# Paging ZodiakZack



## kylegeiger.com (Jan 14, 2006)

Hey bro,

You seem to be the Ponce Inlet guru...the last time we went down to Florida for the fishing excursion...we ended up in Ponce Inlet fishing off the jetties oceanside. BEST surf fishing I've ever experienced! Is this always the case or did we just get lucky? Also...how on earth do you set it up so that you don't get hung up when fishing on the river side with live bait? Thanks!


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

What type of fish do you want to catch?

What time of year were you down here fishing when you had that great experience?


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## kylegeiger.com (Jan 14, 2006)

I was down over thanksgiving...Caught a huge Red and bluefish on every cast almost. Finger mullet were making a run inshore. Caught some nice cobia, snapper, and grouper offshore. Any other good seasons? thinking about coming down over spring break...would like to catch other fish other than blues at some point. Have pics actually...need to shrink them down to post them on here.


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Big blues will be in by then (by Florida standards). Spanish Mackerel will be around. Pompano (very good eating) will be around. Sheepshead will still be plentiful. Send me an email through the forum when you come down and we will meet up at the jetty.


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## orlandonoah (Jan 2, 2006)

i went to ponce yesterday and lost more rigs on the rocks on the river side then anyone should endure. then i went to a point where the river meets and caught whiting like it was my job. i hear about the snapper, grouper etc. but didnt really see anyone doing that well. any advice on techniques for the rocks. i was using live shrimp, a 3/4 ounce egg sinker and still kept getting hung up.


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Whoever tells you they catch grouper (besides 4 to 8 inch babies) is probably telling a story. I fish out there daily and can count on one hand the grouper I have seen come up from Ponce Jetty. In regards to fishing on the rocks, you need to use 1/2 to 1oz round egg sinker in light current, and up to 4oz flat egg sinker with max current. The more weight you use, the better your chances of snagging and losing your rig. Also use about 2 feet of leader line in the 50-lb range and at least 50-lb braid preferrably (or mono) for your running line. If the current is ripping full blast, forget it, don't even bother. If the current is running moderate or less you can do it while losing minimal rigs. The key is knowing how to retrieve your line after it has been cast out. Once you cast out and it comes to sit on the bottom among the rocks, DON'T reel any line in. Instead, reel the slack of the line without tightening it down. Hold your finger on the line but don't snug it up. When you decide your bait has sat out there long enough and you are going to check your line. Reel any excess slack out of your line, but once again don't snug it up or reel till it catches. Instead, pop it up off the rocks/bottom and if it comes free then reel like crazy until your line is all the way in. Also, DO NOT cast upstream of the current as the current will drag it back downstream and into rocks. Then you won't be able to pop it up and out, --instead you will pull it into the rock and snag it. Trust me when I say, it's a pain in the butt, but I can go and sometimes keep the same rig all day. Other days I might lose 6 rigs... which is why I pre-tie my rigs before I ever even go out there. Make no mistake about it though, the BIG quality fish are in the channel, not on the beachside.


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

2 MORE TIPS:

1.) I tie a UNI knot and wrap my 50-lb vanish leader 3 times to the swivel. I tie a UNI knot and wrap my 50-lb vanish leader 2 times to the hook. That way the when you do get snagged and go to break your line, it breaks at the hook which is the weaker knot (2 wraps instead of 3) and you only have to replace your hook instead of your entire rig. Trust me though, if you tie a good enough UNI knot with 2 wraps it WILL hold for big fish.

2.) Also, on Ponce Jetty if you fish one of the three walkouts on the channel side and you cast in the 10 to 30 yard range, that is where most breakoffs occur because there are more broken lines and tangled "tackle bombs" down there for you to snag on. That's because these 3 places are where most people cast and get snagged/broke off. 

*CURRENT PERMITTING*, you won't experience near as many snags if you:

1.) Fish right off the rocks, 3 to 5 feet out.
-or-
2.) Chuck your weight as far across the channel as you can.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Bringing this back*

Zach.....Because more people are asking about fishing there. And i havent been there in awhile, pretty good info....feel free to add anything. This is a old thread...


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## patindaytona (Jun 17, 2006)

*Ponce*

I've been missing alot of huge hits at the Ponce. I use 40lb power pro and a heavy rod..little action. When the fish hits, I lower my rod some to give it some line. When it hits again, the bait is literally jerked out of it's mouth. Maybe I should start keeping the rod much higher to have maximum "give" and not lower it at all? What do you think?


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

You don't want to give him line unless he is already pulling away with your bait. Once he starts moving away with the bait, give him a little and if your line stays tight, then bring the rod tip all the way up applying even pressure all the way. If anything, when they bump it you want your finger on the line, and all slack out of your [braided] line so you can feel exactly whats going on on the other end your line.


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## patindaytona (Jun 17, 2006)

*Tricky Fish*

Some slowy start moving away with the bait..that's no problem, but then some, like the last several times..slam my bait and my rod goes down quickly. Then the fish released the bait. But usually comes right back. By that time i have no slack in my power pro and my rod is pointing low. He grabs the bait and it's yanked out of his mouth.
I guess I should be keeping my rod high at all times.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Pat*

i think if you kept your rod in hand you would be able to get more hookup. But if they are letting go, then they havent got into the hook. If you are using circle hooks, they should hook themselve....At least thats my .02


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

You may also be getting bites from Yellowtails(sand perch, peckerfish, etc). These guys are only about 8" long usually, and bite like they weigh twenty pounds. They can be very annoying, and hard to hook with anything over a 1/0.

Here's a pic of the possible suspect...


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

Remember...don't set the hook as if you were using mono...that will cause you to jerk everything out of its mouth.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Those damn*

Ninga fish That why i use large livebait when they see a bait bigger then they are, they just haul butt and get out of there


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## patindaytona (Jun 17, 2006)

*fish*

I NEVER let my rod down. I am always holding on to it.


jettypark28 said:


> i think if you kept your rod in hand you would be able to get more hookup. But if they are letting go, then they havent got into the hook. If you are using circle hooks, they should hook themselve....At least thats my .02


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