What is surf fishing?
Surf fishing is exactly what its name implies, fishing in or near the ocean's surf. There are however, several different ways to go about it. One way to surf fish is to wade into the surf and move back and forth parallel to the beach on the sandbar continuously casting, reeling in, and casting again. Another approach is to give a good long cast in between the two sandbars and sit your rod in a holder and wait for a bite. These are basically the only two approaches to shore fishing.
What kind of equipment will be needed?
The first and most important piece of equipment is the fishing rod and reel. First, you need a sturdy rod about five to seven feet tall. Many places sell these rods and they are labeled as surf fishing rods. Although a fly rod can be used, it is much more difficult and is recommended only to novice fisherman.
The next item to get is a reel; the reel should be a bell caster. Bell caster reels are generally less accurate than other reels used in freshwater fishing but they allow for a smoother cast and a rougher fight. This allows the fisherman to make a longer cast and bring in bigger fish than with a different reel.
Now we observe the kind of tackle and fishing line to use. The fishing line depends on what you are trying to catch and can be pivotal in landing whatever that fish may be. Generally 12 lb or 14 lb test line will be suitable for surf fishing; however, if you are fishing for King Mackerel, Redfish, or sharks, you will need a heavier fishing line such as 20 lb, 50 lb, or even 100 lb if you expect to land a mid-size shark.
After you have a fishing line you have to get some tackle. The tackle you get is going to depend on your bait and your style of fishing. The active fisherman will want to look into spoons, jigs, and live bait rigs. The passive fisherman will want to look into leaders, weights, and good hooks. For either style of fishing, pre-made rigs can be bought.
When buying the weights, you should consider the surf you will be fishing in. Heavier weights will be needed for higher tides and surf. In most cases pyramid weights will do best but in rocky or obstacle ridden areas egg weights are suggested. The hooks you use should vary with what you're fishing for; generally a 2/0 or 3/0 will suffice whereas for larger fish you may consider 4/0's. Only for sharks or other huge fish should you consider 5/0 and 6/0 hooks.
Although this sums up the fishing equipment you must remember that other equipment is suggested as well. Some other tools you should bring include a multitool or a knife and pliers, a bag to hold your tackle and and extra gear, gloves in case you need to handle a catfish, and a towel or sheet to lay your gear on and keep sand out of your reel.
What bait should be used and how should it be rigged?
The kind of bait and how it is rigged depends on what you're fishing for as well as how you are fishing. The active fishermen can use whatever kind of bait they want because they have more improvising power. The passive fishermen must use real bait whether it is dead or alive because they cannot force a false or replica bait to mimic the movements of real bait.
The first thing to know about bait is that real bait is always the best. This is due to the fact that fish have sensory organs similar to smell and they are attracted to the intense smell of their bait. Now, specific kinds of fish will prefer specific kinds of bait and rigs so it will be a good idea to ask around in bait shops as to what the fish are biting on.
Live bait can include shrimp, squid, sand fleas, crabs, and small baitfish. Shrimp and squid can land generally any fish and the size of your bait can determine the size of your catch. A whole squid will be used for a shark whereas cut squid will be used for trout or or other mid-sized fish. Shrimp can be bought dead and frozen or alive. Both work well and can be rigged on a leader.
When putting your shrimp on the hook always make sure that you stick the hook through plenty of meat, otherwise the hook could tear out while it is being cast. When using a baitfish, like the squid, you can cut it up into smaller pieces or use the whole fish. When using the whole fish if it is living it helps to cut the side of the fish open so that is observed as injured prey. Also, while using whole baitfish place the hook in the mouth where you would find it were you to catch the fish; this keeps the bait from escaping or falling off of the hook.
Several other bait options for the active fisherman include spoons and jigs. Spoons are bright and flashy peices of metal with a hook on side and a swivel on the other. The swivel allows for a fish like movement whenever it is reeled through the water. A jig is a wieghted peice of lead with an attached hook. The lead "jig head" is shaped like that of a fish and is either red or white with eyes on it. Different plastic attachments can be bought for the jigs; these attachments provide the jig with the appearance of different kinds of small bait.
Surf fishing techniques
To be successful at fishing you have to take many things into account such as the changing tides, the lunar calendar, and general behavior of fish. First, the physical layout of sandbars must be understood. Sandbars are lines of built up sand that rise above the normal bottom height and run parallel to the beach. There are two sandbars and they can be of variable distance from the shore, the first usually is never too far and the second is not far beyond second.
Between the two sandbars is a trough formed by the barrier of the two sandbars; this is where predatory fish will be found and where you want to cast your bait to. From the shoreline you can physically see the sandbar, because above each sandbar the water will be a much ligher color.
You must be able to observe the tides and how they move food for the fish. The best times to fish aren't at high tide or low tide but when the tide is changing. During a changing tide, observe the waves along the sandbars. When waves run over the sandbar they begin to break and turn white. Look for areas where the wave doesn't break. These areas are evidence of a cut in the sandbar which can be used to your advantage.
Whether the tide is going out or coming in, predatory fish will wait and gather near these cuts because the tide will be moving food in and out of the trough. This allows the fish to get food without much effort, thus casting near and in these cuts will prove helpful. Along with tides and sandbars, the lunar calendar must also be considered. All things in nature which hunt and feed operate off of the lunar calendar. When the moon is dark fish will feed more in the day whereas when the moon is fuller, fish will feed more at night.
These are the best techniques you can use while surf fishing.
Tips and Reminders
Here are some further helpful tips and reminders about surf fishing.
- Make sure you have a suitable rod and reel sturdy enough to handle heavy hitting fish.
- Bring plenty of supplies such as water, sunblock, and first aid.
- Wear polarized glasses if possible, it greatly reduces glare off the water, cheap pairs are easy to find.
- Bring a good variety of tackle to use when surf conditions change.
- Ask around a bait shop for what baits are getting the most fish.
- Try not to fish alone, and be careful if you wade into deep water, sharks like struggling fish.
- Look for birds diving into water, if they are diving a lot there is a school of fish in the water there.
- Consider the tides and the lunar calendar and choose what time of day will be best for you to fish.
- Remember that it is called fishing and not catching; patience is a virtue.
Resources
- Alabama Outdoors, this page has information on what times of year you can catch different kinds of fish and what kinds of bait you can catch them with.
- This is a link to the tide and lunar calendar for the Alabama Gulf coast.
- To fish legally you will also need a saltwater fishing license, here is a link to that information.
- Here is the license information for Florida.
- Here is a tide calendar for the Florida Gulf coast.
Josh Terry - I am currently attending college and I am a mechanical engineering student as well as a football player. Although my degree focuses on ...
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