# Surf fishing at night



## Fisherman001 (Sep 13, 2021)

Does anyone ever surf fish at night? If so, what do you catch the most?


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## Rabun (Sep 14, 2021)

During full moon phase. I’ve caught everything from trout to squid


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## Fisherman001 (Sep 14, 2021)

Have you, or ever heard of anyone catching stripers out in the surf?  I heard that they are nocturnal.   I know up north they fish for stripers.


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## willie1971 (Sep 14, 2021)

drum, flounder, rays


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## Railroader (Sep 14, 2021)

Fisherman001 said:


> Have you, or ever heard of anyone catching stripers out in the surf?  I heard that they are nocturnal.   I know up north they fish for stripers.



I have spent many a night shift on the beaches of Georgia and Florida...

Never seen a striper caught from the sand.


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## Rabun (Sep 16, 2021)

I fish gulf coast and the only Striper I’ve ever caught was a juvenile in a creek mouth.


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## GTMODawg (Sep 20, 2021)

Fisherman001 said:


> Have you, or ever heard of anyone catching stripers out in the surf?  I heard that they are nocturnal.   I know up north they fish for stripers.




I have caught stripers in the surf at night off the outerbanks and further north.  It is hard work but it can be very productive at times.


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## GTMODawg (Sep 20, 2021)

Rabun said:


> During full moon phase. I’ve caught everything from trout to squid




I never thought about it but squid ought to be thick at times in the surf during a full moon!  I may have to give that a go sometime....nothing like fresh squid in its ink!  As good to eat as anything in the world....


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## slow motion (Sep 20, 2021)

GTMODawg said:


> I never thought about it but squid ought to be thick at times in the surf during a full moon!  I may have to give that a go sometime....nothing like fresh squid in its ink!  As good to eat as anything in the world....


Always liked calamari but batter and fry a rock and it would probably taste good. Kids talked me into trying a squid ink something or other on a trip to Seattle. I wouldn't do it again. Is it one of those acquired tastes or did I just get a bad chef?


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## Redbow (Sep 22, 2021)

I have fished many times at night in saltwater but never caught a Flounder after dark. I have gigged quite a few though.


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## GTMODawg (Sep 28, 2021)

slow motion said:


> Always liked calamari but batter and fry a rock and it would probably taste good. Kids talked me into trying a squid ink something or other on a trip to Seattle. I wouldn't do it again. Is it one of those acquired tastes or did I just get a bad chef?




Probably a little of both LOL.  It is gruesome to look at a plate of squid in ink but it is very tasty.  It is as good, in my opinion, as sea urchin....


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## slow motion (Sep 28, 2021)

GTMODawg said:


> Probably a little of both LOL.  It is gruesome to look at a plate of squid in ink but it is very tasty.  It is as good, in my opinion, as sea urchin....



Never tried sea urchin either.


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## Waddams (Sep 28, 2021)

Where I grew up in VA, we'd catch stripers at night in the surf and from piers. Caught all kinds of other stuff, and would also throw out crab pots to soak. Sometimes would end up with a few bucket full of blue crabs. This was when I was pretty young though, early 1980's. From what I understand, piers and surf are not nearly as productive as they used to be.

Timing for right moon phase and tides was pretty important too. During a rising tide, the cooler water comes in, and the fishies came in closer to shore, and if you were near a marsh grass or oyster bed (food source), you'd get better action fishing and crabbing as they'd be looking for looking for stuff to eat around those items.


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## Tabg (May 9, 2022)

Fisherman001 said:


> Have you, or ever heard of anyone catching stripers out in the surf?  I heard that they are nocturnal.   I know up north they fish for stripers.


I lived up in ny, yes you can hammer stripers in the surf day and night during the run


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## Anvil Head (May 11, 2022)

Caught my best ever lineside, 52#s, of the Spit just below Hatteras right at midnight on a soft shellcrab standing in the sand. So yes, all about timing the tides. We were actually targeting bull reds at the time so it was a bit of a fluke. That was many moons ago. Also caught many a big door mat at night back in the sound drifting mud minnows and finger mullet. Can't run the beaches up there like you used to so haven't been in years.
I have always been of the mind that fish are gonna eat or be eaten at anytime day or night. You just have to get the right food in the right place.


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