Surf fishing?

[brianisoutside]

Does any do any surf fishing? I’m trying to read and learn a little about what I need, where to go etc. Is there a forum anyone would recommend?


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[bignose]

Give StripersOnline.com a look.

I haven't been on there for a while but they used to have a surf fishing thread.

[mytmouse]

Check out Pierandsurf.com They can help you with your questions Locally (South of Jersey). Stripersonline is great for up north. Their style of surf fishing is vastly different than down south. Down here you mostly find surf fisherman soaking bait. Up North, they throw plugs and lures.

[Slobber Bob]

I used to fish nothing but the surf for the most part. Although now that I have started to figure out this kayak fishing thing, my fishing trips are more 50/50 surf and kayak. I mostly fish Assateague MD and VA, Ocean City, and the VA barrier islands.

What are you specifically looking to know?

As the others stated, Stripersonline is a good resource. Delmarva sub-forum if your looking for local knowledge.

[DonV]

I find it very enjoyable but haven't been in quite a while. You can get set up very reasonably and depending on what type of fishing you want to do some of your existing lures may be of use. Bottom rig with some hooks and bait is also an easy and cheap option. Depending on what you target you may even be able to use some of your existing gear. Surf fishing doesn't always have to entail super long rods and far casts. Many fish can be caught right in the wash and can be quite fun on lighter gear. Gulp and a jig head or bucktail and a seven or ten foot rod can be as useful as a twelve footer with five ounces of lead to toss way out there.

If you want a real primer from someone that knows much more than me see John Skinner here. https://www.youtube.com/user/jskinner5278/videos. He's just a bit north but his techniques and advice will cover most anywhere on the east coast. He does focus on lure fishing and if you want to just try soaking some bait you might have to look elsewhere for more tips. I have not been quite an avid surf fisherman but had done a good bit and thought I had the basics down. After watching his videos I feel like an idiot his techniques and knowledge of fishing different conditions just puts my knowledge to shame. He fishes and pulls them in conditions and in ways that I had never considered or thought plausible or possible.

As others have said Assateague is great. In the fall when the crowds thin and the fishing picks up it's lovely place. You can even get a permit to drive on the beach to fish. Back the truck up pull the rods off and you are fishing. I particularly like fishing the surf at night, just something really magical about it, and have some very fond memories of overnight trips to Assateague.

I also second both Pier & Surf and Stripers Online for tips and techniques, I used to read both avidly before getting my kayak. After a couple vacations at the VA shore and doing some wade, beach, jetty and pier fishing I have a hankering to do a bit more of all myself. The kayaking is great but I think I have been a bit to focused on the kayak and all the other ways area great way to spend some time on the water.

[ronaultmtd]

I started out salt water fishing by surf and pier fishing...and a good 8 foot all-around rod works for both...fishing the Virginia/NC coasts I discovered that during the annual migrations, that lots of species come right up in the wash...during summer, pompano are in the waves washing on the beach, sand fleas on a double bottom rig work for them...delicious fish...roundheads, speckled trout and puppy drum all within 50 feet of the shore...medium spinning tackle works great for them- a 3000-4000 size reel- with 15-20# mono is just fine...fishing for giant bull reds, big striped bass and jumbo bluefish requires stouter tackle- a 6000 size reel with 30# braid and a 9 or 10 foot heavy action rod with good backbone is the minimum I would use for targeting the bigger surf species...and soaking bait can result in some pretty big sharks as well...pay attention to your rods in sand spikes- I have seen fishermen lose rods to fish jerking them out of the holders and running away with the outfits- even with loose drags, if you aren’t paying attention they can spool you and then snatch the rod out when the line hits the end tied on the spool...

[Oldbayrunner]

I grew up surf fishing, although I haven't done any in a while. All the suggestions above where to learn would be the same I would suggest. I will add if your going to throw bait, a rig I suggest one taking a look to buy or make is a breakaway rig. You'll have more success with it than any other I have found getting it out without the bait hilecoptering off the hook.
https://fishermansheadquarters.com/b...pre-tied-rigs/

[brianisoutside]

Thanks for the tips guys. I hadn’t thought about throwing lures. I just assumed surf fishing would be with bait.


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[DonV]

That's exactly what I used to think and I paid the price for my lack of knowledge. It depends on the day and season and what is running but lures can be be the better choice. Get back to John Skinner. He fishes conditions and water that my natural instincts had told me were unfishable or when just thinking bait. Definitely in the dead of summer lull I find lures the better option. You can quickly get tired of catching sand sharks and skates when bait fishing. If you can find a school of snapper blue, small stripers or some random flounder it can be quite fun on lighter gear. Some of the smaller panfish sized surf species can be quite tasty also.

If you end up giving it a try drop a message I might be interested in going.

[Slobber Bob]

I often throw lures as my bait rods soak. I'm typically targeting big black drum, stripers, bull reds, or big blues so I use 11" - 12.5" rods that are rated for 6 - 10 oz when bait fishing. You're often throwing 6oz + bait (big bunker head, kingfish head, bluefish head, etc.), so you need a rod that can handle it. I like to have 3 bait rods out soaking so I can stagger the distance I cast and fish multiple baits at once to see if there is a bait the fish have a preference that day. Sometimes the fish are biting at your feet in the wash and you barley have to cast; other times, they are out on the outer bar and you need a rod that can launch the weight + bait where it needs to be. Use circle hooks and the fish will hook itself by the time you run over to the sand spike to pickup the rod.

Longer rods also help keep your line tight and out of the wash when they're in the sand spike. This helps to reduce the waves pulling on your lines and dragging your baits in or to the side. Like Ron mentioned, a good sand spike is necessary to avoid losing a rod or having one end up in the sand. Whether you get PVC sand spikes or angle iron ones, I recommend 4 ' - 5' ones. Rock them back and forth into the sand until you have at least 2' buried and they're solid. If you do that you'll never lose a rod - even with drag set to fish fighting tight.

Soaking bait can get slow at times, so I'll often walk down or up the beach, or between my bait rods, and cast lures.Smaller lures are fun to throw with the same rods you probably use on your kayak (6' - 7'), but for larger 2oz - 3oz lures or topwater, I prefer a 9' - 10' rod rated 2oz - 4oz. With the longer rod, you can launch the plugs further out in rough conditions and wind. Plus, I feel like you have been contact with the plug through the waves and current. This rod also doubles as my "bait catching rod" (kingfish and snapper blues). Fishing plugs in the Delmarva surf tends to be a lot slower than up north though and is usually more casting than catching. But there are times when plugs out catch my bait rods.

An important part about surf fishing is learn how to "read the water". Just like in kayak fishing you learn not every piece of water is created equal, not every spot in the surf is a good spot to attract fish. You'll want to pay attention to the surf, waves, and beach contours to figure out where shoals, cuts, holes, points, and breaks in the outer bar are located. Look at the surf at low and high water to compare how the structure looks during different tides. It takes some experience, but once you figure out what your looking for, it can pay big dividends in your catching. If you're walking up to the beach you can be limited in picking good structure to fish by how far you can carry your gear. This is where 4-wheel drive is beneficial.

Early April - Memorial Day is prime time to target big black drum, migrating stripers, and blues from the Delmarva beaches. There is a spring bull red run, but it's usually down in VA. Summer time it's usually panfish, small blues, flounder, sharks, rays, and maybe a stray cobia. September - October is bull reds and panfish. Late October - January is migrating striper and blues. Although the fall striper run has been piss poor of the beaches the last 6 or so years and seems to be getting worse. I rarely bother with even trying it anymore it's gotten so bad.

There is a lot to learn just getting into surf fishing, but that's what makes it fun. Good luck and enjoy yourself! Nothing gets the heart rate pumping faster than seeing a rod double over in the sand spike!

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[yakscientist]

Thank you to everyone for all the tips in this thread. I've been surf fishing for many years, and I always catch something, but only in the past few years have I been more focused with it. I will definitely watch some John Skinner videos, but can anyone recommend any other videos or even books on the topic? I have a few days off work at the end of this month/beginning of April, and I won't be able to fish, but I will be able to do a bunch of research, and surf fishing is definitely something I'm going to research.

I do have a couple tips to share about surf fishing....1) downsizing to smaller circle hooks on the typical double bottom rigs really helps to catch more fish, particularly the small "bait-stealers" as I call them, which are ravenous in the summer and 2) always hook a 1/2-1" strip of the fishbites fake bloodworm to each hook, before sliding on whatever main bait you're using, be it cut bunker, squid, etc...the bait stealers will often rip the main bait off but have trouble taking the fake bloodworm strips off, and you'll often hook them when they're trying again and again to pull it off. I've caught some nice size dogfish, drum, and blues off only a couple cm of fishbite, with no sign of the main bait remaining (long ago stolen probably)
3) baitrunner or baitfeeder style spinning rods are great for surf fishing. I've got 2, one shimano baitrunner 4500B and one okuma avenger abf50, and it's nice to set the secondary baitrunner drag up so when a fish hits and starts to run with the bait, it gives you an extra couple seconds to get to the rod, and then switch to the stronger main drag and use the tension to set the circle hook. Honestly I can't say enough good things about the okuma, for $50 off amazon, it's been an absolute beast over the 2 years I've had it. It's landed everything from cownose rays, to monster catfish, to big skate and dogfish in repeated trips in the surf, which is definitely one of the most demanding places for a reel. It's also much lighter than the shimano, but doesn't hold as much line.

[Slobber Bob]

I know John Skinner has books too. I haven't read them, but I'm sure they're a fine read. There are lots of books available with a quick search.

If you want to keep targeting the big fish despite the bait stealers, you have to keep the big hooks and big baits on. It's a lot of work sometimes though. I'll soak 3 rods and do bait changes every 5 minutes on them if I have too. If the bait stealers slow down, then I increase the time between bait checks. Rarely does a rod stay out more than 20 minutes without being at least reeled in and checked.

Use heads over chunks if the bait stealers are bad. They can't get the head off the hook as easily as a chunk and they have to work harder to get at the meat inside the head. Heads are better bait anyway. Plus, little snappers will generally only nip around the edges of the head to chomp off meat, but otherwise the heads alone.

Having a dedicated rod out with #1 circles to catch the bait stealers is never a bad idea. Then use the bait stealers for cut bait. Blues, kingfish, croaker, spot, sand perch, etc. are all excellent bait in the surf. Again, save their head for your rod and give your buddy the chunk pieces

Unfortunately, a lot of times the bait stealers are calico crabs and isopods (isopods more after dark in the colder months). There is nothing you can do about these bait stealers except hope they quit or slow down chewing you bait before you run out. Or you just have to move to a new spot to try and get away from them.

[ReelLucky22]

I started surf fishing myself last year. Your best resource for this area would be Delaware Surf Fishing. There's a website forum, Facebook page, and Facebook group. Also the surf caster's journal is pretty helpful too on Facebook and youtube. It focuses more towards the New England region, but the tactics are pretty applicable. I also have a dvd called Fishing the Surf with Lee Samson that is really helpful and filmed along the Delaware coast. It's available online and at some local tackle shops.
I usually use various rigs with different baits and fish 2 rods at a time. I keep a rod rigged with a spoon, plug, or bucktail in case a school of bluefish or stripers blitz near the beach.
Surf fishing is definitely growing on me and I'd like to go more often. It combines a nice relaxing day on the beach with a day of fishing, can't beat that! Also, you never know what will stop by and bite. I caught horseshoe crabs, skates (small rays), eels, spot, black drum, skipjack, croaker all in about 7 days fishing on the beach last summer.
I have my truck set up for surf fishing with a front mount receiver so I can install my "front porch" that holds my yeti and up to 12 rods. I also bought an ARB quick tire deflation tool that let's me air down in just a few seconds.
Good luck!


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[ronaultmtd]

I ran the table on salt water fishing...started out jetty and surf fishing, learned my craft over several seasons, tides, bait, tackle, techniques...species migrations, always wanting to be able to cast another 50 feet to reach the fish...then bought a boat...and had the good fortune of living in Tidewater Virginia near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel...30 years of fishing that area- yearly trips during the drum blitz to Cape Hatteras to fish shoulder to shoulder at Cape Point when the water would turn red from thousands of 50-60 pound red drum- bluefish blitz, stripers chasing bait on the beach...there is no limit to fishing- it is what you want it to be- it can be a serene quiet morning on tranquil waters or a full blown bluefish blitz of thousands of breaking fish slashing bait- sailfish slashing a teaser, billfish ripping yards of line on the take, a slugfest with an amberjack...or a quiet fly presentation on a chalk stream in central Pennsylvania...each discipline requires specialized equipment, techniques and dedication to learn what it takes to be successful- surf fishing can be simple or it can be as complex as you want to make it- a 7’ medium spinning outfit with a simple double bottom rig with bloodworms or a custom 4X4 surf fishing beach buggy with light bars, camper insert, rod racks...and everything in between...whatever floats your boat, I say...

[summersoff]

I do a good amount of surf fishing mostly up north though, montauk, jersey, the canal and in between. Occasionally I'll drown bait around here. I primarily throw plugs, and bucktails. If you're looking for books, the best books i found for learning plugging is Zeno's books, for they are essentially the Bible of sufffishing. The Art of Surfcasting will explain every plug backwards and forward and when and where to throw it. His second book, The Hunt for Big Stripers is a good second read. Most other books are stories of surrfishing, which are fun but not necessarily informative. Skinner's bucktail book is a good read, but its everything, boat and surf. It does go over which head to use when and where, which is critical. Skinner's best book, hands down, is Season on the Edge, tons of information, but you have to read between the lines. Plugs are awesome, but they become addictive, however I would have to say, buckatils are more important to learn, for they are the staple that will work in almost all situation in the surf if properly fished. Doc Mueller wrote the original book on bucktails, but everything now is all about Skinner, and I'm not sure if you can even find Doc's books, but if you can, get it. If you're into bait fishing, you've got to be able to read the water, as others have said. Other than getting out there, the best book I found on reading water was Lou Taboury's (spelling) Inshore Flyfishing book. Yeah, I know, Flyfishing??? but Taboury's book really had so many tips on where to cast, jetty or surf, and it is loaded with great diagrams. Another awesome source is a guy known as 'Poppy' on Stripersonline. He is an AI legend. He wrote a great thread years ago about reading the water, and almost all surf guys have dissected it for information. It will save you a bunch of time from beating a desert.
As for what you need, it all comes down to where and when, almost down to minute, and the cm of the tide, but thats what makes it fun.