[TravellingEd]

Hello all,

I'm visiting on a family vacation to Gulf Shores Oct 20-25 and bringing my 15' River Hawk(Gheenoe) boat and would like to do some fishing. The past 12 years we've gone to Hilton Head SC, where I fished from my boat in the salt marsh creeks and around oyster beds for trout, redfish, and flounder(few). I would go out after low tide (tides go 6-9ft)and cast net for live bait shrimp and small mullet for cut bait. The shrimp went in an aerated bucket to keep them alive. I usually fished till high tide with shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float and quit. Sometimes I went out after high tide with cut bait, Gulp Shrimp or DOA Shrimp and did ok.

I try to do as much pre-trip research and planning as possible, because I can only make time for 3 or 4-four hour trips in between family time. I certainly do not expect anyone's honey hole disclosure, but any info on how my previous techniques might be adaptable to the Gulf Shores area would be appreciated. If its safe, I'm thinking of putting in at the ramp by Kiva Dunes Golf Course and fishing the Three Rivers area or at Moe's Landing and fishing Little Lagoon. Or on Google Maps I see what looks like a sandy access area to St. Andrews bay along Hyway 180, Ft Morgan Rd. Do Kayakers put in here? Might that be a good drag-in spot for a small boat? Is it a legal put in spot?


Questions:
-Can you catch bait shrimp in a cast net down there?
-I'm reading about catching LYs(Alewives) in a cast net. Any info?
-Are Lys easy to keep alive?
-Or should I just stick with artificials? I prefer live bait if I can catch it.
-How significant is tide effect? I see by the charts its only a couple feet from high to low.

I like to catch enough keepers to have a couple dinners during the week. Any more than I can eat in a day or two go back in the water.
I will post any wothy details of my trip.
Looking forward to seeing your part of America.
Thank You,
EdK

 

[Chris V]

Ed, you can catch many different kinda of live bait in the gulf shores area. Artificials will work well too. Where are you staying in gulf shores? I work at a tackle shop in orange beach but grew up on little lagoon in gulf shores

 

[TravellingEd]

Hey Chris, Thanks for responding. We are staying at Gulf Shores Plantation, next to Kiva Dune Golf Course. I spoke with a guy at the resort who told me about the ramp on HyWay 180. Is it Sam's where you work? Maybe I could stop in and chat when we get down there.

 

[rfh21]

I haven't fished the area you are in so I can't shed any light to that but the Gulf Coast is pretty much the same all along the north coast.

LY's go by many names down here. Pogies and menhaden are what they were always known to me as until I moved to Florida. They aren't the hardiest bait in the world, best not to overcrowd them and keep them in well oxygenated water. Pretty easy to catch in a net when you find them. They move in pretty large schools generally.

Tidal effect is very great down here. Although our movements aren't in the 3 foot range like you see in other areas moving water is key to catching the game fish you are looking for. Lots of people have their preferences on rising and falling, I personally don't as long as water is moving fish are feeding. However, don't let that determine if you go or not. The fish in the estuaries act a lot like bass too. They feed at dawn and dusk even if the water isn't moving. So all that said best times are water moving, sun low.

That's all I can shed light to as I'm unfamiliar with the exact area and don't use shrimp. I'm sure others can fill in the rest.

 

[TravellingEd]

Great Info Mr h21.Thanks. Moving water is a big key in SC also. Pre dawn is my favorite time to get out. I can fish several hours and be home about the time my mother in law, wife and daughter are having breakfast.

 

[SouthAlabamaSlayer]

Great Info Mr h21.Thanks. Moving water is a big key in SC also. Pre dawn is my favorite time to get out. I can fish several hours and be home about the time my mother in law, wife and daughter are having breakfast.

Do you like to catch flounder?

 

[BrakeTurnAccelerate]

I'm sure you've seen this:
http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/saltwater/where/


You could try little lagoon around west pass..

 

[TravellingEd]

Thank You Mr. Accellerate for the ramp site. I had found info on most of them, but not consolidated and detailed like that. Very nice. Is the "west" pass the main water passage from the Gulf to the Lagoon? I've read that people fish the dredged areas in there. I believe those dredged areas are visible on google map sattellite shots. Or is the west pass further west?

 

[kbush]

The area at St Andrews can be accessed by kayaks and small boats like your Riverhawk. I have fished there by kayak but havent launched my 13' Gheenoe there. I have seen trailered boats launch there before. A 4wdgood is likely needed to launch, the sand just off the road is soft but usually harder closer to the water. LL would be a good bet, especially the flats on the west end. Launch a couple hours before dawn and fish the dock lights with a free lined live shrimp.

 

[TravellingEd]

And to Mr. Slayer: I would love to catch flounder. I went out one day at Hilton Head targeting flounder on the falling tide where a creek drained the grass around some shell beds. I used live shrimp on the bottom and caught two undersize flounders. I did not have time to go but once, but it was nice to catch a couple when I was trying for them.

 

[BrakeTurnAccelerate]

Yea, that's the west pass (also called little lagoon pass). Lots of flounder and reds. I haven't been in a while but have caught Pompano and trout as well.
http://binged.it/SYwi7f

 

[SouthAlabamaSlayer]

And to Mr. Slayer: I would love to catch flounder. I went out one day at Hilton Head targeting flounder on the falling tide where a creek drained the grass around some shell beds. I used live shrimp on the bottom and caught two undersize flounders. I did not have time to go but once, but it was nice to catch a couple when I was trying for them.

PM about where to kill them incoming.

 

[WIRENUT1]

Hey....putin in on hwy 180 along there might be a prob. this time of year...prevailing north and east wind keep the bay a little chopped up for a ghenoe....but if ya do...and ive done....get up on one of the nearshore gas platforms with live shrimp an have yourself a ball....there is also a couple of shell reefs in place along there tthat are holding some nice reds and specks this time of year...from the beach at the end of ft morgan penninsula around the jetty area drown you some med. pinfish or bull minnows for some huge reds....or for a sure meal deal get in little lagoon about 10 or 11 pm and fish the lighted docks on the north bank across from west pass...use small live pinfish or live shrimp on a cork and eat well the next day...one more semi-honey hole and youre on your own....try early am or night around the coast guard station across from boggy point boat ramp...nothin there...then head up old river fishin the lights.MOST IMPORTANT if fishin at night be very aware of yourself and other boats in the area...youre in a small boat,be carefull...doesnt take much wake to get things really wet....good luck buddy!

 

[TravellingEd]

Thanks Wire! Especially for the safety advice. I'm bringin my clamp-on boat lights. I'll check out all the places, but Little Lagoon sounds like the spot. Best to you, and all the FishNuts who responded.
EdK

 

[Lyin Too]

send a private message to kayakbob, he seems to be THE MAN when it comes to little lagoon