# 22 and 23 Nov Canaveral Surf Report



## Romans14Eleven (Feb 29, 2004)

Well I chose to go to Playalinda Monday morning and pulled into Lot 1. There were a few guys on the beach fishing already. It was about 7:30. I pick my spot and deploy the bait. I started in close looking for whiting, but nothing was doing. The tide was going out. The guy to the right of me all of a sudden started pulling in pompano after pompano. To make a long frustrating morning short, he probably caught upwards of 100 to 150. And dang if he didn't have THE spot. First off he was using live fleas. No one else on the beach had fleas. There were no fleas to be found anywhere on the beach. Secondly he could cast further than most everyone there. He was hitting 100 yards most every time. I only have one rod that can allow me to get close to that. I was hitting maybe 80 to 90. Anyhow I managed three pomps before dead low at 12 o' clock. Caught on clam. The commercial guy slammed them until 12. Then they just sort of tapered off. I didn't see a pomp pulled in that was under two pounds. He caught all of these about 100 yards out on a section of the beach about thirty yards wide. The only difference I could tell in the contour of the beach was his runouts were a little deeper and the beach was steeper where he was. Other than that, my eye is not skilled enough to notice anything else different. I went to find some fleas about 1 o clock. Picked up some frozen ones from a bait shop and headed back for the incoming tide. The commercial guy gave me the rest of his fleas as he was leaving. That was awesome. I was pumped to say the least. Fished the incoming for two hours and didn't catch a thing. Lots of seaweed everywhere. I went back out there early Tuesday morning hoping to get to that spot. But the same guy had it already. So I set up a little down from him and deployed the fleas. I caught two nice pomps in the first 10 minutes, then nothing the rest of the morning. The commercial guy probably managed about 40 or 50. Then the cut off about 10 o clock. This time he was catching them far out and in close, at about the forty yard mark. I did the same and didn't do squat. So I know they were schooled up in front of him for some reason. Others on the beach caught 2 or 3 also. Normally I would be happy with five pompano especially big ones, and I am, but its hard to look at it from that perspective when the guy next to you is pulling them in left and right. I took plenty of notes though. I couldn't believe I didn't catch any whiting. I had three smaller rods out with clam and shrimp and not a single whiting both days. I decided to stop by Marineland on the way home and tried there. I caught a bunch of little whiting, none bigger than 8 inches. Caught a sharpnose shark and a blue fish. Oh and one other weird thing. As I was leaving Playalind on Tuesday, I saw two diferent fisherman reel in manta rays. They were maybe four feet across. The guys had hooked them in the wing. Pretty neat catch. They were safely returned. So anyhow, glad I caught some fish.


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## Orange (Mar 12, 2003)

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen anyone catch that many fish, especially pompano. How many poles did he have? Where the heck did he keep them all?

So, the outgoing tide, along the runout seemed best? Were there any birds or anything else you noted around the area?


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## Romans14Eleven (Feb 29, 2004)

Orange said:


> Wow, I don't think I've ever seen anyone catch that many fish, especially pompano. How many poles did he have? Where the heck did he keep them all?
> 
> So, the outgoing tide, along the runout seemed best? Were there any birds or anything else you noted around the area?


It was best alright. No birds around. Nothing hitting at all in the surf except pomps. He had four poles. He had a friend catching some too for awhile. Total of eight poles. I was also shocked. It was amazing too watch but some of the most frustrating fishing I have ever done. Lol. I had read plenty of stories about the commercial fisherman cleaning house, but this was my first opportunity to watch it. Hopefully I picked up a few lessons that will show up in my next surf trip.


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## 222222 (Jul 20, 2001)

*How many poles maxium allowed?*

How many poles a person allow on the beach? I thought 4 poles is definitely too many, unless commercial guy has special permission.

What is a commercial guy? Commercial fishermen? How many pomp they're allowed to keep? Thanks.


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## Romans14Eleven (Feb 29, 2004)

In regard to the number of poles, I had that same question about a year ago. I called the Florida equivalent of Georgia's DNR...not sure the official name. They told me that there is no limit on a number of rods. The individual has to be able to manage them. He told me that I would get questioned by a warden if I was by myself and had six or more rods. Makes sense, because I can handle five rods just fine. Even in a whiting feeding frenzy. Or bluefish blitz. I'm not sure of the number of pomps commercial fisherman are allowed, but I did read in an article by Joel Julavitz up in Jacksonville about commercial pomp fishermen. I remember the number being over a 100 if not more.


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## mblanken (Nov 4, 2003)

Was this commercial guy REAL tall and chucking sandfleas on 15+ft surf rods?

If this is the guy you're talking about, I've seen this him before...don't know his name, but he really IS amazing. He's always polite and will help you out, but you feel like he still knows something you don't...and he ain't tellin'.

If this is the guy, don't feel bad about getting outfished...he outfishes EVERYONE...always.


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## Kozlow (Oct 25, 2002)

I think you are only allowed 10 or fewer hooks in the O2 at one time.

http://myfwc.com/codebook/68b_4.pdf

http://myfwc.com/marine/FWC_Commercial_Fishing_Regulations.pdf

http://www.floridamarine.org/engine..._lic_0304_3319.pdf&objid=19224&dltype=article

Commercial Saltwater Licensing Program
http://myfwc.com/marine/CommLicenseFees.htm

http://myfwc.com/marine/commerical/RSAppPage1.pdf


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## Romans14Eleven (Feb 29, 2004)

mblanken said:


> Was this commercial guy REAL tall and chucking sandfleas on 15+ft surf rods?
> 
> If this is the guy you're talking about, I've seen this him before...don't know his name, but he really IS amazing. He's always polite and will help you out, but you feel like he still knows something you don't...and he ain't tellin'.
> 
> If this is the guy, don't feel bad about getting outfished...he outfishes EVERYONE...always.


No this guy was real short and chucking sandfleas on 13 foot rods. BUT....there was another commercial guy about two hundred yards down the beach that was tall and had 15 foot rods. He was catching more than anyone else besides the guy next to me, but still nothing in comparison to the short guy. The pomps were no doubt up and down the beach that day, but there was huge school of them in front of the comm guy. And Kozlow glad you mentioned the ten hooks thing. They also told me that when I called. And that was the other reason I fish with no more than five. I have double dropper rigs on all my rods. Thanks.


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## Eugene Grewats (Dec 15, 2003)

*comercial fishing secret*

I Watched twwo comercial fishermen last winter. They caught Pmops When no one else could. I talked to one of them for quite some time.First the fish have to be in the surf,then yu have to get you bait out to them.But I think the terminal gear and the bait is most important. The next time you see a comercial get a close look at his leader material, and bait size.The fish.should come. 
Eugene


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