Both the East and West coasts of Florida have some solid piers to fish from, mainly around inlet areas, all of which provide fantastic spots to launch a line not only for dinky species, but for some big time battles as well.

Last week, I hit South Beach Miami, and having had enough with multiple happy hours, I walked down Ocean Drive to the South Pointe Pier to toss a line. Knowing I wanted to start off with some simple tugs on the line, I set up with a basic egg slider rig with a 2-ounce sinker on the braided running line, a 75-pound Spro barrel swivel, then 24-inch length of 30-pound Seaguar Fluorocarbon to which a small size #4 Owner Octopus hook was tied via improved clinch knot.

For bait, I lanced on some slices of blue runner as well as squid tentacles. I cast into Government Cut and was immediately whacked by a bunch of parrotfish, scorpionfish, pufferfish, grunts and mangrove snappers, which were fun enough to get the groove flowing. My friend Austin Perilli joined me and tied on a ½-ounce Kalin’s leadhead tipped with a chartreuse Berkley Gulp! Jerk Shad, dropping it right down next to the bridge piling. After a few jigs, he got hit big time and was buckled down with a good 10 minute fight which took him out with the tide and back again, but ultimately snapped the 30-pound braided line on what was most likely a 25-pound class permit according to the locals who have seen it all.

On that pier, a bullet cast with a Williamson Gomoku jig swiftly reeled back could get you into Spanish mackerel, jack crevalles and barracuda. Pier sharpies will take small grunts and set them out on a liveline rig back into the Cut in order to tempt a hit from a tarpon, grouper or wandering snook. Night time anglers from the pier will drift live shrimp baits out on floats to intercept rolling schools of 30 to 100-pound class tarpon, which are barely ever landed, but fun enough to see jumping out of the water.

The main idea is that whenever you are traveling, search out the closest pier or causeway bridge as most times they will be fish magnets that not only will get your quick fix of rat-a-tat hits from smaller species, but hold the possibility of scoring with a trophy fish on your vacation as well.