Surf Fishing Tips and Techniques

Definition of Fishing:
fish*ing (fish`ing) 1,n

The art of casting,trolling, jigging, or spinning
while freezing, sweating, swatting,or swearing.

The beauty of surf fishing (or any type of rod and line fishing for that matter) is that you do not need much equipment to get started. Everything you need for a day of surf fishing will fit into a small to medium sized tackle box.

You can set yourself up with everthing you need for about $120, rod and reel combos start at around $60, but as with most things you get what you pay for. A good surf fishing tip would be to to spend as much as you can afford on a rod and reel. If properly looked after, a good quality rod and reel will last you many years.

With surf fishing you need to be mobile, there is no point staying in one place if you are having no luck. If after a few hours you have had no takes you are much better off trying another spot on the beach, sometimes 50 yards can make all the difference!

(Pictured Above: 55lb Striped Bass!)

If you are a surf angler, hooking a sizable striped bass in the surf is one of the most exciting experiences you can have. The secret is choosing the right rig and the right bait for the job. Here are my two favorite surf fishing rigs for this sought after fish.

The Fish Finder Rig

There are various forms of the fish finder rig, but the one detailed here has caught more striped bass than any other. This surf fishing rig is best used with live bait, eels hooked through the the tail are always the top choice, followed by either menhaden or herring. Leader length between hook and swivel should be around 20 inches. Attaching a weight slide above the swivel will make the bait presentation much better than a fixed version. Striped bass have excellent eyesight so try and keep the rig as simple as possible. The fish finder rig works well because it allows the live bait to move naturally in the current.

The Hi Low Rig

There are also many versions of the high low rig, but this is the one that seems to catch the most striped bass. This rig works well because smaller bass tend to sit higher in the water while the larger fish will stay closer to the bottom. For this surf fishing rig tie two 5 inch dropper loops on a 5 foot length of leader, keeping the loops around 12 inches apart and tie your hooks to the end of the loops. 15 inches below the bottom loop attach a weight snap, and 15 inches above the top loop tie on a swivel for the main line. The object of this rig is for the fish to hook themselves, so circle hooks will work the best. Try using a larger bait like bunker chunks on the bottom loop, and a slightly smaller bait like blood worms for the top loop.

One of the the best surf fishing tips for locating fish is to go and check out your chosen beach at low tide before you go. Make a note of where the dips, hollows and sandbanks are, this will give you a great indication of where the fish are likely to be feeding when the tide comes in. Look out for points of land that jut out into the ocean, you will generally find fish on either side of these features.

The best time to surf fish is always around high tide, and especially if high tide falls at either dawn or dusk.

Another great surf fishing tip is to go and talk to a local tackle shop that is close to the beach you are intending to fish. These places are a fantastic place to gather information about the current fish being caught, where and when they are being caught and what baits are being used.

The Ultimate Surf Fishing Guide

"All Americans believe that they are born fishermen. For a man to admit to a distaste for fishing would be like denouncing mother-love and hating moonlight."

John Steinbeck -1954

If you are after red drum you will have to beef up your end tackle. IIustrated below is a rig that should hold most large red drum.
For live baits try using live menhaden or shrimp, chunks of crab also work well.

Don't spend too much time on end rigs, a good surf fishing tip for rigs is to:
Keep It Simple.
The less you have to worry about or get tangled the better.

Below are three very popular and simple surf fishing rigs.

The Fishfinder Rig



The object of the fishfinder rig is to pose little or no resistance as your target fish picks up the bait as possible. It is entirely personal preference as to your length of leader, but the average length is around 24 inches.
It is very simple to make up the fishfinder rig yourself.

The Fireball Rig



The idea of the fireball rig is that the foam balls keep the bait slightly off the bottom. The bright colors and movement in this rig make it a great choice on days when the surf is rough and the water is cloudy.
The rig works well when fished with natural bait.
You can make up the fireball rig yourself but it is a little more involved, so it's much easier to buy them already made up.

The High Low Rig



The high low rig is one of the best natural bait rigs there is. The rig works extremely well for most larger predatory fish, and gives you the advantage of having two baits in the water. The rig can be made up fairly easily, or can be bought ready made from your tackle shop.

Bait Rigs For Bluefish

The bluefish has extremely sharp teeth so regardless of which rig you choose a wire leader is advisable. The best bait rig to use is the fish finder rig. The wire leader length should be around 18 inches between hook and swivel. Put a weight slide on the main line and then tie the main line to the swivel. Bluefish have very good vision so a free lining rig helps the bait look as natural as possible. Bluefish are ferocious feeders and travel in large schools hunting smaller bait fish, so for live baits try menhaden, mullet, eels and shrimp. They will also take most cut fish baits, with mullet being a favorite.

Lures For Bluefish

The majority of surf fishermen prefer to use artificial lures to catch bluefish. There are many lures you can use, popular ones are surface plugs, swimming plugs, jigs and spoons. A fast stop and go retrieval will work the best for these fish, especially when using surface plugs. My personal favorite is a heavy silver spoon which will cast a good distance and retrieve at speed. A good tip is to lace the spoon with a mullet or similar cut fish strip, this will add a strong scent trail as you retrieve. Another alternative is to spray your lure with menhaden bait spray which will have the same effect.

The average size of a school fish is around 2 to 5 pounds, and light spinning tackle will give you some great sport. The bluefish has very strong jaws and extremely sharp teeth, so when you do land one take great care when removing the hook, use long nosed pliers at all times.

Surf Fishing Rod
10 -12 ft medium action rod with silicon carbide line guides and non corrosive reel seats.

Reel
Open faced with a bail arm - choose the best you can afford.

Live Bait Rigs
4 or 5 ready made live bait rigs.

Surf Lures
A small selection.

Artificial Bait
A small selection.

Spare Hardware
Sinkers, hooks, swivels etc.

Tools
Needle nose pliers, knife.

Miscellaneous
Rod spike, rags, plastic bags, baitbox/bait bucket.

You really don't need tons of gear, the barest essentials will catch just as many fish as box loads of tackle!

For a more in depth look at the most important aspect of your surf fishing gear.

Surf Rods And Reels

Mole Crabs (aka Sand Fleas)

One of the most popular baits used for surf fishing, dig them yourself and keep in some damp sand.

Will catch most species but best for:Redfish, Whiting, Pompano, Striped Bass, Blackfish and Black Drum.

Squid

Great bait for surf fishing, can be bought fresh or frozen. Use whole or cut into strips.

Good for: Bluefish, Striped Bass and Redfish.


Sandworms / Ragworms

Another great bait for surf fishing, dig your own or buy from your local tackle shop.
Good for: Rockfish, Striped Bass, Flounder, Whiting, Blackfish, Porgy, Sea Trout and Surf Perch.

Shrimp

Good all round bait, will catch just about anything! Can be used dead or live.

Good for: Everything!


Mullet

Excellent bait, will catch a variety of different fish. Use dead or live for larger fish or cut strips for smaller species.

Good for: Bluefish, Striped Bass, Tarpon, Redfish and Sea Trout.



Crab (Hard and Soft shell)

Use crab whole or pieces for smaller fish. Soft shell crab tend to get more takes.

Good for: Black Drum, Tarpon, Redfish, Snook and Redfish


Bloodworms

Dig your own, or buy from your tackle shop.

Good for: Flounder, Sea Trout, Striped Bass, Blue Fish, Porgy and Whiting.


The Ultimate Surf Fishing Guide

Always pack a good selection of plugs, spoons and other forms of artificial baits.
Depending on what you are after, artificial bait can be just as good if not better, than the real thing. Find out from local anglers which lures are taking fish.

Surf Fishing Lures - 3 Lures Every Surf Angler Should Have

Surf fishing lures are a topic of much debate among surf anglers. The multitude of different sizes and colors make choosing the right one a little confusing. Here are three surf fishing lures that every surf angler should have in their bag.

Metal Spoons


The object of the large metal spoon is to resemble a large bait fish such as menhaden or mullet, and most are chrome or bright silver. When using a large metal spoon most surf fisherman will be after bluefish, but almost any fish will take them. These streamlined 2 to 4 ounce spoons will reach most outer bars with ease. Jigging the spoon on a medium fast retrieval tends to bring good results. If you are after bluefish remember to attach a 12 inch wire trace before the lure.

Lead Head Soft Plastic Tail Jigs


The great thing about this type of lure is the variety of combinations available. The action of the lure on retrieval will vary with your choice of tail, so always carry a few different colors and sizes in your bag for a quick change. Changing your choice of tail is a simple matter and can be done quickly and easily. You can use many types of retrieval when using the combination jig, but employing a slow and steady retrieve will see the most takes. Heavy mono-filament line will effect the jigs performance so try and use a short length of light weight leader.

Small Metal Lures


The smaller metal surf fishing lures are great for use with light spinning tackle, a 7 to 9 foot spinning rod and a reel loaded with 10 to 12lb mono-filament main line will allow you to use this type of lure to its full effect. The lure itself is designed to resemble a minnow and when used on a fast retrieve will attract small to medium sized bluefish. A very slow retrieve keeping the lure close to the bottom will produce trout and smaller striped bass.

There are many more surf fishing lures available, but these three lures will ensure you have a lure that will produce fish on almost every occasion.

Above all be safe and have fun!