Best Tactics To Catch More Fish On Piers (When You’re With Kids)
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on
Are your kids interested in fishing?
If they are, one of the best places to learn more and get tight lines is at a pier.
So in this new Q & A video, you’ll learn some tips and tricks for catching a ton of fish with your kids from a pier.
Check it out below!!
Pier Fishing With Kids [VIDEO]
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Piers and docks are accessible to lots of people and provide a place to drop some lines and catch a ton of fish.
But there are bound to be lots of other people fishing up and down the pier with lines in the water.
So how do you get the fish to bite YOUR hooks and NOT the dozens around you?
A huge mistake people make off piers is launching their baits out as far as possible.
The truth is that the fish are near the bottom of the pier below your feet where there is more structure.
The pier itself creates an artificial reef for sea life to grow and for fish to feel protected.
You can find many species of fish like flounder, sheepshead, snapper, redfish, black drum, grouper, and snook.
Just go from piling to piling and drop the bait straight down!
Best Bait & Rig For Pier Fishing With Kids
The best bait options to get kids on fish would be fiddler crabs, shrimp, and sand fleas.
And as for rigs, a dropper rig will work best!
This rig includes a sinker at the end of the line with a hook tied about a foot above that to keep the hook attached to the mainline.
Sinker weights can vary based on current and structure but the safest bet is a 1-3 ounce sinker.
If there is a stronger current, you can go with a pyramid sinker which will hold a bit better than other styles.
A bank sinker can also work if you want your bait to roll around at the bottom or suspend next to a piling.
Use a small J hook or a small circle hook on this type of rig.
But you don’t want to go too big with the hooks because some of the species near the pilings have smaller mouths.
Make sure you have at least a 30 lb leader to lessen your chances of breaking off.
Conclusion
Fishing off piers and docks can be a great learning experience for kids!
But you’ll need to have the best bait, rigs, and tactics so that it’s a great time for all.
Do you have any other tactics for getting tight lines with kids when you’re pier fishing?
Let me know in the comments!
And if you know someone who has kids that want to pier fish, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Thank you. It is good to know that the fish will hang around the pilings and I don’t have to cast a distance out.
You’re welcome George!
Hey Tony, thanks for doing this in response to my question. I didn’t see it till just now, lol. The event I described was super crowded, but without knowing it we followed your suggestion of keeping our line close in to the structure and my daughter found a fish. Albeit, it was just a small “pigfish”. She loved it! We will have the dropper rig ready for next year. Tight lines!
Piers etc are wonderful.
Be proficient with the drop net dance.
Seriously tricky. Practice out of the bedroom window.
If you have a risk of a bigun, get yourself a “cliff gaff”. Brutal, but you won’t get a 5ft fish up thirty feet any other way.
Easier to use than a drop net and less smelly.
Trollies help. Easy on most piers or Jetties.
A decent seat box with rocket launchers bolted to the sides is a great bonus.
A longer rod would help control your fish and distance them from the snaggy supports.
All enjoy.
Good stuff Malcolm!
Forgot to mention a bridge net to get your catch up on the pier
For sure!
Ditto! Am in same situation so any advice on fishing with kids is very appreciated, esp anything you can do minus boat (also, stocks of at least tandem kayaks are apparently virtually nonexistent right now). I find Seawolf Park on Pelican Island in Galveston to be a great place to take kids; it seems pretty safe, restrooms are well kept, and they have picnic tables, play structures, easy parking, and you can tour the submarine too so it’s interesting to visit. There is a cost to enter the park but it’s pretty reasonable. Any way y’all could do a spot on fishing Seawolf Park? I have heard there is a big flounder run on there in the fall/winter, but haven’t seen myself. Have seen people wade fishing there as well as fishing off the rocks and pier.
Hey Travis! I will definitely take a look at that park and put a dissection together. More videos definitely coming!
Great info Tony! What rod and reel setup do you recommend for pier fishing? I have a spare Daiwa BG 3000 I am trying to find a purpose for.
Thanks Mark!
If using this tactic you don’t need much. Your standard inshore setups (3000 size reel, 7′ MH Power Rod) can get the job done for sheepshead and snapper around the pilings. I would bump up the line to 15 or maybe even 20lb though and 30lb leader so you can get the fish up and out quickly.
Fish bites might also work for the kids
For sure!
Love your videos about pier fishing do not have a boat please do more videos about pier fishing that would be great
Thank you for the great feedback Gary! We definitely have more videos coming!
Nice post Tony!! Great tip
Thanks Pablo!