PINS First Time

[bignick612]

Going to be in Port A this week and we were thinking about driving down to PINS for the day Friday. I'm not a big beach guy and have only drove on maintained beaches with packed sand and plenty of space. I see things about airing down tires and bringing extra fuel that makes me a little concerned. Is this stuff necessary if I plan on only going 10-20 miles down for the day? Is there anything important to really know before going out there? I will be in a 4x4 F150 with AT tires if it matters.

Also plan on bringing some rods with me so any fishing advice or lure suggestions for this time of year would be much appreciated.

[slayr]

I’m relatively new to the area and have only been on PINS a few times, but here are my two cents….

- If you top off when leaving Port A, you’ll have plenty of fuel if you’re only going as far as you mentioned.

- Your truck will do just fine down there.

- The tides have been pretty high and there isn’t a ton of wiggle room between the waterline and the dunes. Hopefully someone will chime in who knows when tide heights should become a concern. Based on my limited experiences and with how high tides are in the bays, I’d definitely be honing in on this. I checked NOAA for tides several miles down the beach, they weren’t extremely accurate….maybe someone has a better website or can tell you the difference between what the website says and what actually happens down there.

- If you’re looking for shells, you won’t find any until you get a few miles before mile marker 30 (might be a little closer to 25).

- I haven’t looked at forecasts, but the wind has been pumping down here and I’d imagine the surf is fairly churned up….this weekend is another day though, maybe the winds will switch or lay for you.

[Walker]

Take a shovel.

[stickman]

Swell info for tide charts. It's been pretty high, plan your travel around low tides for the best driving conditions. You'll have plenty of fuel for a 10-20 mile trip. Shovel and a tow strap is always in my truck when I head south on the beach. Cell service is spotty at best on top of the dunes. Its turtle nesting season so watch for them and your speed limit, park rangers will be out and about. Cast net mullet or catch and cut up whiting. I don't bother fishing slack tides on the beach.

[kevin nicholls]

Nick Meyers at Breakaway Tackle has daily beach reports from the area on Youtube. He gives tide heights and driving conditions each day. Nick's a good guy, he's been there a long time. Check him out before you go and you can call him at the shop also. Have fun down there, it's a cool place.

[chrisk]

We love it there. Driven the length a few times. If you try that leave early. If you make it back before dark to around the 15 mile marker you should be fine.
We live in Bayside. If you guys ever think of moving down this way give me a holler. My wife sells real estate around our area. Still many opportunities (affordable opportunities) in our area.

[Lincoln Hawk]

Summer can be hit or miss on PINS. Back in the day (15+ years prior), whiting in the 1st gut (not the wade gut) was EZ mode. Redfish, black drum, ladyfish, specks (on artificials usually) and the occasional jack and bonita were a thing.

For pot lickers, 3 oz spider weights with live or cut bait on a Daiwa 30 Sealine (20# test) work quite well. Use a long rod, 9' plus. 2" pvc rod holders come in handy if you don't have a front bumper setup. If pot licking, bring a big as* hammer.

[stickman]

Nick Meyer just posted a report on FB. Says driving is about as bad as it gets right now and that was on low tide.

[chrisk]

There was so many trees that we thought half of South America washed ashore hahaha

[SmTx]

Keep an eye out for the lost pet tortoise someone thought was a sea turtle and put down PINS 🙄

[glen]

Go down and drive as far as comfortable. Stay out on the packed sand. First 10 are easy usually. Best driving back on falling tide. Just throw shrimp on a Carolina rig and catch about everything out there. Don’t overthink it. Take a PVC post to stick in sand and put rod in. If driving conditions let you goto the “high banks” around Little Shell. 19-24 MM usually.

[Burntorange Bowhunter]

Go explore Dead Man's Hole. Easy drive in and out.

[bloodtrailer28]

Go explore Dead Man's Hole. Easy drive in and out.

Lol


Tides have been way up the past few days since we have been here so there isn't much room but driving conditions were pretty easy. We didn't go that far south though.

[Radman]

Ya like Bloodtrailer said, our tides have been very high as of late. Might be a little dicey driving down PINs.

[Greenheadless]

Used to stand on the beach edge and throw a 52MR or Mirrodine parallel to the back side of the shore break and catch some good trout. Didn’t even have to get your feet wet. It’s mot like the surf fishing you find in the upper or upper-middle coast.