First surf trip in a long time, fished from 7 to 9 and the plan was to just use artificials. Threw a buck tail and had a couple bumps but no takers. I switched to a spoon and caught a red 3rd cast. Threw some more but lost a spoon and crank bait so went back to the bucktail and tipped with a strip of mullet that I got from someone fishing next to me. a lot of small hits and missed two good hits. Reds and sharks chasing mullet in the surf all the way until there backs we’re out. I saw a set of fins break the waves and it didn’t look like the other sharks and then I see the side is white silver and it was a tarpon rolling. Later it rolled/ jumped through a wave and I got a very good look at it. I saw some stuff jumping in the 200 to 500 yd range but never saw if it was sharks or tarpons. Pogies 100yds to 500yds. The people next to me were catching reds and black drum on shrimp and got sharked and rayed on mullet .
How big?
2 5ftish sharks that were feeding together
Another shark
I also saw a school of 10-20 small Jack’s around a lb or two, a Spanish mackerel and I think a big trout or Spanish.
I’m bringing bait and a full spread next time so expect a better report soon.
Wished could’ve been there.
Ya know, it must be nice living in Neverneverland. Remind me to come visit you, when I need a break from reality.
Nice report and pics 40. Good luck this season.
Went back from 7-9pm with bait, a cast net and a big rod, med rod and a small rod. Shrimp on small rod produce reds, mullet on the medium rod produce a blue and reds. Nothing on the big rod about 60 yds out with blue or mullet chunks. Surf was rougher and less bait around but still saw some big stuff jumping a hundred or so yards off the beach. Some people next to me caught black drum.
I was at IOP station 23 yesterday with the family. Brought 2 rods and a cast net. Was there from about 1-4PM, incoming tide. Never saw any bait to throw on.
2016 Boston Whaler 230 Vantage w/300 Merc Verado
Nice report 40. What are you using as small, medium, and big rods? I haven’t been surf fishing much so I’d like to see what category my existing setups fall into based on what you wrote above. Thanks!
Team Creekbeater
1990 Montauk 17/90hp Yamaha - “The Girlie”
You can have it fast, right, or cheap. Pick two.
What I was using
Small-7ft 3000 series 300yds 10# braid #1 short shank j hook and a light Carolina, popping cork, or artificial. I fish this rod in my hand.
Med- 7ft 4000 series 300 yds 30# braid heavier Carolina rig circle hook or other bottom rigs or big artificials. If fishing bait I keep it in the rod holders
Big- 9ft 8000 series 450yds of 80# braid big baits and heavy lead. I fish it out the rod holder.
Only the 9ft is an actual surf rod but I do have a few 12ft heavy uglystick surf rods that I switch my big reels to sometimes to chunk a big bait farther. The small and medium are my inshore setups and I was fishing them close.
The bait wasn’t there in the evening like it was in the morning but still plenty of mullet. I was close to the inlet.
Thanks! I appreciate you sharing the details with me. Looks like I’ve got small and medium covered just fine. Did a little scouting at lunch today, hopefully that will pay off for a quick lunchtime trip this week!
Team Creekbeater
1990 Montauk 17/90hp Yamaha - “The Girlie”
You can have it fast, right, or cheap. Pick two.