|
|
Post by maksandjacks on May 21, 2023 19:40:04 GMT -5
Hey Yall Im taking friends to the skyway some night this week. Trying to show them why we all love fishing so much any recommendations, tips or what i should expect hitting the south side at night.
Are sabikis effective at night or is a cast net a better bet? And besides snook, snapper and trout what else could i expect to catch.
P.s. So glad to see red tide gone for now!
|
|
|
|
Post by maksandjacks on May 21, 2023 19:41:04 GMT -5
Also any recommendations for lures was planning on gotchas spoons and stick baits
|
|
|
|
Post by carlf on May 21, 2023 19:56:16 GMT -5
My experience is that cast net is more effective at night.
Sand/white trout bite well at night if they are around.
|
|
|
|
Post by maksandjacks on May 21, 2023 20:02:47 GMT -5
My experience is that cast net is more effective at night. Sand/white trout bite well at night if they are around. Should i primarily fishing greens and pins in bottom? |
|
|
|
Post by stuckintherocks on May 21, 2023 21:42:55 GMT -5
Also any recommendations for lures was planning on gotchas spoons and stick baits I have better luck getting greenbacks at night with a sabiki, typically bigger greenbacks and threadfins, the cast net usually only me what I believe to be Spanish sardines I but I only throw a six footer so it doesn’t sink incredibly fast, medium size greenbacks hooked in the mouth thru the hard part of the nose on a Carolina rig and throw just on the edge of rock piles. You will get snagged. But you will also more than likely catch some good snapper, big grunts, and small sometimes large grouper. Stick baits for large lady fish on the edges of the lights. Use the lady fish as cut bait when you get really bored and hook into any random large shark tarpon or grouper.. around 3 am to 6am grab your friends n stick your heads over the rail and look under the pier under the lights and see the schools of 100lb tarpon swimming down the pier.. I promise you’ll friends will wanna go back hahaha |
|
|
|
Post by fishsci on May 22, 2023 10:27:12 GMT -5
Good advice and information. FYI, there is no better bait than a Spanish sardine. Snook will hit a live sardine when they ignore any other live bait droppend in their face. A half of of a sardine is the best bait for good sized snapper. Sabikii, or even better a gold hook rig, can catch bait at night, but usually has to be worked a little differently. Cast it out a little way upcurrent, and let it dift back to and under the bridge. Jigging the rig does not seem to work much at night, so just let the rig drift back. BTW, thinking back to my days as a boy fising all night on East coat piers, we discovered the best rig for catching bait at night, was not a gold hook rig, or a sabiki (they did not exist back then) -- it was a rig with multiple hooks, like a gold-hook rig, but wit small black hooks. Maybe someone shoud try that at the skyway.
|
|
|
|
Post by maksandjacks on May 22, 2023 14:57:12 GMT -5
Also any recommendations for lures was planning on gotchas spoons and stick baits I have better luck getting greenbacks at night with a sabiki, typically bigger greenbacks and threadfins, the cast net usually only me what I believe to be Spanish sardines I but I only throw a six footer so it doesn’t sink incredibly fast, medium size greenbacks hooked in the mouth thru the hard part of the nose on a Carolina rig and throw just on the edge of rock piles. You will get snagged. But you will also more than likely catch some good snapper, big grunts, and small sometimes large grouper. Stick baits for large lady fish on the edges of the lights. Use the lady fish as cut bait when you get really bored and hook into any random large shark tarpon or grouper.. around 3 am to 6am grab your friends n stick your heads over the rail and look under the pier under the lights and see the schools of 100lb tarpon swimming down the pier.. I promise you’ll friends will wanna go back hahaha Thank you so much for the advice, so ladies and snook near the pay booth and snapper, grunts and grouper more towards the baitshop? And I myself will be more than happy to watch 100ib tarpon rolling |
|
|
|
Post by maksandjacks on May 22, 2023 15:00:28 GMT -5
Good advice and information. FYI, there is no better bait than a Spanish sardine. Snook will hit a live sardine when they ignore any other live bait droppend in their face. A half of of a sardine is the best bait for good sized snapper. Sabikii, or even better a gold hook rig, can catch bait at night, but usually has to be worked a little differently. Cast it out a little way upcurrent, and let it dift back to and under the bridge. Jigging the rig does not seem to work much at night, so just let the rig drift back. BTW, thinking back to my days as a boy fising all night on East coat piers, we discovered the best rig for catching bait at night, was not a gold hook rig, or a sabiki (they did not exist back then) -- it was a rig with multiple hooks, like a gold-hook rig, but wit small black hooks. Maybe someone shoud try that at the skyway. Is a gold hook rig similar to a sabiki without the little flys? Did not know Spanish sardines where that good will most defintely keep and use them thank you for your help as well! And assuming that the black hook rig is like a sabiki without the flys ill give it a shot and lyk! |
|
|
|
Post by carlf on May 22, 2023 15:02:06 GMT -5
gold hook rig is just multiple small (#10 or #12) gold "bream" hooks, on dropped loops.
Its what we used before we found out about sabikis.
|
|
|
|
Post by fishsci on May 22, 2023 20:22:00 GMT -5
gold hook rig is just multiple small (#10 or #12) gold "bream" hooks, on dropped loops. Its what we used before we found out about sabikis. For the most part, you are correct. However, what you call a bream hook, probably is a long-shank Aberdeen hook that is commonly used for bluegiills and sunfish. Those Aberdeen gold hooks canbe purchased almost anywhere...e.g. Walmart. However, back in the day (before anyone heard of sabikis), gold hook rigs used shorter shank offest small good hooks from Mustad or Eagle Claw. However they are almost impossible to find except online occasionally. The longer-shank gold Aberdeen hooks work OK for a gold hook rig, but are not nearly as effective as the shorter shank offset gold hook...but can you find them? |
|
|
|
Post by tears143 on May 22, 2023 21:03:45 GMT -5
gold hook rig is just multiple small (#10 or #12) gold "bream" hooks, on dropped loops. Its what we used before we found out about sabikis. For the most part, you are correct. However, what you call a bream hook, probably is a long-shank Aberdeen hook that is commonly used for bluegiills and sunfish. Those Aberdeen gold hooks canbe purchased almost anywhere...e.g. Walmart. However, back in the day (before anyone heard of sabikis), gold hook rigs used shorter shank offest small good hooks from Mustad or Eagle Claw. However they are almost impossible to find except online occasionally. The longer-shank gold Aberdeen hooks work OK for a gold hook rig, but are not nearly as effective as the shorter shank offset gold hook...but can you find them? I have a bunch of them.. cheap and easy.. comes in a nice box too... search online. PM me if you can't find them. |
|
|
|
Post by maksandjacks on May 22, 2023 21:13:33 GMT -5
gold hook rig is just multiple small (#10 or #12) gold "bream" hooks, on dropped loops. Its what we used before we found out about sabikis. For the most part, you are correct. However, what you call a bream hook, probably is a long-shank Aberdeen hook that is commonly used for bluegiills and sunfish. Those Aberdeen gold hooks canbe purchased almost anywhere...e.g. Walmart. However, back in the day (before anyone heard of sabikis), gold hook rigs used shorter shank offest small good hooks from Mustad or Eagle Claw. However they are almost impossible to find except online occasionally. The longer-shank gold Aberdeen hooks work OK for a gold hook rig, but are not nearly as effective as the shorter shank offset gold hook...but can you find them? I appreciate the info but are the gold hook rigs really that much more effective? If i can find them or have time to make them before i go ill give it a go but i dont really understand how theu could be much more effective than a sabiki (i could be very wrong i grew up a flats guy and am now learning the ways of the skyway and pierfishing) |
|
|
|
Post by fishsci on May 22, 2023 22:38:09 GMT -5
For the most part, you are correct. However, what you call a bream hook, probably is a long-shank Aberdeen hook that is commonly used for bluegiills and sunfish. Those Aberdeen gold hooks canbe purchased almost anywhere...e.g. Walmart. However, back in the day (before anyone heard of sabikis), gold hook rigs used shorter shank offest small good hooks from Mustad or Eagle Claw. However they are almost impossible to find except online occasionally. The longer-shank gold Aberdeen hooks work OK for a gold hook rig, but are not nearly as effective as the shorter shank offset gold hook...but can you find them? I appreciate the info but are the gold hook rigs really that much more effective? If i can find them or have time to make them before i go ill give it a go but i dont really understand how theu could be much more effective than a sabiki (i could be very wrong i grew up a flats guy and am now learning the ways of the skyway and pierfishing) It is like almost fishing is...it depends on the circumstances. Sabiki rigs present a larger, more substantial object for the planton feeding fish (Spanish sardines, thread herring, or scaled sardines) that we catch for bait. Sometimes the zooplankton (usually copepods) that they are feeding are larger, and in that case the Sabiki presents a lure that is more like what the bait fish are feeing on. It that case, the Sabiki rig probably is more effective. At other times, the zooplankton are smaller than the Sabiki hooks+skin. In that case, the gold hooks can be more effective because they are more similar in size relative to what the baitfish are feeding on. If you could get the hooks, the gold hook rig has a major advantage. A six-hook gold hook rig costs only maybe $0.30, whereas a Sabiki costs over a dollar or up to over two dollars, depending where you buy them and the brand. Making a gold hook rig is easy and quick. You just load 5 or 6 gold hooks on the 8# iine, slide one up the line about 3 ft, tie it in a small loop knot, and then do the same with the next hook about 3-4 inches (typically) below the last one. The other good thing is that if you get your rig tangled up, you can just cut off the hooks and re-rig them. But with a Sabiki rig, you have to toss the entire rig. |
|
|
|
Post by fishsci on May 22, 2023 22:45:10 GMT -5
For the most part, you are correct. However, what you call a bream hook, probably is a long-shank Aberdeen hook that is commonly used for bluegiills and sunfish. Those Aberdeen gold hooks canbe purchased almost anywhere...e.g. Walmart. However, back in the day (before anyone heard of sabikis), gold hook rigs used shorter shank offest small good hooks from Mustad or Eagle Claw. However they are almost impossible to find except online occasionally. The longer-shank gold Aberdeen hooks work OK for a gold hook rig, but are not nearly as effective as the shorter shank offset gold hook...but can you find them? I have a bunch of them.. cheap and easy.. comes in a nice box too... search online. PM me if you can't find them. Oh yes, I forgot...You can buy imported gold hooks at a good price. Most are made in China or Asia. You can find them on places like Ali Experss. However the ones I found come in a nice box, but include a range of sizes -- some of which are too big for gold hook rigs. Also, they rust much quicker tha the old Mustad or Eagle Claw hooks. Originally, believe it or not, most of the old gold hooks (particularly those made in Sweden) were actuall plated with real gold, and that is why they did not rust fast. |
|
|
|
Post by stuckintherocks on May 23, 2023 16:03:20 GMT -5
Good advice and information. FYI, there is no better bait than a Spanish sardine. Snook will hit a live sardine when they ignore any other live bait droppend in their face. A half of of a sardine is the best bait for good sized snapper. Sabikii, or even better a gold hook rig, can catch bait at night, but usually has to be worked a little differently. Cast it out a little way upcurrent, and let it dift back to and under the bridge. Jigging the rig does not seem to work much at night, so just let the rig drift back. BTW, thinking back to my days as a boy fising all night on East coat piers, we discovered the best rig for catching bait at night, was not a gold hook rig, or a sabiki (they did not exist back then) -- it was a rig with multiple hooks, like a gold-hook rig, but wit small black hooks. Maybe someone shoud try that at the skyway. Jigging the sabiki at night not working and to just let it drift up current is great advice and holds true, I flip it out, hit bottom, then reel about mid way in the water column and let it drift back to me to catch all my bait |
|
|
|
Post by stuckintherocks on May 23, 2023 16:17:36 GMT -5
I have better luck getting greenbacks at night with a sabiki, typically bigger greenbacks and threadfins, the cast net usually only me what I believe to be Spanish sardines I but I only throw a six footer so it doesn’t sink incredibly fast, medium size greenbacks hooked in the mouth thru the hard part of the nose on a Carolina rig and throw just on the edge of rock piles. You will get snagged. But you will also more than likely catch some good snapper, big grunts, and small sometimes large grouper. Stick baits for large lady fish on the edges of the lights. Use the lady fish as cut bait when you get really bored and hook into any random large shark tarpon or grouper.. around 3 am to 6am grab your friends n stick your heads over the rail and look under the pier under the lights and see the schools of 100lb tarpon swimming down the pier.. I promise you’ll friends will wanna go back hahaha Thank you so much for the advice, so ladies and snook near the pay booth and snapper, grunts and grouper more towards the baitshop? And I myself will be more than happy to watch 100ib tarpon rolling Of course, I would consider the night time at skyway my specialty, i usually get outta work Monday night and fish all night through into Tuesday morning, that’s my only time I get to fish so I take what I can get! Snook near the toll booth freelining pinfish, grunts, big pilchards/sardines, I prefer the last two hours of outgoing tide for them. May hook into a juvi tarpon, random cobia, and I’ve seen medium size triple tail as well ! Ladyfish will be under and on the shadow line of just about every light, I throw twitch baits or small poppers, for the snapper and grouper and grunts I go from the first opening before the bait shop and hit every rock pile til before the last bathroom depending on tide, current, wind and weather conditions. I’ve learned the spots I can cast way out into the rock piles or between them and not get snagged, I know the pilings are productive as well but I personally don’t fish em, while you’re learning your spots you can cast without getting snagged I suggest using a decently heavy leader, weight, setup, but a cheap eagle claw silver hook, in a lot of situations your hook will bend before your rig snaps and you won’t have to worry about losing so much tackle into the water. Once you get your spots start using lighter leader with stronger hooks, you can land medium snapper and big grunts on the cheap crap but the bigger snapper and grouper are picky and they hit like a mother effer, will bend out those cheap hooks quick. You have to fish tight drag to get ‘em out the rocks when they hit. I haven’t seen many tarpon in the deeper water for some reason, they’ve been hanging out by the first bathrooms to the dumpster area at the beginning of the pier.. ok that’s all folks |
|
|
|
Post by stuckintherocks on May 23, 2023 16:23:01 GMT -5
 that was the haul from last night.. ladyfish saved for bait, I only kept snapper 12in and up, biggest was 14, threw back 4 or 5 10 and 11 inchers, the action was really good last night on incoming tide. Missed and lost some real nice bites. Mack was in the morning before I left on cut greenie under a float, I didn’t measure but definitely a good sized one around 18-20in range I missed another good one that I didn’t set hook on in time and then action died.. had to get home |
|
|
|
Post by stuckintherocks on May 23, 2023 16:37:06 GMT -5
 there was a little tarpon action like i said in the original post around the first bathroom from about 3:30to 4:00 am, it was the only time I saw them active and eating green backs under the lights all night, i crush the barbs on my circle hooks when I fish for them and 9 out of 10 times when you take the tension off they pop off and you don’t have to worry bout leavin a hook in them, needless to say this picture was not easy to get but best I can do on these solo missions.. |
|
|
|
Post by carlf on May 23, 2023 16:39:01 GMT -5
Nice mess of fish!
Gold hooks: try searching for salmon egg hooks. They come in size 6-12, and are gold.
|
|
|
|
Post by fishsci on May 23, 2023 20:16:39 GMT -5
that was the haul from last night.. ladyfish saved for bait, I only kept snapper 12in and up, biggest was 14, threw back 4 or 5 10 and 11 inchers, the action was really good last night on incoming tide. Missed and lost some real nice bites. Mack was in the morning before I left on cut greenie under a float, I didn’t measure but definitely a good sized one around 18-20in range I missed another good one that I didn’t set hook on in time and then action died.. had to get home Great post, so much informaton...not likely for me, but for others. You are such dedicated Skyway fisherman, bit I am not sure I have the the energy and dedication to fish all night long ater working all day long. Good for you. I hope you keep up the good results, good posts. It at leastl saves me from fishing all night long, LOL! |
|
|
|
Post by fishsci on May 23, 2023 20:23:34 GMT -5
Nice mess of fish! Gold hooks: try searching for salmon egg hooks. They come in size 6-12, and are gold. Good information...and salmon hooks are very short shank and would work well for a gold hook rig. I was surprised when I went to my local walmart today...could not resist going through the fishineg section... They had #8 Mustad gold live bait hooks. They were #8. I usually prefer slightly smaller (e.g. #10) but those would work. At least they are available for immediate purchase, instead of having to order them and pay for shipping and wait for delivery. |
|
|
|
Post by maksandjacks on May 24, 2023 9:44:58 GMT -5
Thank you so much for the advice, so ladies and snook near the pay booth and snapper, grunts and grouper more towards the baitshop? And I myself will be more than happy to watch 100ib tarpon rolling Of course, I would consider the night time at skyway my specialty, i usually get outta work Monday night and fish all night through into Tuesday morning, that’s my only time I get to fish so I take what I can get! Snook near the toll booth freelining pinfish, grunts, big pilchards/sardines, I prefer the last two hours of outgoing tide for them. May hook into a juvi tarpon, random cobia, and I’ve seen medium size triple tail as well ! Ladyfish will be under and on the shadow line of just about every light, I throw twitch baits or small poppers, for the snapper and grouper and grunts I go from the first opening before the bait shop and hit every rock pile til before the last bathroom depending on tide, current, wind and weather conditions. I’ve learned the spots I can cast way out into the rock piles or between them and not get snagged, I know the pilings are productive as well but I personally don’t fish em, while you’re learning your spots you can cast without getting snagged I suggest using a decently heavy leader, weight, setup, but a cheap eagle claw silver hook, in a lot of situations your hook will bend before your rig snaps and you won’t have to worry about losing so much tackle into the water. Once you get your spots start using lighter leader with stronger hooks, you can land medium snapper and big grunts on the cheap crap but the bigger snapper and grouper are picky and they hit like a mother effer, will bend out those cheap hooks quick. You have to fish tight drag to get ‘em out the rocks when they hit. I haven’t seen many tarpon in the deeper water for some reason, they’ve been hanging out by the first bathrooms to the dumpster area at the beginning of the pier.. ok that’s all folks I again cannot express my gratitude, thank you so much for sharing some of your knowledge. And again thank you all for tips, I both will try a gold hook rig, sabiki and cast net and will report how i did. Will try my luck to bring some snapper home and have tight lines! Hopefully we have a good night! |
|
|
|
Post by stuckintherocks on May 27, 2023 18:09:01 GMT -5
that was the haul from last night.. ladyfish saved for bait, I only kept snapper 12in and up, biggest was 14, threw back 4 or 5 10 and 11 inchers, the action was really good last night on incoming tide. Missed and lost some real nice bites. Mack was in the morning before I left on cut greenie under a float, I didn’t measure but definitely a good sized one around 18-20in range I missed another good one that I didn’t set hook on in time and then action died.. had to get home Great post, so much informaton...not likely for me, but for others. You are such dedicated Skyway fisherman, bit I am not sure I have the the energy and dedication to fish all night long ater working all day long. Good for you. I hope you keep up the good results, good posts. It at leastl saves me from fishing all night long, LOL! Hahaha that is what I’m here for my friend, I’ll put in the long hours so others don’t have too |
|
