Mr. Freedom just a few things that may help with Surf Fishing. I’ll tell you what I’m doing and using and if others wish to share what works for them feel free. Different people have different set ups and their are many variations and this is just one way, not the only way. Poles that I use are 9-10ft medium heavy rods that are capable of throwing 6 ounces of lead.Longer poles cast further and help keep the line out of the waves. I generally like to get 250-300 yards of line. I spool with 30lb braid and use a 30lb mono top shot. I like the braid for capacity and the mono top shot for elasticity. The mono is more forgiving because it stretches which is nice for thrashing fish or sudden bursts of power. It is also easy to grab when landing a fish. The braid casts further and the thin diameter offers less resistance to strong currents. Reels that I use are a stout 6000 that will hold plenty of line. Allot of the recommendations they put on them for capacity are exaggerated. I use a fish finder rig with 50lb mono for the liter, large swivels, and a #2 hook for smaller fish and a #5 for chunking cut bait for Bull Reds. Multi light Owner circle hooks.Three to 5ounce pyramid weights. For bait shrimp works for everything. I catch smaller fish whiting, blues and cut them up to chunk for the reds on the bigger hooks. The bait should be fresh as possible. The big reds will eat most anything that they come across, they ain’t that picky. Fresh whiting, blues, mullet, shrimp and crab chunks. I cast inside the bars in the wash and also cast some baits on the back side of the bar past the breakers. A real important part is where you are fishing. A flat beach with no structure is not going to produce as good as one with structure. You want to find sandbars, troughs, holes, big slopes, holes and work these areas. It’s easy to see these at low tide and fish the incoming tide and target these differences on the beach. Whether tide is coming or going I don’t care as long as it’s moving water. Two hours before and after high and low s
Can’t add anything to that! There really are no “secrets” to surfishing. No different from bank fishing most any place, salt and fresh. MOST of the time it just comes down to location. Not saying one certain beach or bank is better than the other, more so “Where” along the area you target. I’ve fished alot of beaches along the east coast and the gulf, some really good others not. We are very fortunate here in South Carolina to have some very good Surfshing beaches with excellent barrier islands. All provide very good opportunities to land alot of fish.
Most folks will look out at the waves and current and see…waves and current. I see holes, troughs, cuts, rips, inside bowls, outside bowls, points and pockets, sometimes grass lines and rocks, dirty/clean water. My tip would be go down at dead low tide and look for troughs, cuts and holes. You will see them, if they are there, sometimes we get “high troughs, which I find usually don’t hold fish. As Pete said, as long as the water is moving, washing bait out is best.
Now about rigging…basically what ever you feel comfortable with. Braid,mono, flouro, 12’rods, 6’rods, $30-$300 reels does not matter. They will all catch fish. I prefer mono main line, 15#-25#. Small hooks…think smaller. #4-#2 for smaller fish (they will land 40” red drum though) 6/0 circle on the bigger set ups. I also am a dropper rig guy, weight after hook, yeah the kind with the magic beads. And of course FRESH BAIT!
Are you gonna catch a giant Red Drum every trip? NO. Every other trip? NO, well maybe Pete does. Whiting, Rays and smaller Sharks you will catch. It is slowly picking up in the surf. In a month everything will be bitting.
So come on down and get lines in! For sure the only way to catch anything.
Well, off to work I go, Good Luck!
DP
Thank you gentlemen, looks like some good info!
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
Lots of good info here ! Thanks for the heads up about the Rich Trox videos…I just watched the “reading the beach” series…information overload. I’ll definitely be watching them again.
2003 Key West 1720 Sportsman
2016 Ocean Kayak BG2
Rick good to hear from you. Another member Great White suggested these to us two years ago. They are excellent and will definitely improve your catch rate. I review them every year. Instead of sitting in a chair, staring at the ocean like a zombie, they give great insight as to what your looking at, and where you should be casting, and why. Many people think surf fisher’s don’t have any technique, which is true for many of them, but not all of them. Some truly love what they are doing and invest in it, and try to learn, and improve their catch rate. I do admit surf fishing can be boring if you are not catching. If you are laying into them, for me nothing is better than hanging out on a deserted beach, with not a person in sight, in the Fall, and enjoying a cold beer with your buddy catching Bull Reds and watching the sun set. It can be beautiful. Rich Trox has quit a few videos out, and like I said it’s like having one of the best surf fisherman in the world give you a private seminar for “free”. Did I mention for FREE! Good luck out there Mr. McGee.
x
brianbolgla
Great stuff here. Biggest thing is to keep getting out and the fish will come. 