# Apollo Beach #5



## Beachbms (Jan 10, 2003)

Not to much happening this morning. My wife and I got there round 6am, was real close to low tide. fished the whole incoming till 11:30am got a few larger Whiting and loads of small ones. Whiting were coming on orange fish-bites and shrimp. Got a few blues on cut mullet largest being 15.5 inches. Tried most every thing for Mr toothy, blue heads, Whiting heads and Whiting strips all to no avail. There were lots of fleas on the beach but they was all small most of them would go right through my rake. Got a few more sunrise pics, was a awesome foggy rise. Beautiful day on the beach. going to try to get another morning out there this weekend yet. screaming drags all.


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## mgoblue999 (Jun 30, 2003)

howdy.....My wife & I were a bit too late for #5, got there bout 6:50 and it was full, fished #4, and had about the same...bunch of small whiting, and a couple that I didn't recognize (silver with wide yellowish stripes and a black dot near the tail) We're heading to #5 tomorrow morning again too (unless of course we're late as usual, then it'll be #4). Oh, and I agree, the foggy morning was awesome!

Bob


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## Beachbms (Jan 10, 2003)

croakers are the other fish you caught, I have never tried then but have been told they are good eating. Others here may know. Sorry we missed you hope we can hook up sometime. Once i get pics of that foggy sunrise developed I will post them!!


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## Mullet Wrangler (Jul 4, 2003)

I also hit Apollo this morning, but stayed at #1. Much more family friendly with the showers.

Yes, it was a slow day. I caught 3 croakers on squid in the morning, and 3 small sand sharks (12" - 24") through the day (1 on squid and 2 on finger mullet. Not a whiting to be found anywhere. I don't think I even saw another angler catch ANYTHING!

I'm going to have to skip tomorrow. It's race day, you know. I'll try my luck again Sunday.

And yes, it was a beautiful beach day!

- Mullet Wrangler


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## Av8tor (Nov 9, 2002)

If these are the same Croakers that we would catch off the Maryland Coast then they are EXCELLENT eating! 

However the Atlantic Croakers of that area don't have yellow strips or black dot. The Croakers up there look very simular to the whiting down here.

George


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## Mullet Wrangler (Jul 4, 2003)

Do FL croakers make good bait? I was gonna cut one up and try but didn't want to waste a good fish so I set 'em free.

- Mullet Wrangler


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## Kozlow (Oct 25, 2002)

*Here are some Popular bait fish*

Popular baitfish include (common names): alewives, anchovies, ballyhoos, blue runners, butterfish, croakers, flying fish, herring, menhaden, pilchards, pinfish, sardines and smelt. Other fish used as bait include bonito, mackerel, grunts and whiting.










The Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) is very similar in appearance to a small black drum. The easiest way to tell them apart is that the barbels (whiskers) on the drum's chin are pronounced, while on the croaker's they are very tiny. They are also called chut, grunter, corvina, crocus and rocodina. They are great bait for grouper and many other fish when they are fished from a still boat - they don't troll well at all. You will find that most baits that live primarily on the bottom will not be suitable for trolling, but will be good for bottom fishing or even mid-water fishing if the boat is at anchor or drifting slowly. Croakers usually reach about a pound in size, but we generally see them from three to eight inches in our area of the state. We catch them in cast nets at certain times of the year, most frequently fall and winter. I have read that they are an important commercial species, with high quality flesh, and mostly exported out of the country (of course) - but in my book they are only high quality grouper bait. 

http://www.shrimpin.com/bait_fish_identification.htm


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## Mullet Wrangler (Jul 4, 2003)

Thanks for the info. I'll take a couple next time I go bottom fishing!


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## FL FISHERMAN (Sep 30, 2002)

*So they are a baitfish*

in FL with no creel limit? I was wondering bc I caught a few out at the S.I. last time I was down and my buddy was like use it for bait and I said I thought there was a size limit on em. He wasn't sure so we threw em back. The size limit in MD is 9" but they are definitely different from the ones I caught in FL. Thanks for the info!


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## mgoblue999 (Jun 30, 2003)

Actually I think it looked more like this:









but instead of yellow & black it was more yellow & white.

I dunno. I'm just happy when I catch something!

Bob


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## Kozlow (Oct 25, 2002)

*Was it this?*

The spot (Leiostomus xanthrus) is similar to the croaker but with a spot just behind the gills. They're also called lafayette or flat croaker and are good bait for bottom fish. We don't frequently see them, but be sure and keep them if you do catch a few in your cast net because they are definitely grouper getters. 










Live line em up you may get a big surprise next time.


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## Mullet Wrangler (Jul 4, 2003)

Looks like a pinfish to me........


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## Kozlow (Oct 25, 2002)

*Hey*

Mullet Wrangler were do you fish at mostly river or surf and where? Just wondering if I am missing anything on the mullet wrangling somewhere.


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## Mullet Wrangler (Jul 4, 2003)

Kozlow,

I usually surf fish, and usually at Apollo / Turtle Mound #1. As I mentioned in another post somewhere, I'd like to try one of the other lots, but lot #1 is more family-friendly (showers) and with two boys, 8 & 11, that's priority 1 right now. I do like it there since you can walk across the street to the river side and try your luck there when the surf isn't cooperating. Caught 8 catfish in the lagoon on Sunday, including a 4lb sail cat that almost pulled my 11 year old in the water!

My father-in-law taught me to surf fish in Myrtle Beach and I've always been good at netting the mullet, so that was a nickname he gave me.... Mullet Wrangler

And yes, I did net some nice finger mullet in the lagoon


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## Beachbms (Jan 10, 2003)

Yea beach 5 is not to family oriented, but across the street from 5 i have caught a few nice reds. you can do a fair amount of wade fishing from there. You just don't want to head south from the ramp for it is clothes optional, but you cant see them from the ramp. If you head north just a bit you will be by yourself all day.


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## mgoblue999 (Jun 30, 2003)

On the other side of #5, do you have to wade out very far? I thought about doing that last Saturday when I was catching squat in the surf.

Blue


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## Beachbms (Jan 10, 2003)

If you look in the distance to the left (south) you will see a few islands .......... I have waded all the way to them and there is some great fishing between the ramp and islands!!


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## Mullet Wrangler (Jul 4, 2003)

Thanks for the info / warning, Beachbms. Now all I have to do is get a kitchen pass to go out early enough to get in #5. I've never caught a red before so I'm looking forward to it.

- Mullet Wrangler


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## mgoblue999 (Jun 30, 2003)

Sound good I'll give it a try. 

What's the best way to fish it? 

(remember I am a rookie to *saltwater* fishing)


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## Beachbms (Jan 10, 2003)

Live shrimp or live finger mullet. hook them up on a #4/0 circle hook and let them roam. moving and casting. Don't use any weight or maybe a small split-shot 18" up the leader. there are rays in there so shuffle you feet when walking. Keep your eyes peeled for fish movement. lot of times you can see them moving around the pods of mullet, cast yours in the mix and you injured (hooked) will draw the strike. good luck hope this helps you . I to am fairly new to southern saltwater (3 yrs here), but this technique has brought success there.


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