4/4 Easter Sunglow Pier (S. Daytona) fishing report

[KodiakZach]

Decided to send the wife and kids off to the inlaws this weekend while I snuck out to Ponce for some saltwater fishing at Sunglow Pier ---much like I used to do back in the old days before my baby girl was born. Well apparently it's just like riding a bike meaning you just don't forget the techniques you've honed over many hours of pier fishing. The beach as well as Crabby Joe's on the pier was packed so I had to park halfway down the block. The upside was that there was tons of nice scenery on the beach going on with it being spring break.

On the pier I saw a few small blues and decent whiting being pulled in as I walked to the end. No fish were visible in the water except for the occasional white flash on the pilings down below. The tide was incoming and fast approaching HIGH when my buddy Joey got his azz handed to him by the biggest damn sheepy I've ever seen (and I saw a lot in my years living at the beach). I seriously thought it was big Red until we saw the stripes. Unfortunately he lost him when the monster crunched and folded his Owner hook in half. A few minutes later I look down and there were schools of 50-100 sheepies in the water, whipped up into a mating frenzy. Nobody could get them to feed though. Not long after I started fishing, I brought one up to the surface and he came unbuttoned at the top. About 30 minutes later I threw on a live Jumbo shrimp that was gargantuan. Well I guess I pizzed one off floating it in his face because I got whacked rather hard by the one in the pick below, not long after the drop. Finally I brought this bad boy up on 10-lb test on my Bass rod with a size 1 owner J hook. I'd forgotten how much tougher ocean fish are than bass.

About 15 minutes later Joey landed a sheepy of his own. I fished for another hour, snagged on the pilings and called it a good day with a sunburn. On my way walking down the pier to leave, my buddy Harry pulled in a medium size sheepy that was apparently really excited to see him (if ya know what I mean).....Spawn/mating should last for about 2 weeks and when they are done, it will be game on. I'm already planning my next trip out that way.

Cheers!

-KZ

[Dragon28]

Nice sheepie...