Thursday nite Sep 20 Fairhope Pier, Mobile Bay AL

[Pier#r]

I figured with the impending forecast of "doom & gloom" for the weekend
from the yet unnamed tropical depression that fishing needed to be done ahead of time.
Plus we have a fish fry planned for Saturday evening

I got a late start and arrived at the pier about 10pm.
Many folks on the pier, most near the end.
Winds N-NE @ 8-10 with gusts to about 15 made for a nice 'coolish' summer nite,
but the 1200' pier was fairly well 'protected' by the bluffs with that direction wind.

I just took two rods (6# spinning combo with a 1/2 oz. DOA shrimp and 4# spinning combo with a 1/16 oz. 3" Fin-s Arkansas Shiner) and a few spare grubs

The first light I tried (about 1/2 way out the pier) produced a couple of 'sweet trout' (silver croaker), a pinfish and this fat lil white trout (sand seatrout)
that I promptly gave away to nearby fisher folk.


I walked on out to the end past dozens of folkses catching some assorted smallish white trout, medium ground mullet (southern kingfish) and a few (sea) catfish.
I couldn't really see the trout under the lights (water visibility was only 1'-2'), but they were there and soon had a few destined for our slated fish fry.
NOTE: They flat chewed that Fin-s UP


Well great minds must think alike because soon I bumped into a familiar face... Moe Hall from the GSPPier and www forums

We had a great time chatting and catching dozens of white trout over the next few hours
and just generally enjoying the comfortable fishing conditions under the setting moon (just above his shoulder
Some were nice sized...


And some 'acted' bigger than they were


Here's Moe with a nice keeper coming over the rail!


There was a surprising amount of baitfish in the water ('sweet trout', glass minnows, small LYs and some huge shrimp (caught in a castnet)


Anyway, it was great catching up and catching some fish with my ole buddy.
I kept 17 or 18 for the fish fry and released twice that many.
Moe had a nice mess and released a bunch too!
I got home late (early and took the mandatory "money shot" before retiring for the night.
Thank You Lord, for good fishing and good fishing buddies to share it with


And PTL the depression came onshore Friday night BEFORE it could gain much strength.

[cotton]

Amen to that! Hope we're storm-less for a while...like at least till we get the pier built back

[baitwetter]

Wow! Looks like a great place to fish. Lights UNDER the pier and not that crowded. Incredible. Congrats!

[Capt. Wallace]

The looks of those shrimp compared to the bait I think I would just thrown my net whole time I love catching frsh shrimp they make a great sashimi

[BoatlessFisherman]

Awesome Report and that looks like a great place to fish, Thank you for sharing