We’ve rented a cottage on the ocean the week of July 4th & the week after.

I don’t know squat about salt. I have ultra-light to medium weight spinning gear so am wondering if I ought to buy/borrow/rent heavier stuff?

There is a fishing pier there, our cottag is right on the gulf, and I may rent kayaks so we can go up into the finger bays for old fort bayou or Biloxi Bay.

Anybody who can suggest specific tackle/rigs?

Anyone have knowledge of the area and willing to share?

I’d be super grateful; really excited as we’ve booked the place for two solid weeks!

Thanks a lot,

Efw

I lived in Ocean Springs for a while and was stationed at Keesler 3 different times. We mainly fished the back bay, but we did get in some good fishing near the I-98 Bridge around the casinos. It's been since 2005 I last fished there, but I honestly remember using my bass fishing rods with about 20lb test and using cut bait if I remember correctly. We used steel leaders if I remember correctly, due to catching sheepshead. Also, we got lot's of blue crabs when we would run my buddy's crab traps. Two weeks before Hurricane Katrina hit, I was working a deal to buy a center console boat for fishing there. Needless to say, things changed after the Hurricane. If you like BBQ, I recommend you hit The Shed which is west of Ocean Springs off I-10.

While you can certainly get into some inshore species within kayak range on your bass tackle and some plastic jigs and shrimp, you’re right next to Chandeleur Island, which should be on anyone’s inshore bucket list. I’d check into a day guide or a drop off out there. If you want to do it right, see if you can get onto the Pelican, I think Jack Humphrey,s son still has it.

I agree that you should get a charter to the Chandeleurs. You will experience the finest trout and redfishing in the world. There should be charters running out of Gulfport and Long Beach. The Southern Way is a 3 day charter that is first class if you opt for something like that. www.southernwaycharters.com

Lived in Ocean Springs for 22 years , you'll find plenty of fishing with a kayak in the ''Sound'' = waters wrapped around the coast , plenty of wade fishing everywhere . It's the Gulf and the Gulf is called ''out front'' by the locals - just saying .
Your fishing tackle will be fine for trout redfish etc. those fish will be everywhere along the coastline and small islands - Deer Island etc. . Concentrate on water 2' - 5' deep - live shrimp - hot bite dead shrimp is fine .
You're in for a treat it's a beautiful place although it and the rest of the area was ruined by the casino industry , we use to call Ocean Springs The Best Kept Secret in this country .
Get a charter out of Biloxi no need to drive to Gulfport/Long beach unless you want to .

I can't tell you any places I think would be of interest to you because I've been gone since sept/2002 Katrina [2005] wiped out many of the old timey places like the shrimpers museum and such - but maybe it was rebuilt . Ocean Springs is 10X as nice as where I live now [leaving here ASAP] very nice people in the OS area .

The boats to Ship Island use to go morning noon and evening - was always popular with visitors .Go in the morning return noon-ish if you want or stay until evening , miss the evening boat - camping is what you'll be doing .
I was friends with some of the Skrmetta's .

https://msshipisland.com/family-history/

Light spinning tackle is fine, I use 20 lb braid but when I was using mono I'd use 12 lb. test. I tie on a 20 lb fluorocarbon leader because of the teeth on specks, redfish, and sheepshead, they're wicked and will cut through lighter leaders. Make sure you've got a net, don't lip them or you'll pull back a bloody thumb. I like to use a #6 treble hook with live shrimp either under a float or a dropshot rig. You don't want the shrimp to go into the bottom when they feel threatened, keep them off the bottom. Live shrimp can be had at the OS marina or a guy off of washington street where it goes over the bayou.

After Katrina there was a lot of rubble down there so the state made artificial reefs out of much of it. Those things are the bomb for fishing and hold a lot of fish, many of them are in the bay and can be reached by kayak. Here's a map of them:

http://dmr.ms.gov/index.php/marine-fisheries/artificial-reef/148-ar-inshore-reefs

If you're going to do a charter consider also driving to Pass Christian and getting one of the charter guys to take you down to the Biloxi Marsh. There are about 10 charter companies with bay boats that operate out of the PC marina and it's a fairly short run to the marsh from there.


It's operating, I just talked to my stockbroker and he rented out the whole thing for three days at the end of this month for his son's bachelor party.

This is all fantastic info as ‘fire usual gentlemen thanks so much!

Not gonna have the funds for a charter but def gonna work the docks, beaches, and might rent kayaks.

Thanks so much for the great info!

Great family story.

Thanks for sharing.

DF

If you are using freshwater reels rinse them well in fresh water after fishing in salt after every day fishing.

You're welcome Dirtfarmer .

Ernie , enjoy your trip to the Mississippi Coast - many great memories there for me .

Thanks a ton to everyone here who lent me your insights!

We decided that going to Mississippi in July, even on the Gulf Coast, might not be the smartest vacation choice and are now headed to Maine instead.

We are, however, going to keep this spot on our radar for future spring breaks as the family really wants to get down there.

Thanks gain to everyone who helped me here!

Around the first of the month i went home to Biloxi and had a blast.

We went to south of Cat island and fished for red fish for 8 hours.
It was kind of stormy and when we went out seas were 2-3 high and coming back 3-5.

We caught a truck load of speckled trout and reds but most were about 1-2 inches short of the length of legal.

Wished i was still there now.