# Ponce Jetty Report 1/16/06



## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Snuck out to catch the last hour of fishing before the sunset at the Ponce Jetty this evening. The waves had the rocks soaked so the rocks were slippery and dangerous as hell. Got me 100 fiddlers and braved it anyway, although I didn't go out as far as normal. I didn't know how it was going to be because the water was murkier than I have seen it in 2 weeks. Still managed to pull some FAT Sheepies out. Largest was about 19 inches and very thick. I only kept two out of the ones I caught because I forgot my stringer and didn't have any way to carry them back:




























HUMOR: Saw some guy trying to cast a dead mullet about 4 feet under a float on the beachside. He kept swinging back getting ready to cast and snagging his bait in the rocks. This went on for about 45 minutes and he almost slung his pole in the water when he snagged his bait yet again. Well, he got pissed and did a wild cast and snapped his line and his bait and float went flying never to be seen again. He got so pissed he beat his pole into 100 pieces on the rocks. I laughed my ass off. Then he fell on the rocks about 20 times as he was pouting and trying to walk back in. Some people...


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## VICIII (Apr 8, 2005)

*Humor*

That guy just made my day... Great story.


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## orlandonoah (Jan 2, 2006)

hey, i was wondering if anyone can give me some advice. i just moved down here from ohio, and have fished pretty much my whole life. now, i move down here and saltwater is new to me. so i went and bought some rods(too small i think) some 20 lb test, had some guy at sports authority hook me up with a box with these bottom rigs, wire leaders, some doa shrimp and assorted goodies. now i consider myself a good fisherman, but i have sucked these last few weeks. i went to sebastian, then 2 weeks ago to port canaveral and last weekend to ponce. ive been staying out of the regulars way, just experimenting with live shrimp, cut squid and some artificials, what am i doing wrong? i suck, but it so much fun, relaxing if you will. maybe im just a glutton for punishment..lol


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## VICIII (Apr 8, 2005)

*Si*

Next time you come down to SI I will meet ya and show you what I know. I just moved down in July of last year and took a while to get the saltwater deal.. I would start by asking the people you see catching fish. Fisherman see like a different breed they love to brag and help each other out.... I have never had a problem asking what the people were using and they were always nice and helpful. I guess just ask...


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Let me save you some time:

What works in the mosquito lagoon and most shallow backwaters where you can sightcast to tailing fish.......

DOESN'T WORK at the jetty's, piers, and surf fishing.

DOA Shrimp, and Berkely GULP baits for example, are great for the 'goon, but suck on the beach.

A good way to get started catching stuff is to get some decent size frozen shrimp and a 2 hook SeaStriker dual pompano rig. Peel your shrimp and thread it on the hook and throw it out into the surf. Also, get some braided line like PowerPro if you haven't already because a lot of the fish around here peck and nibble your bait and you won't even notice it without braided line and your finger on the line. Go to Sunglow pier in S. Daytona Shores and go fish out at the end of the pier with the regulars. Observe what they do, how they rig (the ones catching fish anyway). Most of them will be more than happy to talk with you and share methods. There is no reason why you shouldn't be able to catch tons of whiting and bluefish right now.

You can also search this forum for great info on how to catch fish locally.


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

I live in Orlando too. I hit alot of the same spots, not an expert on Florida yet, but I do catch some fish. Let me know if you need any tips.


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Rocks were slippery, current was rough, still went to visit my buddy sheepies today:


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

And here was yesterday:

Went and got some more, didn't keep any, gave them all away because I am sick of filleting.










Also me and my buddies had fun playing foosball with my fiddler crabs -yes alcohol was involved :drunk:


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## mojogator (Apr 18, 2005)

KodiakZach said:


> Let me save you some time:
> 
> What works in the mosquito lagoon and most shallow backwaters where you can sightcast to tailing fish.......
> 
> ...


Disagree with Gulp assessment. Have had great luck with the reds and Berkley Gulps. Pulled two slot reds out of the Crescent Beach surf last Labor Day. One bit a berkley crab and the other bit on a berkley cut bait strip. And have had good success with the crabs in the gulf.


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Caught 7 Sheepies and 4 Blues in the last 45 minutes before dark last night at Ponce Jetty. Sheepies were on fiddlers, and Blues were on a Yo-Zuri minnow. 

I know, I know,.... I'm sure that gulp clams probably work a lot better for blues... but I digress....


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## orlandonoah (Jan 2, 2006)

i was thinking about going over to ponce this afternonn/night for some fishin/experimenting. anyone know how the fishing is ? and should i get some live shrimp or would a different bait be better?where can i look if i didnt get the paper to see when the high tide is?


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## AtlanticAngler (Oct 26, 2005)

*Zach*

You and Atlantic Angler can come on down and we can have a CLAM and GULP party while you guys demonstrate the effectiveness of your preferred baits. 

Guys, all I am saying is the baits I say are the best -doesn't mean other baits won't work. But you see the pics I post, the baits I recommend are 99% of the time what works best and that's from trial an error of me fishing every single day.



Listen to what you write. are you a charter, a guide, a commercial? You fish on a pier. You have no idea what baits work if your asking for effectivness. I will say what many others wont, your a jackass. I dont need to demonstrate the effectivness of my baits. I only have one person to prove myself to and i am pretty easy to please. 7 sheephead doesnt pay me a days salary. Good luck in all your adventures and I look forward to reading the many of your posts which normally are very good, no lie. I never say you cant fish, i just think you make rediculous accusastions about topics and question your not qualified to answer. Until next time..........good day.


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Thanks to the EXPERT advice from AtlanticAngler, I used clams today. All I got on clams was this little 24" Red though  




























Since the Red was the only thing I caught on clams, I switched to fiddlers and caught some of these striped looking thingys:





















> Listen to what you write. are you a charter, a guide, a commercial? You fish on a pier.


This is PierandSurf.com, right pal???? Maybe you mistook this website for: AtlanticAnglersCommercialFishingBoard.com -- eh, sparky?



> You have no idea what baits work if your asking for effectivness.


You are right, I ain't got a clue, obviously...



> 7 sheephead doesnt pay me a days salary.


7 Sheepies and 4 Blues in only 45 minutes aint bad, even for commercial. How long did it take you to catch your 9,374 sheepies that you guys supposedly caught the other day??



> you make rediculous accusastions about topics and question your not qualified to answer


You are right, I don't know d|ck-all about catching Sheepies =)


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

How long did it take us to catch 71?? About 5 1/2 hours. Yes we were busting our azz to do it but thats just how we fish. Nobody ever insulted your skills or even your prefrence of bait, by the way who in the h3ll told you to use CLAMS for sheepies,pomps yes,black drum love em', but I have never caught a sheephead on a clam,people use em but I dont. JMO. Fiddlers work well, Live shrimp work, Sandfleas really work. I personally use somthing else And trust me it BLOWS all those bait away. Yes I am saying it Is PROVEN in side by side tests to out fish all those other baits combined. It is what sheephead eat NATURALLY every day of thier lives. Sorry I'm being secretive about what it (the bait) is but there is a sheephead tourny coming up next month and I'm not trying to inform the world about what I use. Sorry. Anyway, Like I said nobody is trying to insult your skills,You fish almost every day.I wish I could. However I have been fishing N.E. FL for 20+ years and I fish and have fished with some of the best and I still dont know anywhere near to "it all" and don't claim too. I agree with you, other than "swim baits" or "spoon" type baits, the surf is no place for artificials. Again JMO from expierence. I dont evn use dead bait if I can help it. Live shrimp,Live sand fleas,Live mullet, unless I'm shark fishing,then I use FRESH dead cut baits. If you ever see me using FROZEN bait PLEASE SHOOT ME. Everybody has what works for them. Everybody has an opinion,so I'm going to do what we all should do..SHUT UP AND FISH!!!


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## VICIII (Apr 8, 2005)

*damb boys....l*

Who's rod is bigger?


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## AtlanticAngler (Oct 26, 2005)

*well this got out of control*

To start i will apologize to the board and specifically to KZ- Zach. I should have never said a word about this subject in the first place as i have made a jackass out of myself. Short version of the B-S that has aspired from my mouth/keyboard........ Bart and myself fish together quite regular, and are lucky enough to have a commercial friend that we frequently fish with as well. Along the ways we have learned and picked up tricks from him and other commercial friends. They are what i guess you could say the tricks of the trade for sheepshead fishing because that is all he fishes for. Where i should have said nothing is the fact that i lied for lack of better words. Clam is a great sheepshead bait, but the secretive bait that bart speaks of is the truthful bait that i wanted to say but couldnt for lack of better words. I know a "secretive bait" is always suspicious but i too will not say due to respect to commercial friends that taught me along the way. I do know others that use this bait for recreational purposes too. Also, do fiddlers work absolutly, i never said they didnt i just think that this other soft flesh bait is the bait of choice, i also think that location of use has tons to do with it. As for bart he is retarded, (Still got the love for ya) There were 91 fish not 71 on our best day but that is irrelavant. Words to Zach. I had no right to say what i did and have no grounds for it as i dont know you and i am sure that you can fish, i do and have seen the pics. For someone that does fish alot of piers and shore areas you manage better than most all of my friends. So to you I apologize. I guess its two like minds clashing. On that note.....the clam did produce a nice red for ya. As the usual invite anyone is invited to fish with me, i am no charter, nor a commercial but an accomplished fisherman  that is always trying to step up his game. Zach you are encouraged to come on up and fish with us, but be sure to bring your fiddlers!!! Later and my apologies again to all. PS. I think we are sheepheading tomorow!!!


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## Sea Level (Nov 20, 2005)

*Secretative Bait for Sheepies*

Would the bait be barnacles?


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

barty b said:


> It is what sheephead eat NATURALLY every day of thier lives.


Chum the water with crushed up barnacles and use barnacles for bait and you will catch a ton of them. I agree though, it all depends on the location you are fishing. Fiddlers seem to work best at the Ponce rocks. And the chumming the water with barnacles works most of the time, but not always -IMHO of course.

Yesterday I used sandfleas, clams, and fiddlers and the fiddlers had the best luck by far. I did get some decent tugs on the clams but didn't hook any.


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

*SOoooo close*

you guys are close,very close. I agree that where you fish has a lot to do with what works. Take flounder for example, I would think everyone would agree that finger mullet are THE BEST bait for flatties,however there are days when they wont touch a mullet and the guy with mud minnows gets his limit. Seen it a hunderd times. The best advise I can give is come prepared with a selection of baits until you find what they want that day. This holds true for ALL types of fish,from flounder,sheeps pomps,grouper and snapper. One thing I will say for fiddlers over the bait I use, is that when there is trash fish mixed in early or late in the season is fiddlers last a lot longer down there. 

P.S. zach check your PM's


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