Does anything good bite overnight? Or just trash fish only?

[tesseract]

My friend is pushing me to go on an overnight trip but all I've ever caught are catfish and once hooked up on a tarpon at 2am which I thought was a joke until I saw it jump out of the water twice and spit my hook. I was running too light a tackle to land him as it looked 30 pounds or bigger. About half the size of this one:



My friend's idea of a successful overnight trip is spending $40 on live shrimp and losing all your shrimp to pinfish trying to hook up a mangrove snapper fighting underneath the pylons. I think the size limit went up recently from 10" to 12" for mangos so that's going to make it even more of a challenge. 

I've never caught a grouper at the pier despite fishing for them for 8 years -- do they ever bite at night, occasionally? I'll probably just bring my 6/0 and hunt for blacktips or bonnetheads since they are fun and exciting to catch! If I can't catch anything edible, might as well go shark-hunting right? 😂🏴‍☠️

[inoeatfish]

I would recommend casting for greenbacks and cut them in half. Head off and tails off.

Bottom fish and they eat best before and during slack tide, the mangrove snappers and lady fish and some trouts will hit. But the pin fish will pecker the heck out of it so don’t get to trigger happy unless it hits hard.

Use a Carolina rig setup with a circle hook.

I’ve seen some guys chase the tarpons with success and they were there tonight as I saw them rolling in the shadow line.

During the late summer, I believe the snooks and cobias can be found.

The macs eat at night near the light poles along the shadow line of free line greenbacks.

Goodluck and bring lots of drinks and snacks. Don’t fall into the ocean .

[carlf]

Size limit is still 10" for mangroves in state waters according to the fish rules App.

Use live small greenback or white bait so the pinfish don't wipe you out, I've had much better luck getting keeper size snaps with them vs. shrimp. And you don't waste $40 on shrimp.

[tesseract]

Apr 21, 2023 10:29:58 GMT -5 carlf said:

Size limit is still 10" for mangroves in state waters according to the fish rules App.

Use live small greenback or white bait so the pinfish, I've had much better luck getting keeper size snaps with them vs. shrimp. And you dont waste $40 on shrimp.

I tried searching google and got conflicting answers. 

myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/snappers/

I think you are right about 10" being in state waters and 12" being in federal waters. 

[saltybass]

Night fishing can be great.
It can be almost impossible on Friday & Saturday nights because of the crowds.
You still need to move and find the fish.

Full moon nights are normally better. I prefer shrimp for bait. If you're only getting robbed by pinfish then you need to move.

Snapper, trout, redfish and snook are what I would target.

I generally don't go overnight before June or after September. I want a good chance at bigger snapper if I'm losing sleep.

All said, I would still prefer getting there just before sunrise/sunset and fishing a few hours.

[stuckintherocks]

Apr 20, 2023 20:21:48 GMT -5 tesseract said:

My friend is pushing me to go on an overnight trip but all I've ever caught are catfish and once hooked up on a tarpon at 2am which I thought was a joke until I saw it jump out of the water twice and spit my hook. I was running too light a tackle to land him as it looked 30 pounds or bigger. About half the size of this one:



My friend's idea of a successful overnight trip is spending $40 on live shrimp and losing all your shrimp to pinfish trying to hook up a mangrove snapper fighting underneath the pylons. I think the size limit went up recently from 10" to 12" for mangos so that's going to make it even more of a challenge. 

I've never caught a grouper at the pier despite fishing for them for 8 years -- do they ever bite at night, occasionally? I'll probably just bring my 6/0 and hunt for blacktips or bonnetheads since they are fun and exciting to catch! If I can't catch anything edible, might as well go shark-hunting right? 😂🏴‍☠️

I just had a great night out there, started the night around 10pm large greenies were plentiful under lights, Was perfect end of out going tide, got a few snapper to keep on shrimp and cut greenies, as the tide switched and got stronger the snapper bite died out, I switched to catching big ladyfish on poppers which is always a blast, managed a few ladies and a sand trout and started soaking cut baits for whatever would bite, got a 3 foot black tip, a very large sting ray, and hooked into a 75-80pound tarpon which took
Me for a quick and very aerobatic run, wrapped around and broke my 80lb braid, finished off right at 6am. Fun night.

[maksandjacks]

Apr 25, 2023 10:25:36 GMT -5 stuckintherocks said:

Apr 20, 2023 20:21:48 GMT -5 tesseract said:

My friend is pushing me to go on an overnight trip but all I've ever caught are catfish and once hooked up on a tarpon at 2am which I thought was a joke until I saw it jump out of the water twice and spit my hook. I was running too light a tackle to land him as it looked 30 pounds or bigger. About half the size of this one:



My friend's idea of a successful overnight trip is spending $40 on live shrimp and losing all your shrimp to pinfish trying to hook up a mangrove snapper fighting underneath the pylons. I think the size limit went up recently from 10" to 12" for mangos so that's going to make it even more of a challenge. 

I've never caught a grouper at the pier despite fishing for them for 8 years -- do they ever bite at night, occasionally? I'll probably just bring my 6/0 and hunt for blacktips or bonnetheads since they are fun and exciting to catch! If I can't catch anything edible, might as well go shark-hunting right? 😂🏴‍☠️

I just had a great night out there, started the night around 10pm large greenies were plentiful under lights, Was perfect end of out going tide, got a few snapper to keep on shrimp and cut greenies, as the tide switched and got stronger the snapper bite died out, I switched to catching big ladyfish on poppers which is always a blast, managed a few ladies and a sand trout and started soaking cut baits for whatever would bite, got a 3 foot black tip, a very large sting ray, and hooked into a 75-80pound tarpon which took
Me for a quick and very aerobatic run, wrapped around and broke my 80lb braid, finished off right at 6am. Fun night.

Stingray wings makes great cut bait for sharks and cut lady fish will catch almost anything. Circle hooks with wire leader and 1-3 oz sinker and you are set up for some great fights! (I have caught blacktips and bonnets, what other sharks species are near the pier any bulls or nurses?)

[jlars]

Went out the other night. Snappers were biting. Lots of shorts but i did manage a limit. Stay mobile until you find them. Cut greenbacks.

[jlars]