https://www.facebook.com/553795084492029/

Harsch Fishing

Home
United States
Shalimar, FL
Harsch Fishing

Harsch Fishing Co. — a project dedicated to sharing real fishing stories, tips, tactics, and time on the water.
(1)

From saltwater to freshwater, this page is about the experience of fishing, lessons learned, and inspiring the next generation of anglers.

06/08/2026

My mom, Donita, recently found some old fishing pictures of me from when I was a kid while looking through old photo albums. She mailed them to me, and I'm glad she did.

When I opened the box, I immediately remembered this trip. What surprised me was that there were more photos than the one I had remembered all these years.

These pictures were taken during the summer of 1987 when I was 9 years old.

I traveled from southeast Louisiana with my grandparents, Grandma Maum and Papa Maum, to a family reunion in Fort Smith, Arkansas. After the reunion, we visited some of their friends who had moved to Lawton, Oklahoma.

I remember catching the crappie in Fort Smith. At the time, it felt huge.

What I didn't remember were the photos from Oklahoma.

There are pictures of Papa Maum and me fishing together around a pond and creek. There are pictures of him teaching me how to clean fish. Looking at them now, nearly 40 years later, those moments mean more to me than any fish we caught.

I know I fished before this trip, but these are some of my earliest fishing memories.

Looking back, I realize how special that trip was. A boy from southeast Louisiana got to spend time on the road with his grandparents, catch fish in Arkansas and Oklahoma, and learn lessons that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

He taught me how to fish.

He taught me how to clean fish.

He taught me to enjoy time outdoors.

Looking back now, I realize he was teaching me a lot more than that.

Many years later, those lessons are still with me every time I pick up a fishing rod.

In a lot of ways, Harsch Fishing started right here.

Who taught you to fish?

06/07/2026

🎣 Harsch Fishing

📍 Okaloosa Island Pier
📅 6 June 2026

I spent part of this morning catching bait for future fishing trips.

This triple-up of LYs (Scaled Sardines) came on a Sabiki rig from the pier.

LYs are a favorite bait for many Gulf Coast anglers and can be used for a variety of species.

Have you ever caught three fish at once?

06/06/2026

🎣 Harsch Fishing

📍 Okaloosa Island Pier
📅 6 June 2026

June Grass Is Here

I was on the Okaloosa Island Pier this morning and one thing was impossible to miss.

June Grass.

We've been dealing with it for a couple of weeks now, and around the pier this morning there was plenty of it moving through the surf zone.

Those long green streaks you see in the water are floating mats of marine vegetation that drift along the Gulf Coast this time of year. A little isn't a problem, but when it gets thick it can make surf fishing extremely difficult.

Every cast becomes a battle. The grass collects on your line, loads up your sinker, tangles around rigs, and can drag your bait down the beach.

I've seen reports of other beaches with less grass, but around the pier this morning it was pretty thick in places. From the pier, you can really see the grass bands moving along the beach and through the surf zone.

One thing I've learned over the years is not to fight the conditions. When the June Grass gets bad, I adjust. Instead of spending all my time in the surf, I'll often shift my focus to the pier, bays, bridges, and soon the kayak. The fish are still there—you just have to adapt and find them.

It's one of those seasonal changes every Gulf Coast angler eventually learns to watch for.

Have you ever had June Grass ruin a surf fishing trip?

— Brent | Harsch Fishing

06/05/2026

🎣 Harsch Fishing

📍 Okaloosa Island Pier
📅 4 October 2025

Some fishing trips are about the fish.

This one was about family.

Last fall, we got together at the Okaloosa Island Pier to celebrate Brandon's birthday and spend some time together. It had been 8 years since any of us had seen him, so just being able to share a day on the water meant a lot.

The fish weren't trophies, but the memories were. We caught pinfish, hardtails, and several remoras throughout the day. In fact, some of the biggest laughs came from the remoras. My mom, Donita, had never fished from a Gulf Coast pier before and was having an absolute blast catching them. Every time another remora showed up, the smiles got bigger.

Between the fishing, the stories, and simply being together again, the day flew by.

Looking back at these photos, I don't remember how many fish we caught.

I remember the smiles.

I remember the laughter.

And I remember how much fun we had spending a day on the pier together.

In fact, my mom enjoyed it so much that she recommended the pier to my sister and her family. They'll be visiting this weekend, and we've already planned a pier fishing day.

Sometimes the best catches aren't fish at all.

What's a fishing trip you'll never forget?

— Brent | Harsch Fishing

06/04/2026

🎣 Harsch Fishing

📍 Okaloosa Island
📅 3 April 2022

One of the best parts of fishing is celebrating someone else's success.

Esteban had been putting in the work. We'd fished together several times over the fall and spring, but either the pompano weren't there, too small, or they simply weren't biting.

This day was different.

While I was standing at the cart rebaiting, I looked over and noticed his brand-new 9-foot rod bent nearly in half.

"Fish on!"

He took off running, grabbed the rod, and started reeling. At first, he didn't think it was anything special. The fish was swimming toward the beach and riding the waves in, a pompano fighting tactic.

Then everything changed.

The fish turned and started making those classic pompano runs parallel to the shoreline.

At that point, I was probably more excited than he was. I was yelling, jumping around, and cheering him on as he fought the fish toward the beach.

After a great fight, Esteban landed his first keeper pompano—a beautiful fish measuring 17.5 inches to the fork and weighing over 3 pounds.

Some fish are memorable because of their size.

Others are memorable because you get to share the moment with someone experiencing it for the first time.

This one was both.

Do you remember your first keeper or personal best pompano?

— Brent | Harsch Fishing

06/03/2026

Earlier this spring, these pompano came from the Gulf off Okaloosa Island and Pensacola Beach.

After being vacuum sealed, and stored in the freezer, they waited for the right opportunity to make it to the table.

This weekend, Violet's friend, Perla prepared one of them as Tula, a traditional Filipino (Visayan) fish soup. This version included fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers, okra, ginger, and moringa leaves harvested straight from the garden.

One of the things I enjoy most about fishing isn't just catching fish. It's seeing the journey come full circle—from the surf, to the freezer, to sharing a meal with family and friends the same day or months later.

The fresh pompano paired perfectly with the vegetables and moringa, creating a simple meal that highlighted the quality of fresh-caught fish.

The last photo tells the story better than I can.

From Gulf to a Filipino kitchen table.

That's hard to beat.

06/02/2026

🌊 Some days, catching fish isn't the hardest part of surf fishing.

It's holding bottom.

The Gulf had some power behind it that morning, and anything less than a 6 oz Sputnik sinker was getting pushed down the beach.

When the surf gets rough, adapting to the conditions becomes just as important as choosing the right bait.

For this trip, I relied on a 6 oz Sputnik sinker from The Sinker Guy to keep my bait in the strike zone.

What's the heaviest sinker you've ever had to use while surf fishing?

— Brent | Harsch Fishing

06/01/2026

🎣 Harsch Fishing

📍 Okaloosa Island
📅 2 June 2025

One of my favorite parts of fishing is sharing it with other people, especially family.

James was visiting from South Carolina and wanted to experience surf fishing on the Gulf Coast. We spent the morning raking sand fleas, pumping ghost shrimp, removing grass from our lines, and trying to figure out what the fish wanted.

The fishing was slow, but once we found a few ghost shrimp, everything changed.

A little after 8:30 AM, James hooked his first pompano.

The fish put on a textbook pompano fight—running straight toward the beach, then turning and making hard runs parallel to the shoreline before finally coming on to the sand.

Seeing someone experience their first pompano fight is almost as much fun as catching one yourself.

Some catches are measured in pounds and inches. Others are measured in memories.

— Brent | Harsch Fishing

05/29/2026

🎣 Harsch Fishing

📍 Okaloosa Island
📅 23 October 2021

Ladyfish don't get much respect, but they should.

This fish qualified for the Catch a Florida Memory Reel Big Fish program and counts as a life list species for anglers working toward the Florida Saltwater Fishing Life List.

What surprised me most was actually landing it.

The fish was caught on a mortician rig about 100 yards out beyond the sandbar. Most large ladyfish have a habit of throwing the hook or biting through the leader before making it all the way back to the beach.

As the water warms up, more anglers will start running into ladyfish in the surf. They may not be the target species, but they're hard fighters and can make for an exciting surprise.

Fred even stopped by to inspect the catch.

— Brent | Harsch Fishing

05/28/2026

A squadron of pelicans working the Gulf that morning.

Address

Shalimar, FL

Website

facebook.com

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Harsch Fishing posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Want your business to be the top-listed Media Company in Shalimar?