me the kings had been on fireplace that morning. A number of individuals had restricted out and over 18 fish had been introduced over the rail. However then he informed me the unhealthy information, the chunk shut down round 8:30. There have been some Spanish, and bluefish round however the kings had disappeared. However even nonetheless I had pushed all the best way down I used to be going to fish to not less than verify in time for the resort. I didn’t have anything to do whereas down right here. So, I paid my $6 on the pier home and headed in the direction of the tip, stopping right here and there to have a look into the emerald water to search for bait or simply to speak with different fishermen I do know.
As soon as I received to the tip, I noticed that the chunk was finished, however individuals had been nonetheless fishing hoping some extra kings would come round. So, I received about making an attempt to make bait, I rigged up a light-weight #4 sabiki rig to my bait rod and began working the underside close to a piling. I hoped for cigar minnows to make use of however truly ended up with a form of unusual catch, a goggle eye. They appear a bit comparable with each having silvery pores and skin, however goggle eyes have a deeper physique form and a big eye as their identify implies. Additionally they odor completely different than cigar minnows form of like a barracuda and last more on the hook. So, I rapidly hooked that man up on my king rod, placing some extent of the treble hook below the scutes close to the tail of the fish. Then despatched him off the west aspect of the pier, letting him swim out to hopefully get eaten. I saved my line off the road curler and on my index finger as an alternative, letting the goggle eye take extra line out because it swam. This was additionally in order that if a king mackerel got here by and ate the bait, they might eat it with out feeling any line rigidity. Then, as soon as I used to be assured they’d taken the hook in deep, I may put the road on the curler to set the hook.
I used to be very hopeful with this premium bait; it was kicking rather well and had gone fairly far out. After perhaps 5 minutes it began to freak out, I may really feel it kicking a bunch by means of the road. One thing was chasing it, after which I felt the hit, so I gave the fish slack. As soon as I felt assured that the fish swallowed the hook, I set it hoping to see my line scream off the reel. As an alternative, it took just a few clicks of drag after which began to combat a bit of tougher than the goggle eye had earlier than. So, I believed I will need to have missed the king and began reeling. After just a few cranks, I spotted there was a fish on the tip of my line, however not what I wished. It was only a bluefish and never even a giant bluefish like those from the northeast. That premium bait received eaten by this pungent bluefish, which on a king rod was not likely a combat however simply form of like reeling in a spunky baitfish.
I wasn’t the one one having issues with the bluefish although, it appears a college of them had are available and began consuming up all our stay baits, with a number of extra being caught and given away to whoever wished one. The faculties of bait additionally grew to become tougher to search out, it felt like they had been pushed off the pier by the bluefish. However after a few hours lastly we had a very good hook-up occur on the pier. My pal George received a stable chunk by a very good king on a stay cigar minnow. It was a very good combat having him go up and down the tip of the pier a number of occasions, he was pier fishing lighter sort out with a 15# shock chief of monofilament between his braid and wire. However after some time, he lastly wore it down and introduced it alongside the west aspect of the pier the place I used to be ready for it with my pier gaff. At his sign, I dropped the gaff down so he may slide the fish over it earlier than I yanked on the rope to stay the fish and begin bringing it up over the rail.
George supplied me the fish however there was one factor, we needed to wait until our different pal Sam got here out to the pier so he may weigh the fish. There was a month-long king mackerel event occurring and George was in second place, however wished to see if this fish may bump him as much as 1st. So, to maintain it from dropping any weight and hold it in the very best situation attainable we caught the fish in my kill bag. We then put that within the shade and put a moist towel over the king’s tail to maintain it from drying out. We waited until a bit previous midday for Sam to reach then walked the fish right down to the pier to the size put up and weighed the fish in round 21 kilos. This was 6ish kilos shy of George’s 2nd place fish, so it didn’t place. So, all three of us walked again out to the tip of the pier. Sam and George began to fish for kings whereas I wished to get my gifted king gutted out as rapidly as attainable. Whereas I had gotten it on ice instantly, I wasn’t in a position to bleed and intestine it out instantly like I usually do.
Now it was round 2 pm, and the little ice I had in my kill bag was melting off. So, I believed it was pretty much as good a time as any to go out and get some ice and meals, mid-afternoon is normally sluggish and with the way it already had been for many of the morning I felt I wasn’t lacking a lot by heading out for a bit. I left most of my gear with Sam and one other pal Ivan and received off the pier. The primary cease was Buddy Gandy’s Seafood Market again over in Panama Metropolis for ice. Don’t get your ice from these ice machines or shops, discover a fish home that sells ice as nicely. I paid $10 bucks to fully replenish my 165qt Engel cooler with good high quality ice. It will 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 method again to the pier. As soon as I received again, I heard that there was one other king caught whereas I used to be gone across the 15lb vary. Sam additionally quickly hooked as much as a king after I received again as nicely. So, I waited once more with my gaff prepared as Sam went backwards and forwards alongside the entrance rail of the pier. Weaving between different fishermen and vacationers who had been crowding the rail to see what was occurring. Lastly, after just a few journeys and backwards and forwards he had the king subsequent to the pier able to be gaffed. However after I caught the fish, I used to be a bit of sluggish and caught it additional down than I might have appreciated within the softer stomach space. So, as I lifted this fish up it ripped off the gaff and fell again into the water, however Sam was prepared for this and was in free spool simply in case.
So, we introduced the king again over the gaff and caught it within the again this time and efficiently received it up on the deck. A lot to the joy of Ivan who wished a king to take residence for his spouse. This man got here out to about 19lbs, a stable fish. I did get one chunk from a king that afternoon although, however I used to be messing round when it occurred and missed the fish. I had a half-dead cigar minnow on the market that I used to be jigging proper in entrance of the pier to mess with the bluefish and remoras. However out from nearly below the pier a king got here by and simply slammed it. I had my line on the curler so when the king took off with cig it felt the drag and bolted. Leaving me with half a cigar minnow and no king. After that, apart from 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 5am the subsequent day.
