School me on SLP

[Mako-Wish]

I'm taking a vacation day friday, hooking up the boat and making the 3 hour trip to stay to Sea Isle this weekend. My plan is try for some bull reds on friday in the surf conditions are right, then try and find some flatties from the boat on saturday. This will be my first time fishing "the run" that I keep hearing about and my first time at the pass.


The first question I have, is I read alot about using crabs for reds. Where can I get crabs, and how do yall rig them? Cut them in half? whats the best way to cut them?


Next question I have is about the "guts" and "sandbars." How far out do I have to wade out to cast to be successful? How deep will it get?


And lastly, when I go looking for the flatties, does it seem like a good plan to fish the bay side of the pass? I want to stay out of the dangerous waters, so i will be pretty conservative in where I set up.


Any more tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated. I know these are rookie questions, but Im a rookie and live 150 miles inland.

[dixiefisher]

You can cut the crabs in half perpendicular to the long part of their bodies.
As for wading and finding the guts.. this is very dangerous, especially if you're not familiar with the area. Many people have died at SLP from wading near the guts. I suggest taking your boat out and driving very SLOWLY around the bay side of the pass, anchor up on a gut and catch some bull reds.

Good Luck!

[Mako-Wish]

thanks for the heads up. I knew to stay out of the pass itself, but my plan was to surf fish somewhere around this area. is this still too dangerous? bad idea?

[Trussman]

Do not wade at the Pass without your P.F.D.

[Robalo]

Tear off the carapace/shell of the crab and then break the crab in half. I don't fish for flatties-but best to be by a drain or edge of depth change-not in the pass itself. Do NOT wade the pass area without a PFD or we may see your Obit in the paper. Do not try running your boat around the pass area-you will run aground unless you have someone that knows the area piloting.

Be sure to hit the West End Marina for Saturday's Redfish Showdown!!

Good luck.

[aukalou]

Two issues with SLP on foot-strong currents and sharks. On the bay side you can wade the sandbar out pretty far and still see bottom. That's the most I'll do in that area when not on a boat.

[J.R.]

If you're on foot stay on the bay side!....Beach patrol wont even let you wade near the pass, you'll hear the whistle real fast if you walk deeper than your ankles!