Welcome to the FLORIDA SURFCASTERS forums.

I confess ... I am the Jeff Rafter look alike ... I was fishing Vilano last Thursday morning ... Bill Wheat happened by and we fished together for a few hours. Both of us scored what I declared to be "Trash Fish Slams"  consisting of catfish, shark, and stingray. ( Wonder if Guy Harvey could use that theme for a shirt...?)  Had fun showing the fish to the kids. One kid from Indiana probably had never seen a shark before, but he got to release a little black tip for me. After Bill left looking for more fertile fishing grounds, I completed my slam with a large sting ray ... that attracted a lot of spectators. Not much in the way of edible fish ...

Nadia and I stayed at the Ocean View Inn for 2 nights. Fished some, but not too much happening other than the above mentioned "slams". Friday I went to Surf side but even fewer fish. The Inn was a little on the pricey side, but clean (except for the pool) and real convinient to the beach ramps and Porpise Point.  Can easily fish the surf, inlet, or river with minimal walking. SHort Drive to the Vilano pier.  Bait available about a mile away at Camachee Cove and at the marina next to the pier (old Vilano bridge) and Avid Angler. Seafood Market at Camachee stays open till 7 PM. None of the bait places open before 7 or 8 during the week from what I was told.

WORD OF CAUTION : Dunkin Donuts in St Aug by the merry go round has either moved or gone out of business !!!  Don't depend on them for breakfast.

Roger Sallas (aka Jeff Rafter)

 

Ty,

 

When you are fishing from a pier you are fishing in the surf.  Most people I know that fish from a pier, mostly, use a double dropper rig, most here use a Earl Brin rig which is a double dropper rig.   Some people use a Fish Finder Rig.  Use what you feel comfortable with.  I would suggest a little heaver line to lift whatever you catch unless you have a pier net or you are close to someone on the pier that will let you use theirs.  I have a friend that fishes Flagler Beach pier some times with a Gotcha plug and catches Spanish, Blues, Flounder and Pompanoes. 

Last year on Flagler Beach  pier a guy caught a 4 ft Lemon shark and while he was bringing it in toward the beach a 16 ft Hammerhead grabbed the Lemon and carried it to sea.  I guess the guy wasn't fast enough loosing the drag on his reel and the line broke!  True, they said it was something to see.

Have fun fishing the pier,  I'm sure other will have input on what they have seen used on a pier.

 

Mark

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See you downstream/beach "Knee Deep"