# Fishing pier closest to Orlando



## lilburnjoe

Family is going to Disney the last week of July. Whats the best pier for fishing closest to Orlando ?

Thanks


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## KodiakZach

Closest is probably going to be:

COCOA BEACH PIER
410 Meade Ave., Cocoa Beach, FL

Can't say it's gonna be the best though. Anyone who has fished there lately might can through in a report or opinion? 

Otherwise, I can tell you that Sunglow Fishing Pier in South Daytona Shores is good, if you use the right bait, rig, and fish in the right spot


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## Pond Fisher

Jetty Park in Titusville


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## ashrafel68

I like Sunglow pier in s. Daytona first, then Jetty Park Pier in Cape Canaevral. Cocoa beach is fun for the family but not for the angler.

I read the following tips about fishing Sunglow pier before, and they're very good tips. Enjoy them: (written by KodiakZach), thanks Kodiak

===================================
Here are some Sunglow Pier fishing tips: 
3 Most important tips: 
- ALWAYS peel your frozen shrimp before putting them on your hook.
- DON'T use a black leader.
- DON'T rent a pole from the pier, they kinda suck. 

If you are going to target the drum: 

1.) Avoid the Frozen Shrimp they sell at local bait shops that comes in a green and clear bag -it is crappy shrimp and falls apart quickly. Instead, I recommend using the frozen shrimp that they sell right at the pier for $2.50 per bag -it's good quality. Pop the head off, peel the rest of the shell off and thread it onto your hook. 

2.) After casting up under the pier or around the pilings, keep your finger on the line and wait for the hit. If you are in the right spot, they hit it and take it very quick. If you set your pole down, and are not paying attention, you will miss it -and you will lose you bait. 

3.) Check your bait often. The slightest bump on your line is them taking your bait. 

4.) Use a short leader of Flourocarbon or Mono along with Owner hooks. 

5.) Use braided line of at least 20-lb. They tend to snap 10-lb PowerPro like it's nothing. 

6.) When you catch them: let them have some drag or they will snap your line. Too much drag however, and they will break you off on the pilings. It takes some fine tuning. 

7.) Use a net to bring them up outta the water. 

8.) If the drum aren't taking your bait after 10-15 minutes and 20 casts, you are in the wrong spot. Look for calmer water (not in the break) and move up and down the pier until you find them, they are there. 

GOOD RIGGING INFO for FISHING SUNGLOW: 

I have what I call my Drum catching rig setup which consists of any pole that isn't too flimsy (medium or medium heavy should work). Then I use 30-lb braided line (which is important if you get a big drum on and have to fight him out from around pilings). Then I put on a 2oz or 3oz flat egg sinker so it can slide up and down the line. Then I throw on a quality black swivel and connect a leader which is about 12" of mono in the 30 to 50# range. Finally, on the end of my leader I put on a red or black 1/0 OWNER hook. I typically don't use circle hooks, but they do work if you don't set the hook and are patient enough to let the fish eat the bait. I however like to set the hook so I use J-hooks. Suprisingly enough I have found gold Kahle hooks to work as well. 

My "everything else" rig setup is simply the same braided line, tied to a 2 hook SeaStriker Dual Pompano rig with a 2oz pyramid sinker. It catches everything from Blacktip and Bonnethead Sharks, Ladyfish, Jacks, Blues, Black Drum, Redfish, Whiting, Spadefish, etc.. (note: the hooks on this excellent pre-made rig are about 1/0 kahle hooks and they sell them at the Fishin' Shack a couple blocks from the pier).


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## Pond Fisher

Hey Ash do you have any tips for Jetty Park?? Going there on Tuesday to see the shuttle and gonna bring the gear to use (help pass time) Aiming for about getting there at about 7:00.


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## sprtsracer

Pond:
All good info. I hope you get to see the shuttle. It looks like tropical storm Franklin might have folks guessing. I do know the shuttle won't launch if there is a thunderstorm within, I think, 27 miles. It also might just play Hades with the fishing, but my experience has been that the fishing is great just BEFORE a storm. It sure ain't fun trying to cast a 6&bait into a 40 mph wind, but iffin ya got the wind behind ya, MAN...think of the distance ya can get!!!


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## Pond Fisher

Racer we went out a couple of weeks ago to try to see the shuttle. And yeah fishing before a storm is excellent cause the low pressure puts the fish into a feeding frenzy due to the fact they know its coming and might not be able to eat for a while. At least this works for Bass (freshwater). And high pressure messes with their air bladders, upseting their balance, etc. causing them to have what I call LOCKJAW.

And whats a good bait for sharks? Wanna try to catch some after catching a shiload of them when we went deepsea on Tuesday.


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## ashrafel68

*Re: Jetty Park*

I did not Fish Jetty Park Pier in the last 2-3 years. I might try it the next week or two. I'll let you know about it when I visit it.


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## Pond Fisher

Ash Ill proabaly beat you to it. Going on Tuesday.


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## Pond Fisher

Whats a Sea Striker Dual Pompano Rig. Pics would really help. Thanks


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## KodiakZach

Sea Striker is the brand.
Dual means 2 hooks.
Pompano is just the kind of rig.

These rigs are tied on 25lb monofilament with gold Kahale style hooks highlighted with a fluorescent red bead, a black swivel at the top and a black sinker holder at the bottom. 1 per pack, they run anywhere from $1.09 to $1.99 depending on where you buy them. West Marine carries them, but I normally buy them from The Fishin' Shack a few blocks from Sunglow where they are $1.39 each.

P.S. Don't confuse it with the Sea Striker Dual Spot rig which has smaller hooks and doesn't work worth a crap IMHO.










Wal-Mart sells a similar version by Boone's that costs 99 cents, and they work OK.


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## Pond Fisher

What about making one myself?


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## KodiakZach

I dont see why not. I recommend buying one to see how they are rigged though. They double the mono strand on the parts that the hooks hang off. Other than that, a swivel, a swivel snap, 2 beads, 2 kahle hooks, and some 25-lb mono and you should be able to rig one.


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## KodiakZach

If you are gonna tie your own Pomp type rigs, here is a very good thread with endless links to info and pics:

http://floridasurffishing.net/forum/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=100&topic_id=22543&mode=full


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## Pond Fisher

Thanks Zach! Im gonna try to rig a few of them up tonight before we go tommorrow.


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## Pond Fisher

Does this look good?


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## KodiakZach

Yeah, although you might try shortening the mono on the 2 drops since the drops look to be a little too long. It's kinda hard to say from your pic cuz it's kinda blurry, but they look like J-hooks you have on there now. That said, I would use Kahle hooks since I've found that J-hooks don't seem to work very well on that particular rig style. Looks good though!


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## Pond Fisher

making final preps right now and getting ready to hit the sac! Gonna leave about 5:00 to hopefully beat the traffic. 

Wish me luck

Chris


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## sprtsracer

Best of Luck Pond! Let us know how ya did. It's always better to catch something you rigged/modified yourself than to use the "store bought" stuf. When ya sit at home and do your rigging (which is fun in itself), and then, you horse in a big one using what you made, you know the work was worthwhile and you gain confidence in your own handiwork! That's what fishin's all about!!!


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## Pond Fisher

thanks racer! Getting ready to load up the truck and go! Tell you how I did later. Thanks for your guys help I hope it pays off.


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## Pond Fisher

Today the fishing stanked up! Nobody was catching anything. And not only that but around 7:30 to 8:00 the _fishing_ pier turned into a _viewing _ pier and the guys next to and behind us kept on sarcastic comments about them being in the way of us! And then some British (nothing against the British) moved in and stole my fishing spot when I was trying to get some bait on my Sabichi (sp?)! Oh and anyways I caught the only fish on a Sabichi which was a Amberjack but it was way too small to keep so I threw him back to grow.

Oh well I guess there's next time. And anyways im going trolling for Dolphin on Thursday.


Chris


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