06/18/2026
After an awesome morning on the beach with Max and Lisa, where Max caught 4 pompano, we moved to the next part of the day of fishing, the Okaloosa Island Pier.
On the pier we were joined by Allie, Max's sister, Jeremy, Max's dad, and Violet, my wife, for a family fishing outing.
We all arrived shortly after 10 AM and it was already hot. Max wanted to go to the end, so we headed as far down the pier as we could find enough room for all of us without going into the Octagon.
I switched over to my pier cart and gear, including a few FishGum Runt Rods that are the perfect size for Max and Allie to use on the pier. I put a milk crate and an ice chest next to the rail for them to stand on. I showed each of them exactly what I was doing—putting on the sinker, baiting the hook with cut shrimp, and dropping it down.
Aunt Violet helped by standing next to Max while I stayed with Allie. It made handling two young anglers on a busy pier much easier.
The fish were pecking at our bait almost immediately. Max remembered the FishGum from earlier in the morning and suggested we add some to the hooks. I had to explain to Allie what FishGum was, and after hearing the name she decided it sounded like something she should be allowed to eat. I assured her it was fishing bait, not candy.
After switching to FishGum, it didn't take long for Max to get hooked up.
"I got a fish! I definitely got a fish!" he announced as he reeled it up from the water.
His first pinfish.
After I took it off the hook, Max wanted to touch and hold the fish. Seeing him do that gave Allie the courage to touch the pinfish as well. Once everyone had a chance to get a closer look, we released it back into the Gulf.
Not long after Max caught his first pinfish, Allie felt a few more bites and then a steady tug. She wasn't quite sure at first if she had a fish, but we all looked down and sure enough, she had hooked up—along with a little bit of grass.
We coached her through reeling it up and she had no problem bringing it to the surface.
Allie's first pinfish!
Once again, everyone wanted to touch the fish before it was released. Both Max and Allie went on to catch another pinfish each. Allie even tried holding one herself before letting it go, but it flopped out of her hands like pinfish seem determined to do with just about everyone who tries to hold one.
I finally got Lisa set up and fishing. We started with a Sabiki rig, but she wasn't a fan of that setup, so I switched her over to a double-dropper rig and FishGum. Between the sargassum grass, slime, and the slow midday bite, it wasn't easy, but she eventually landed a pinfish of her own.
Like Max, she was ready to fish for something bigger.
We even tried fishing with larger baits in hopes of finding a bigger fish, but the midday bite never really materialized. Between the heat, the blazing sun, and the slower action, we eventually decided it was time to pack up and find some lunch.
Since we had gone straight from the beach to the pier, I still had the same ice chest with Max's pompano from earlier that morning. He proudly showed off his catch to his dad, Aunt Violet, and his sister Allie. He was still excited about the fish he had caught just a few hours earlier.
After Jeremy and Lisa looked over the menu at Angler's, we decided that was the place to go since we were already right there. All of the adults ordered some version of blackened grouper—one sandwich, two taco plates, and one Reuben—and every meal was excellent. After a hot day on the beach and pier, it definitely hit the spot.
We didn't leave the pier with a redfish, king mackerel, or a cooler full of fish.
What we did leave with was Max and Allie's first pier fishing experience, their first pinfish, plenty of laughs, and a few more fishing memories.
We also got a visit from Fred and one of his pelican friends, which is almost a requirement when fishing the Okaloosa Island Pier.
That's what it is all about.
As for next time, I know Lisa wants to fish for something bigger. I'll have to make sure we're ready for that challenge.
Fishing is the subject, memories are the purpose.
— Brent | Harsch Fishing
