MO Carp this one is for you

[Smalliebigs]

2 hours ago, Flysmallie said:

Me too. 

That area is just a part of the fabric of my family now and we love it.....my daughter and wife and I have special memories like you spoke of.....too many to count

 

[Smalliebigs]

The beaches of the gulf coast are as good as any I have ever been to and the fishing is very good.....but, we never go down in the peak season so I can only speak for off season.

 

[MoCarp]

that place is great family fun, many a young child has explored the surf for all kinds of critters, any yeah should have bought property back when it was cheaper back in the 90's you could have bought a new condo for 65k!....the rivers there are interesting and have some bass sub species with chasing, can be a bit dicey with the Gators more common, and some of the snakes can be aggressive 

 

saw this a while back, still can here my mom yelling STAY OUT OF THE PALMETTOS! rattlers are in there...

 

 

[MoCarp]

and its not vacation without a trip to the shops, rubber gators and beach buckets, flip flops etc...lol

[Flysmallie]

1 hour ago, Smalliebigs said:

The beaches of the gulf coast are as good as any I have ever been to and the fishing is very good.....but, we never go down in the peak season so I can only speak for off season.

We always go peak season and really it's not that bad. The kids enjoy all the craziness and since I'm only along to pay the check I really don't care. I get to fish for 3 or 4 hours everyday and spend the rest of my time with them. It's awesome. Two of these girls can't remember not going to Gulf Shores in the summer because they have been there every summer for longer than they have been alive. 19 years. Even went during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It's got a lot more commercialized over the years but it seems to just be keeping up with my kids interests. Awesome place.

We have stayed about 20 miles out and there are nice places with less people and better fishing but I don't get to make many decisions. Other than how much I should leave for a tip. 

 

[Smalliebigs]

38 minutes ago, Flysmallie said:

We always go peak season and really it's not that bad. The kids enjoy all the craziness and since I'm only along to pay the check I really don't care. I get to fish for 3 or 4 hours everyday and spend the rest of my time with them. It's awesome. Two of these girls can't remember not going to Gulf Shores in the summer because they have been there every summer for longer than they have been alive. 19 years. Even went during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It's got a lot more commercialized over the years but it seems to just be keeping up with my kids interests. Awesome place.

We have stayed about 20 miles out and there are nice places with less people and better fishing but I don't get to make many decisions. Other than how much I should leave for a tip. 

 

That's awesome dude.....I'm in the same boat so to speak but, only have Two girls with me down there. We have been staying down off 30A they last couple of times and it was very cool as well. There is a State Park back in there that we go to....when the tide is flowing it is some very good fishing. I agree with you, this place is so close to our hearts and we have had so many good times as a family there....it's just an awesome deal, hard for me to explain. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

My wife’s sister lived at sandpiper cove and she was a traveling nurse and we could stay at her place for free while she was gone. Love destin 

[MoCarp]

cool thing is you can have the family play on the beach and toss spoons for spanish mackerel and pompano, or toss a cast net just to see what you catch, kids love seeing all the little critters you can catch in a cast net..then there is the food  things you just can't get anywhere, plus the friendly nature of the south, the off season sept on IMHO is the best for fishing, avoid spring break like the plague though

for those wanting to fish for them learn to use a gotcha, walk the dog with it a foot under the surface, I like to put a treble with feathers on the back by cutting off the back hook and putting on a split ring (stainless) , kinda has a stinger hook effect, I'd bet the small one would work great for whites in the summer here

[snagged in outlet 3]

Sand fleas for pompano.  Bubble rig or spoon works well too.

[MoCarp]

17 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Sand fleas for pompano.  Bubble rig or spoon works well too.

saw a guy who used a sucker to pop them out of there burrows, and when they are moving they sell a sand scoop to trap them as the waves wash back out