[44709-30188-32459]

Just moving to Blue Mountain Beach, and I plan to spend a good deal of time surf fishing. I have never, however, fished a "tourist" beach, and am wondering about sharing the beach with out of state families and their children. Just about all of my surf fishing has been done on the Atlantic coast, at military installations, where tourists were not an issue. I'm assuming that the average mom from Tennessee is blissfully ignorant of what lies just offshore, and when I start landing sharks, is going to freak out.

Anyone have any insight into fishing the South Walton Beaches, the etiquette involved, and interacting with the out-of-state tourists?

I'm sure some will feel that I should fish the isolated stretches of beach, fish from a boat, etc... But, I'm paying to live at Blue Mountain, I don't own a boat, and I shouldn't have to "go somewhere else". The beach is just as much mine as it is theirs, right?

What do you guys think?

[Kevin from Tampa]

I think that shore fishing should be done in isolated areas, or when not a lot of people are there. Yes, you have as much right to the beach as the next person, but fishing takes large swaths of the beach and makes them unusable to everyone else.

Think of it like this...let's say you went canoeing, and a guy in powerboat came roaring down the river that you were in. He's within his rights to do so, but is that good for all users of that river?

[44709-30188-32459]

You could say the same about surfing. Depending on how close in the break is, some surfing makes a swath of the beach unusable to bathers. But, the onus is on the bather to not get run over.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a considerate persons, and I'm not going to wade out onto a crowded beach, in the middle of sunbathers and start casting, but, I also want to be able to walk to my fishing spot, after having paid a whole lot of money to live where I do.

My question is really aimed at addressing the attitudes of out-of-state tourists, who have little experience with beach life. Locals tend to understand all the different activities that go on at a beach, whereas the mom from TN sometimes feels as though she has rented the entire beach for the exclusive use of her family.

[beachmouse]

The good news is that even during peak summer, I don't think that part of the beach is overly crowded. You're always going to have some unpleasant and arrogant people down here to visit, but there usually aren't enough of them to ruin your day or plans.

[Kevin from Tampa]

A lot of other people have paid a lot of money to live in Florida as well, and no one owns the beach.

Surfers can avoid swimmers, but fishing lines can't avoid swimmers. Fishing also draws fish to the beach, which draws sharks.

Feel free to do what you want...I'm just trying to help you be courteous.

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by 44709-30188-32459

Just moving to Blue Mountain Beach, and I plan to spend a good deal of time surf fishing. I have never, however, fished a "tourist" beach, and am wondering about sharing the beach with out of state families and their children. Just about all of my surf fishing has been done on the Atlantic coast, at military installations, where tourists were not an issue. I'm assuming that the average mom from Tennessee is blissfully ignorant of what lies just offshore, and when I start landing sharks, is going to freak out.

Anyone have any insight into fishing the South Walton Beaches, the etiquette involved, and interacting with the out-of-state tourists?

I'm sure some will feel that I should fish the isolated stretches of beach, fish from a boat, etc... But, I'm paying to live at Blue Mountain, I don't own a boat, and I shouldn't have to "go somewhere else". The beach is just as much mine as it is theirs, right?

What do you guys think?

I think you need to fish outside of the swimming beach area where the access to the beach is, just like real surfers do. They do not endanger the swimmers.

I need one clarification though. Are you planning on shark fishing from the beach with blood and guts etc....which will draw sharks closer to shore or are you going to just fish for reds,whites, etc like most do on the public beaches? If truly shark fishing, then I think you need to go out on a boat or a good long pier away from where swimmers will be. JMHO

We all pay to live here and tourists pay to visit our beautiful beaches, so saying you're paying and don't care if you may endanger others just does not float. JMHO

[44709-30188-32459]

Kevin, I appreciate your opinion. If I was an inconsiderate person, I wouldn't even be asking for it.

I also think that we are probably visualizing very different scenarios. My post was prompted by a fisherman relating a particular experience in which, he arrived at the beach very early - first one there. He was having a very productive day. After a few hours, people started staking out their spots closer and closer to him. One family decided to plant themselves directly between him and the water. They were well aware of what they were doing, and did so in an apparent effort to drive him away. They were of the position that the beach was for the sole use of sunbathers and swimmers, and he had no right to fish there. Ugly words were exchanged, etc...

I disagree with the assertion that fishing draws fish / sharks. The fish and sharks are already there, and swimmers splashing in the water is a far stronger shark attractor, than is someone fishing with a plug, or even a baited line. I spent a good many years flying low over the beach. The vast majority of beachgoers wouldn't step foot in the water if they could actually see what is out there cruising just off the break.

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by 44709-30188-32459

Kevin, I appreciate your opinion. If I was an inconsiderate person, I wouldn't even be asking for it.

I also think that we are probably visualizing very different scenarios. My post was prompted by a fisherman relating a particular experience in which, he arrived at the beach very early - first one there. He was having a very productive day. After a few hours, people started staking out their spots closer and closer to him. One family decided to plant themselves directly between him and the water. They were well aware of what they were doing, and did so in an apparent effort to drive him away. They were of the position that the beach was for the sole use of sunbathers and swimmers, and he had no right to fish there. Ugly words were exchanged, etc...

I disagree with the assertion that fishing draws fish / sharks. The fish and sharks are already there, and swimmers splashing in the water is a far stronger shark attractor, than is someone fishing with a plug, or even a baited line. I spent a good many years flying low over the beach. The vast majority of beachgoers wouldn't step foot in the water if they could actually see what is out there cruising just off the break.

That is why I was asking if you were there to fish for sharks or general fishing. Fishing for sharks involves bloody bait to attract the sharks, regular fishing you might get a shark by chance because the fish are already there. Shark fishing is a totally different way of fishing. Actually I think shore fishing is cool=especially when the pelicans and blue herons hang around waiting for a fish.

In your scenario of being on the beach first.....is the area he was in within the regular area where the county parking lot and access is and that may have a designated area watched by life guards? If it is then at 10 when the guards come on you might want to move down just beyond the flagged off area or out of the area between the accesses to the beach where the parking area is. We all should be able to get along. Beach is for everyone.

And I do think the people who sat right in front of you were out of bounds. I am sure there were areas 20 feet away where they could have enjoyed themselves.

[mango23]

Originally Posted by 44709-30188-32459

Just moving to Blue Mountain Beach, and I plan to spend a good deal of time surf fishing. I have never, however, fished a "tourist" beach, and am wondering about sharing the beach with out of state families and their children. Just about all of my surf fishing has been done on the Atlantic coast, at military installations, where tourists were not an issue. I'm assuming that the average mom from Tennessee is blissfully ignorant of what lies just offshore, and when I start landing sharks, is going to freak out.

Anyone have any insight into fishing the South Walton Beaches, the etiquette involved, and interacting with the out-of-state tourists?

I'm sure some will feel that I should fish the isolated stretches of beach, fish from a boat, etc... But, I'm paying to live at Blue Mountain, I don't own a boat, and I shouldn't have to "go somewhere else". The beach is just as much mine as it is theirs, right?

What do you guys think?

I would assume surf fishing is banned from most public swimming beaches. I believe you also need a license around $50.00 a year.

[Kevin from Tampa]

You seem like you're going to do what you want to do. There's probably no right or wrong answer with all of this...but I'd like to think that it would be nice to not hog the beach with fishing lines when there are lots of people around.