How Do You Surf Fish For Beginners?

7 Tips for Beginner Surf Fishing

1. Streamline Your Gear. It all starts with having the right gear, starting with your reel.
2. Always Start with a Scouting Mission.
3. Fish Early, Fish Late.
4. Rigging Live Baits.
5. The Soft Bait Advantage.
6. Jigging in the Surf.
7. Persistence Pays in the Surf.

What do you need to surf fish?

For a typical surf fishing excursion on the beach, you will need the following gear:

1. Saltwater Fishing Rod and Feel.
2. Cast Net.
3. Tackle and Bait.
4. Surf Fishing Rigs (Fish-Finder and Drop)
5. Marine Hook and Rig Holder (for tool organization)
6. Knife.
7. Bait Bucket and Air Pump.
8. Spare Spool of Line.

What is the best time of day to surf fish?

TIME OF DAY
Specifically, dawn or dusk are generally the best time to go saltwater fishing if the weather and tidal movements are favorable. Remember to reference a saltwater tide chart to see which range of hours during the day will be the best fishing tide times.

How do you shore fish?

Cast your line parallel to the shoreline. While you may have the urge to cast straight out toward the middle of the lake or pond, most of the fish will be close to shore. If you can identify the spots where the shoreline drops off into the lake or pond, those are good areas to try.

What is the best sinker for surf fishing?

Unfortunately there’s not a “one size fits all” sinker for surf fishing. The size of the weight or sinker depends on the target species and water conditions. Under normal water conditions, a 2-4 ounce pyramid or sputnik sinker works great.

Do you need waders for surf fishing?

If you’re going surf fishing, chances are you’re going to get wet. Depending on where you’re fishing, how far out you hope to cast, and other conditions, you may need to invest in a pair of fishing waders. Fishing waders will keep you from getting soaked in the surf.

What size hook should I use for surf fishing?

2/0 hooks
2/0 hooks are the best all around hook size for surf fishing. A 2/0 circle hook will catch smaller fish like whiting and pompano but are also big enough to catch bluefish, mackerel, fluke, flounder, redfish, snook and tarpon too.

How far should you cast When surf fishing?

When surf fishing, the best action is further out. You’ll often need to cast 60-100 yards when fishing from the beach. This is because you typically want to cast beyond the breaking waves, where hungry fish often congregate and feed.

Is surf fishing better on incoming or outgoing tide?

Simply put, high tide is the best tide for surf fishing because it allows you to fish the deep waters where fish are more comfortable to feed.

Can I surf fish with a 7 foot rod?

The best rod to surf fish with is the one you have. While you might not be able to throw as heavy of a lure or throw your bait as far, a 6 to 7 foot rod can catch fish from the surf.

Why are surf rods so long?

A longer rod is going to sweep up more line quickly, thus resulting in a quicker hook set. A quick hook set may, or may not be, relevant to you. I like to set a hook quickly when I’m casting lures at passing schools of fish. However, when I’m bottom fishing with circle hooks, there is no need for a quick hook set.

What is the best beach fishing rig?

5 Best Surf Fishing Rigs for Beginners to Advanced

• Clip Down Pulley Rigs.
• Red Fish Rig.
• Double Clip Down Rig.
• Far Out Rig.
• Kingfish Rig.
• Simpleton Rig.
• Surf Fishing Rigging Kit.

How do you keep bait on a hook for surf fishing?

Tie your hook to a good size line, then use it to make 2-3 holes in the bait, side to side. After you finish this bloody sewing process, pull off the line and make it tight and straight. That’s all. The line going through the bait will help to keep it on the hook for a long time.

How far should the sinker be from the hook?

6 to 12 inches
Step 2: Attach 1 or 2 sinkers, 6 to 12 inches above the hook. This weight will keep your bait or lure down in the water and will help swing it away from shore. Step 3: Clip a bobber on the line. A bobber lets you know when fish are biting, because it moves up and down in the water as fish nibble at the bait.

What size weight should you use for surf fishing?

2 ounces (57 grams) is the minimum weight to cast when fishing the surf. Anything lighter will fail to keep your line steady in the surf unless it is extremely calm. Yes, it is still possible to use lighter leads and they can give great results, especially if there is no wave action and the water is not moving.

Do you need a sinker for beach fishing?

The Running Sinker
Ideal for catching forage fish from the shore and fishing off the rocks. A Ball sinker isn’t too heavy and is a popular choice for beach fishing. It allows your bait to move with the current. Best way to tie this rig is with the sinker running on a trace.

Does salt water damage waders?

Waders and Saltwater
Saltwater isn’t “bad for your waders”. But, if you don’t take care of your waders properly, the saltwater might do some damage. Make sure to wash or rinse your waders after every session as this can prolong their lifespan dramatically.

How do stocking foot waders work?

Stocking foot waders, on the other hand, are waders that don’t have boots attached. Instead, they have neoprene stockings AKA booties attached to the legs. These booties keep your feet dry but offer no real protection or support for wading in rivers.

What is a Bootfoot wader?

A bootfoot wader is a wader that has the boots permanently connected to the legs of the wader body. Bootfoot waders have several differences from stockingfoot waders.Bootfoot waders are typically made with some type of insulation in the boot area, keeping your feet comfortable during those cold days.

What bait do surf perch like?

The 2-inch Sand Worm in camo color from Berkley is by far the most popular bait for surfperch on the beaches of Monterey Bay. Its size, shape and pre-scented composition make it extremely effective. Small soft plastic grubs (1-2 inches) usually the type associated with bluegill and crappie, are also very effective.

What hooks for surf perch?

A popular set-up for surfperch includes two #4 or #2 hooks, some swivels and a pyramid sinker. Three-sided pyramid sinkers are common, easy to cast and tend to roll less in the surf.