Tackling the Surf

If you love the waves crashing along the beach, the smell of salt in the air, and walking for miles along the beach, you might also be interested in fishing the great waves. If you are unsure where to start, you may be surprised to find out how easy it is to get started with surf fishing. You may also be surprised to find out how inexpensive it is to get started.

The best thing about surf fishing is it does not mean that you have to spend a ton of money to get started. You might actually be surprised to learn that the old fishing rod that you got years ago that has been laying around in the garage, the attic, or the basement is perfectly suitable. Look around and see if you can find an 8 foot or larger rod, and add some of those lead weights that you have been collecting for years.

Tackling the surf means you will need a rod and reel that will easily cast up to 4 ounces of weight. Your rod should also have a fast action tip, and be fairly sturdy. One of the reasons that an eight foot or longer rod is needed, is that the surf will require long casts, so the sturdier,  the better. At a minimum, you will need 200 yards of 17 pound test to fit easily on your reel. Monofilament is the best line for these purposes.

A sliding weight system, snap swivel, a hook and leader of the most typical bait rigs that are used for surf fishing. Remember, the idea is for the fish to pick up the bait without feeling the resistance of an oversized sinker. You can accomplish this either by using a slider, or fish finder rig.  Fish finder rigs are hollow sleeves, with large snaps. What they allow, is the attaching of the sinker to the clip, so that when the fish picks up your bait, the sinker stays at the bottom. During this time, the line slides to the fish finder rig and the fish do not feel the resistance they normally would. Your swivel will prevent the slider from landing near your hook. The leader should always be about 2 feet with a hook on the end.

Artificial plugs and spoons are important to have as part of their tackle. It is not unusual for artificial lures to provide better results than live bait. This is especially true, if Fisher actively feeding on the surface. In these cases, top water plugs will attract them far quicker than live bait. You may want to consider having 2 rods with you, one that you are using for live bait, and the other one outfitted with an artificial lure. One thing that you will want to do is have an assortment of spoons as well as artificial plugs as part of your tackle. There are instances, when artificial lures will give you far better results than live bait. If you see fish actively feeding on the surface, you will want to use the top water plug to try to attract them. Most surf anglers have found that 2 rods are their best option. One fully rigged and ready to use with an artificial lure, and the other using live bait.

If you have any questions at all about which beaches provide the best surf fishing, chances are they can be answered at a local tackle shop. Not only will local tackle shop owners generally know the best fishing spots, they will no doubt have been told multiple tales of success by local anglers. Once you decide which beach is right for surf fishing, there is little doubt that you will find other anglers there. This is probably a good indication that it is a good surf fishing area. Another thing that you should check your local tackle shop is which lures are being used by surf fishers because every body of water is slightly different. Keep in mind, the more time you fish, the more knowledge you will gain, and before long, there is little doubt that you will find the right sir fishing lures, and your bait collection will be more than sufficient. If you are in doubt at all about the most productive surf fishing areas, you need not go much further than your local tackle shop. In general, the shops will have information about productive beach areas. There is little doubt that anglers who typically are involved in surf fishing will have discussed the best spots with someone in the tackle shop. Once you arrive on the beach, you will be able to tell nearly immediately if it is a good area, since there will probably be other anglers around. Make sure that you discuss the best bait for the area that you plan to fish. They will be able to tell you what the most popular lures are and help you find the ones that will work best for you. The more time you spend fishing, the more knowledge you will gain, and before long, your surf lure and bait rig collection will be sufficient.

First time surf fishers shouldn’t have to invest in hundreds of dollar worth of new equipment since chances are pretty good that they already have a good collection of rods, reels and bait.  You can reach out to other surf anglers or your local tackle shop to find out if there is something you should have that you do not currently have an also to find out which local beaches offer the best possible surf fishing.  You will really enjoy this sport.

When you are preparing to undergo a saltwater fishing experience, it is important that you have the proper fishing gear. Some of the most popular gear include Shimino Spinning Reels, Penn Fishing Reels and Daiwa Reel.