# surfside pier and new to the forum



## chrisp1981 (Oct 7, 2014)

New to this site and area. Figured I would say hello. Moved down to murrels inlet a couple weeks ago. Still learning how to fish saltwater down here. From new Jersey, and alot different. Getting used to using wire leader for almost everything. Up north fleurocarbon leader was the way to go, but everyone tells me it will not last long down here. Not sure if it's worth using as the fish cannot see it in the water and helped alot up north but alot more sharks things to cut the line down here. Been getting a decent amount of spot and pin fish at memorial pier. Had a good sized fish on I would say 4-5 pounds at memorial pier before getting wrapped up and broken off and something hit my pole and almost took it over the rail, but nothing there when I got to it that was about a week ago. Fished surfside pier last Sunday and got a 14 inch weak fish, 2 whiting, a very large pin fish, and small shark. A bunch of small crokers as well.Lost a couple rigs when large sharks took my cut mullet. The amount of sharks and the size around surfside pier amazes me. Saw a bunch of Spanish mackeral being caught from the jigging guys. A bunch lost to the sharks when not pulled out of the water quickly. Missed a few more weak fish at the surface as well. I get excited and forget they have weak mouths so I pulled the hook out. If your not quick the sharks take your catch. Met a good group of regulars that gave me some good info and I got to see how king fishing is done.


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## Elgreco (Aug 12, 2014)

I never use wire. Only flouro.


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## RjTheMetalhead (Dec 3, 2011)

Don't use wire unless you are shark or king fishing.


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## chrisp1981 (Oct 7, 2014)

Do you guys mainly use bottom rigs or carolina rigs. I will start timing my own flour rigs. A lot less hardware


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## chrisp1981 (Oct 7, 2014)

Sorry about the typos using my phone


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## RjTheMetalhead (Dec 3, 2011)

Carolina rigs with live bait or anything fished under the pier.

Bottom rigs with cut bait, fishbites, bloodworms and shrimp.


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## Elgreco (Aug 12, 2014)

I typically use carolina rigs with livebait and bottom rigs for everything else.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

RjTheMetalhead said:


> Don't use wire unless you are shark or king fishing.


+1 or if the bluefish are cutting you off a lot and you want to catch them.

I always use 2 hook bottom rigs tied from 20-30 lb fluorocarbon, when the mullet are running a strip of mullet is a prime bait but it does draw in some undesirable toothy critters, but that's something you have to live with, or change baits. I'd rather catch other stuff like trout and whiting and lose a few hooks to sharks and blues. 
Fishfinder rigs for bigger fish (drum), Carolina rigs for live baiting flounder, trout, and redfish.


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## chrisp1981 (Oct 7, 2014)

Thanks for the info. That's what I have been doing mostly. Good to know I am picking things up. Heading back out this weekend. Most likely won't go again till then. Been getting most fish on shrimp and bloodworms. Not doing that great with cut mullet. When my rod was almost pulled over and the sharks took the mullet.


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## chrisp1981 (Oct 7, 2014)

I am going back to flouro. Sick of buying the wire leader and rigs. Less hardware the better.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

When you get the finger mullet, fillet them and use that on each hook. If they're big mullet you can cut that in half, but taper it. Works much better than chunks cut straight across the backbone in my experience. You'll pick up whiting, trout, weakfish, redfish, croaker, pinfish, sharks, bluefish, ect...

PS to avoid having a rod pulled over set your rod butt down back it up another foot or so, it won't be able to pivot and fall over.


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## chrisp1981 (Oct 7, 2014)

Thanks for the tips. I have been cutting chunks instead of strips. Will try strips this weekend. I learned my lesson with keeping the pole lower so as not to lose it if something big hits it. Also I leave my drag very loose. It's always when I am paying attention to another rod something big hits never when I am right there or have it in my hand. Hoping to get a red or black drum soon and some trout. I know the weak fish are called summer trout and then there are winter trout which I am hoping to get.


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## Elgreco (Aug 12, 2014)

I've been seeing a decent amount of trout being caught off springmaid.


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## chrisp1981 (Oct 7, 2014)

I was going to go to springmaid on sunday but like 15 people waiting before they opened up at 6 and not one spot left to park.


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## RjTheMetalhead (Dec 3, 2011)

chrisp1981 said:


> I was going to go to springmaid on sunday but like 15 people waiting before they opened up at 6 and not one spot left to park.


3 story parking garage across the street was full too? Bike week is over now though, parking lot will be empty most of the year.

15? Well it was cold. Sometimes there are 50+ at the gate waiting.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Elgreco said:


> I've been seeing a decent amount of trout being caught off springmaid.


Off the T?


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## Elgreco (Aug 12, 2014)

SmoothLures said:


> Off the T?


Yes.


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## chrisp1981 (Oct 7, 2014)

The weak fish, 2 whiting, and the large pin fish I caught on Sunday


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## tiretread (Aug 9, 2014)

Okay, I'm off the leader bandwagon. Back to flouro for me too!


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## Elgreco (Aug 12, 2014)

I don't think that's a pin fish. Looks like a small black drum to me.


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## RjTheMetalhead (Dec 3, 2011)

chrisp1981 said:


> View attachment 13593
> 
> 
> The weak fish, 2 whiting, and the large pin fish I caught on Sunday


That is a pigfish.


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## Elgreco (Aug 12, 2014)

I google pigfish and the first thing to come up is a fish with a pig head.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Elgreco said:


> I google pigfish and the first thing to come up is a fish with a pig head.


Lol I've seen that one before. 










Good offshore bait.


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## chrisp1981 (Oct 7, 2014)

I swear so many fish look alike down here. I still think is was a pin fish as other old timers looked at it and did not correct me, anyway it tasted real good! :beer:


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

They do look pretty similar, pigfish are darker and pinfish are more silver, but I can say that is a pigfish 100%. 
















pinfish vs pigfish


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## chrisp1981 (Oct 7, 2014)

Yup, it was a pigfish, I have been confusing the pin fish for spot b/c of the spot on the side of the pin fish. LOL. I went out again yesterday late afternoon, got my first actual spot, learned what I thought was spot were pin fish, and the others were pig fish. Got another keeper summer trout (weak fish) about 14.5 inches, caught 2 more that were shorts. Some more small pin fish, a bunch of crokers. I started using strips of mullet instead of chunks and that helped, was also using shrimp and bloodworms. All on Flouro, no wire leader this time and did just fine. 2 hook bottom rig. Did not try the carolina rig I tied up with Flouro. I had three poles and they only allowed me to bring 2, so I had to leave that one. Next time I am leaving my poles outside like the first time so they cant see how many I have.


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