Gulf State Park Pier

[greg]

"Gulf State Park would like to announce the GRAND OPENING of our new pier on Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 9 a.m. The new pier is the longest pier on the Gulf of Mexico designed at 1520ft. The pier boast features that were not available on the old pier, destroyed in 2004 by Hurricane Ivan, such as indoor seating for concession area, indoor retail area for tackle and souvenirs, comfort stations at the midpoint of the pier(seen in picture above) and wheelchair accessible rail fishing. The new pier will have 2448 feet of fishing space available along the rails. While there will be a charge for fishing on the day of the grand opening, there will be no spectator fee charged on this day. Below is a list of rules and regulations and user fees for the pier. For more information please contact Park Headquarters @ (251) 948-7275. "


Its opening soon...Get your reels oiled.
http://www.alapark.com/GulfState/Gulf%2 ... rk%20Pier/

[bluesguitarguy]

Bout' Time!

link didn't work btw ^

[greg]

Tell me if it works now.

[jettyrat]

Works for me

[greg]

I read under pier rules and such..."no trolley fishing"....I'm not exactly sure what that is...Anyone know?

[jettyrat]

I think that is the same thing as a slide line (?) Slide line is what I've heard it called in Tx. Basically it's where you take one rod with just a large weight on it and cast it out and get it anchored. Then you take another rod with the actual bait and you slide it out on the first line with a clothes pin type attachment and no weight. This lets you free-line a live bait without it being anchored to the bottom, yet keeping it out in a particular spot without it being washed back in or swimming into other lines. Usually used for kingfish off the end of a pier, at least in Tx. It means you are using two poles for one pole actually fishing. I would imagine that is what they are trying to prevent.

Search google for 'slide line fishing rig' or 'trolley fishing rig' and you will get info on it.

I've tried it before off the Port A jetties, but they aren't high enough off the water to make it work properly and I ended up with a big tangled mess!

[greg]

Thats it....I think they are relating this method to shark fishing so its not permitted.....other things not permitted are....


Pier Rules and Regulations

Limit of 4 rods per fisherman (additional rods brought will be charged $3.50 each)


No trolley fishing permitted

Bottom fishing up-wind/up-current

Float fishing down-wind/down-current

Salt water fishing license required

Good conduct/sportsmanship required

One crab basket per person (cannot be left unattended and you cannot crab and fish at same time)

Catch must be placed in container within 10 minutes

Keep tackle and bait OFF of tables and benches

Cut your bait at cleaning tables or bait cutting tables only

Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times

No standing or sitting on rails

No jumping/diving off of pier

No alcohol allowed on pier

No cooking of pier

PROHIBITED
Pets-Soliciting-Shark Fishing-Reels over 4.0-Cast Nets-Gill Nets-Wire Crab Traps-Spears

Speer Guns-Bed Rolls-Cots-Sleeping Bags-Sleeping-Skates-Skate Boards-Bicycles-Running

Horseplay-Fireworks-Firearms-Sling Shots-Beach Umbrellas-Lounge Chairs

[Pier#r]

A "Trolley" is another name for a slide rig. It takes two rods to fish it and it 'ties up' a fair amount of water.
Too many people would throw out a trolley rig and then go off and fish another pole
Thus the "NO Trolley Fishing" and "ONLY ONE Rod in use per angler" rules

Also, some folks would bring a bunch of rods, furthering encouraging simultaneous use of multiple rods.
(thus the 4-rod rule)

Can't wait!

[greg]

One thing that will surely happen with the opening of the pier...It will take some pressure off of other fishing areas....I never have been big on fishing from a pier but I can appreciate it giving other fishers a place to go, especially our disabled friends....Lets hope the fish are thick and everyone catches there limit.

[greg]

Anyone try there luck on the new pier yet?

[Pier#r]

Yep, they had over 4500 visitors during the 'soft opening' last week (Mon pm- Wed pm).

I was there Monday thru Friday fishing every day (and some at night) on the pier.
The catching was really good! Hundreds of king and spanish mackerel were landed along with close to a thousand flounder and maybe 2000 bluefish
It was absolute carnage I had a blast!
And the pier is an EXCELLENT facility, a "must see" when in the area

Here's a link to my full report chronicaling each day... (I would have posted it here but the pics are too big ;-)
http://www.boatlessfishing.com/forum/vi ... 50&t=15502

[greg]

Thats alot of people and fish...I'll wait for it to calm down a bit before I go out there.