# 2nd Ave Pier Rigs



## Knaroz (Apr 8, 2009)

What would be some good rigs to premake before my trip next week for this pier?


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

I think I'm one of the few here that fish it regularly and successfully... 

Depends on what you want to catch. For general bottom fishing, either go light or go heavy due to the rocks, tie your own 2 hook bottom rigs. 

I catch best with 15-20 lb mono leaders. Especially if there's sea trout around hitting mullet fillets. They're leader shy and a few breakoffs from blues/rocks is worth some extra trout in the cooler. Check your leader often to make sure you're not going to pop off the lead and send it flying on a hard cast.

Whiting and other bottom fish can be caught on heavier mono but it's not needed even if the bluefish are around since the ones we see around here are small. If you want to land everything you hook into, 30 lb mono should be plenty, and/or try a #2-1/0 *long* shank hook, that'll keep the teeth off your mono. 

For weights it's almost mandatory you use bank sinkers, not pyramids. The angles get caught in the rocks. Also the 2 sides of the piers are loaded with rocks, if you want to avoid snags get there early and claim a spot on the T facing out. Never caught hardly anything in the suds there, the beach is so flat it looks like someone landscaped it (walk down at low tide and see). 

So basically,
get there early, get on the T (the corner if you want to jig for Spanish)

lighter leaders depending on what species are around, no beads, max 1 small #7 swivel on top of the rig, bronze hooks (unless you only want the blue action)

Hit it hard and straight out from the T (hard is relative when using medium 7' rods, but try to get as far as you can) 

bring a handful 3 and 4 oz bank sinkers for max distance off the T 

Fish with fresh finger mullet fillets and fresh shrimp if you feel you need it

Drop me a PM if you have any other questions. Don't feel shy about putting out a heavier 9/10' rod with a decent chunk of mullet for a drum, big blue, whatever. Either use 80+ mono leader for teeth or light single strand wire. Also if it's slow, the flounder are usually decent to good off the pier. 

Also I'd tie at least 3-5 Spanish tree rigs up, they have great rigs on the pier, I know the guy that ties them, but they're like $4.88 last I saw with tax and only 6 hooks. Don't wanna have some guys killing them and have to run through $10-15 bucks to catch some fish one afternoon.


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## Knaroz (Apr 8, 2009)

Wow, just WOW, that is some awesome info Smooth, gonna print off this page for when I head to the tackle shop lol. Quick question on tieing Spanish Rigs is there a good site that shows how to tie them? I don't mind paying for them but seeing that I will be there like 10 days if it would be cheaper to make my own I think it would be better.

Also how crowded does it stay on the pier? I ask because last year when I was at Pier 14 there was a day or 2 I was the only person fishing out there.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Pier 14 is more for the resturaunt than the fisherman, 2nd Ave usually has some folks except in the evenings and early mornings, after about 9 or 10 AM lots of tourists move through, til about 4-5 when they all leave to eat.

For the crowd, it depends on the weather, season, weekday/end, ect. Not many locals I've ran into outside of the flounder guys so it's mostly Joe Tourist next to you fishing but most aren't bad. If you're on the T most of the tourists will come out to the sheltered area, look around, take a picture or two, and leave but some days it's a steady stream. If you're on the sides heading out, you'll have them come right up to you, and don't understand when you have a 30 lb ray on a light 10 lb test setup that they need to move when he goes left/right. 

Always look behind you before you cast. 

I've had a few days where I was the only one catching fish, from slants on T, and would tell the folks out there how to catch the blues that were running hard but they wouldn't listen, so I wound up with a limit and no one else caught not even one blue....all you needed was to tie on a 3-4 oz sinker, some fresh mullet/croaker and hit it out as far as you can, I was getting hit before my bait hit the bottom 1/4 casts...

Don't bother with the shrimp they sell from the pier, it's junk, but their frozen finger mullet at $5 for a good sized bag is a good deal. If the mullet are running and you get there early AM you can get it before they're frozen as they net them off the pier and sell them. Or take your own net. Keep them on ice but not touching it or soaking in water. 

Spanish rigs, first do you know what they are? Search on this site and you'll find a few good threads about it. Once you know what they are this will make more sense. 

On your main rod, 9-15' spinning 2-5 oz or so, tie a good *small* snap swivel onto your main line. Clip on rig when fishing.

Go to WalMart and get 
a pool noodle to hold your rig, cut into 2.5-3.5" pieces. 
however many 3 oz bank sinkers you want.
cocktail/coffee stirrers, solid red, white with red stripe, yellow if possible (look at Office Depot, Office Max, Sams Club, party supply stores, big liquor stores, online) 
30 lb clear mono (I like Berkley Big Game, cheap, works great)
#1/0-3/0 *gold* aberdeen Eagle Claw hooks

Cut your straws to the length of the shank on your gold hook. Slid them over from the eye side. Face them all the same way and slid them onto your 30 lb mono. I use 8 hooks and do it like this. 
Yellow, White, Red, White, Red, White, Red, Yellow

Note: Spacing will depend on your rod length so you can lift it over the rail no problem.

Tie a 1-2" loop in your tag end on the mono. Move down 8-10", tie a surgeon's loop with the hook, move down 6-8" tie a loop with the hook, ect, ect ect. After your last hook, leave 12-16" of tag. Tie your sinker on with a palomar knot. Trim tag end. Stick sinker into the hold of the pool noodle, start wrapping tightly, sticking your hooks into the top of the noodle when you get to one. Unstick your last hook when you get done, put the loop under it, restick, and toss it in a cheap quart plastic bag.


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## SCSpanishJigger (Apr 16, 2004)

I'll try to tie a rig tonight and take a picture of each step (I hope to tonight)...maybe I'll put it on some photo site or ask Skink to put it in the "sticky" at the top of the page.


SCSJ


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## Knaroz (Apr 8, 2009)

I was about to ask about bait, thanks for the heads up I plan on being there each morning at 7 (or fishing the surf for the hell of it a bit before) as the wife will probably want my afternoons lol. Staying at the Lighthouse is gonna make that even easier. 

I am gonna poke around the local pawnshops a bit when we get down there on Saturday as after the long drive I probably won't feel like fishing but could luck up on a decent cast net or other gear. Not gonna pay retail for one when I only get down there once a year max. I have a 12' surf rod that I snagged the other day will probably set it up as a jig rod (and surf rod when I hit the suds). 

Thanks both Smooth and SCSJ on the tips for the spanish rig will probably start building them tomorrow, if I run into any problems may snap a few pics and see if yall can "show me the light" lol.

Man o Man I remember why I love this site.

*Edit* on an aside I use to work over in your part of town Smooth, in the dungeon of the BCBS tower there in columbia (fixes tape on his nerd glasses)


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

One more note, they shoot fireworks from 9-9:15 every Wednesday, it's pretty impressive so I'd make time for that. If you have a ocean view you can sit right on your balcony. They close the second half of the pier around 5 that evening to set up the fireworks. 

A few of the local tackle shops might have trade ins for sale cheap. Most of their new stuff is high due to few customers. Lots of their hand tied rigs are a great deal, especially at Perry's. If you can swing it, I would have to recommend making the trip to Perry's your first or second day and loading up on bait if you're not catching your own. Dead finger mullet, local shrimp, sand fleas if you're in the surf (there are next to none in the 2nd Ave area that I've found)... If you have a way to keep them alive you can get live mullet for flounder or a drum. Put him on a Carolina rig and let him swim around by the pilings or in the suds for a drum. 

Anything else feel free to ask. 

Seems lots of Tennessee folks have been around SC a lot. I was born in Nashville and if SC didn't have a coast, I'd be in the Nashville area.


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## SCSpanishJigger (Apr 16, 2004)

Knaroz, I made up a little tutorial tonight with pictures. I have sent it to skink in hopes he'll post it to the sticky at the top of the page. However, if you would like me to send it directly to you...just P.M. me here with your email addy and I'll send it to ya. Hopefully it'll help along with Smooth's most excellent post to the thread.

SCSJ


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## Knaroz (Apr 8, 2009)

PM sent to ya SCSJ, thanks again for the help.

Hmm do you have the address handy for Perry's? Bringing my TOMTOM will toss the addy in there and try and head over there Sat or Sun. I had sent an email to the Pier to see if they still did the fireworks as I had read elsewhere that after Labor Day it was really hit or miss if they still do the fireworks.


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## c0ch3s3 (Jul 10, 2009)

Knaroz said:


> Hmm do you have the address handy for Perry's?


Perry's Bait & Tackle

(843) 651-2895

3965 Highway 17, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576


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## backwood (Aug 21, 2009)

People get hung up more on this pier than any pier that I have seen. Those casting out here getting hung up and break off, but if fishing straight down when you get hung up you could usually bounce your rig free.


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## Knaroz (Apr 8, 2009)

yeah sides are a bit tricky, so far have not lost any rigs, but that is because apparently my knots are the best I have ever made and keep pulling them free "by hand" lol. Out on the T it is a lot more clear, hopefully I will be able to start catching some stuff soon last night got a couple of small croakers "scared a kid to death" with it as it croaked while he was holding it.


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## SCSpanishJigger (Apr 16, 2004)

I hope my tutorial helped at least a little...those spanish rigs are a bit tricky when you first begin to tie them.


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