# Anyone Surf Fish here?



## Mattval (May 25, 2020)

Can anyone offer advice for a new Surf fisherman.  Not new to fishing but I am new to surf fishing.  It looks like the best thing to do while the family is at the beach.  What is everyone's fav rod/reel set up?  and favorite Rigs?  

Thanks
Matthew


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## Juan De (May 25, 2020)

I use penn 8500 spinfishers with a 10ft ugly stick rod, wet packed with power pro, good set up for bull reds and smaller sharks.


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## ugajay (May 26, 2020)

I use the Walmart special Shakespeare spinning reel with a 10 ft rod. I also buy some of the double hooked rigs, and use at least a 1 ounce pyramid sinker. I buy fresh frozen shrimp and use that for bait. I enjoy catching whiting, small sharks etc and have never had a problem with the cheap setup.


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## Railroader (May 26, 2020)

A few things that will help you tremendously...

Learn to salt cure shrimp.

Learn to tie a simple double drop rig for yourself.

Find some 1, 2, and 4oz Frog Tongue sinkers.

Use small circle hooks, such as the 2/0 Eagle Claw L197.

Buy a REAL surf rod...Doesn't have to be expensive, a 60.00 Tica will do just fine.

Make sure the reel has a VERY well working drag.

The salted shrimp is the best trick in the book, because it doesn't go bad for months, it stays on a hook, and you can have fresh cutbait in minutes, most of the time.

Keep baits small.  Bull Reds will readily bite a half of a 60 count salted shrimp.

Learn to "read the beach", a bunch of info is out there.

Be careful, if the bug bites, it can get crazy expensive...But it never has to.


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## Anvil Head (May 26, 2020)

Above all learn how to maintain your gear. Fresh water rinse after a day's use. Never lay down in sand, always secure or hold rod (it will take off when you least suspect), general smart thinking will keep you running. Thorough cleaning and lubing before putting away. Use warm water and soap to clean.


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## Redbow (May 26, 2020)

Just remember you don't have to cast out a half mile like lots of surf fishermen think, there are fish right there in the suds waiting to take your bait.. Sand fleas are excellent bait if you can find them they will be under your feet and lots of times you can see them right at the waters edge.. You don't really need a 10 ft. rod to catch fish out of the surf. A light to medium spinning outfit will do for a lot of species you can catch there..


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## Semi-Pro (May 26, 2020)

Get a med light spinning rod you would normally use for 1-2 lb fish. Carolina rig a #6 mosquito or circle hook with a marble sized peice of peeled shrimp. Cast 20ft. From where the water meets the sand. Catch 100 whiting a day. 20ft give or take 5 ft.


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## LittleDrummerBoy (May 26, 2020)

I use 12 foot Ugly Stiks and Shimano Spheros 5000 and 6000 reels with 40 lb power pro for bull reds.  Best bait is cracked crab on a 7/0 Gamakatsu Octopus offset J hook and a 2-6 oz sinker as needed to hold the bottom.  Casting distance can help a lot as often the bulls are in the 3rd trough.


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## Dustin Pate (May 26, 2020)

My tackle varies greatly depending on where I'm at and what I'm fishing for. Where do you plan on fishing?


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## nickel back (May 26, 2020)

ugajay said:


> I use the Walmart special Shakespeare spinning reel with a 10 ft rod. I also buy some of the double hooked rigs, and use at least a 1 ounce pyramid sinker. I buy fresh frozen shrimp and use that for bait. I enjoy catching whiting, small sharks etc and have never had a problem with the cheap setup.



@Mattval ^^^this is the way you should go at first. A good surf fishing setup can run you well over $100 bucks and that's not talking the tackle  you will need....


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## Hit-n-Miss (May 27, 2020)

Florida surf casters. Forum has a wealth of info.


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## Dog Hunter (May 27, 2020)

Im going to try the salted shrimp. Thanks

Make sure you back drag down when placing in holder.  If not, it will be gone before you know it.  You can make your own holders also .  Cut pvc pipe on angle.  I have two sizes of pipe so one slides inside the other for easier transport.


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## Dog Hunter (May 27, 2020)

also, if making your own wire leaders, DO NOT CUT wire, bend until it breaks.  It will be a lot smoother and a lot less change of cutting your hand.  I cut all four fingers open last week on a five or six footer.


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## treemanjohn (May 27, 2020)

I'm going go try my best to explain this. You want to fish washouts. This is the the area's where the water from the surf returns after hitting the beach. Fish stack up on the washouts waiting for bait to be pulled out. Its typically smooth water compared to everything else. You'll also know you're in it because your bait will be pulled out instead of washing back to you

XXXXXX ____ XXXXX

Also if you're in season check for sand fleas.  If you can find them buy a rake.  Watch the surf hit and as the water returns look for upside down Vs made by the water. That's your flea


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## Tugboat1 (May 29, 2020)

Railroader said:


> A few things that will help you tremendously...
> 
> Learn to salt cure shrimp.
> 
> ...


Stellar advice all. Salted shrimp .... squid, fish, crabs. Add food coloring for added pizzaz.


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## redneck_billcollector (Jun 8, 2020)

Yeah, I surf fish....  These were all on live sand fleas and fish bites..... These are a few from a recent two days fishing during the corona virus shut down....how you fish depends on the conditions and where you are fishing and what is in the surf. In the panhandle, you can never go wrong with sand fleas or ghost shrimp...that is what most of the fish in the surf are eating...I use fish bites too with my bait as a stop, so to speak, to hold my bait on the hook  and for added color. Using cut bait or squid in the spring or summer will get you too many sharks, rays and catfish where I fish most of the time...which most people do not want to catch.


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## redneck_billcollector (Jun 8, 2020)

A few more....I personally own some rather specialized surf tackle...


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## redneck_billcollector (Jun 8, 2020)

And some times it is not always about the fish you catch....


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## redneck_billcollector (Jun 8, 2020)

In Florida please note....if you are using wire leaders of a certain length, hooks a certain size or have someone take your bait out via a kayak, etc...you best have a certificate showing you have passed the shore based shark fishing course or you will get cited and the fine can be hefty. They are cracking down on shore based fishermen fishing for sharks.  Even if you catch one without any of the above, which you will, you best have the certificate if you plan on keeping a shark.


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## Mattval (Jun 9, 2020)

Dustin Pate said:


> My tackle varies greatly depending on where I'm at and what I'm fishing for. Where do you plan on fishing?


I would be fishing St Simons, Jekyll Island.  Maybe Tybee but I heard you can only fish certain places on Tybee.
Thanks for all responses yall.


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## Mattval (Jun 9, 2020)

redneck_billcollector said:


> In Florida please note....if you are using wire leaders of a certain length, hooks a certain size or have someone take your bait out via a kayak, etc...you best have a certificate showing you have passed the shore based shark fishing course or you will get cited and the fine can be hefty. They are cracking down on shore based fishermen fishing for sharks.  Even if you catch one without any of the above, which you will, you best have the certificate if you plan on keeping a shark.


Thank you.  I did not know that!


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## Mattval (Jun 9, 2020)

nickel back said:


> @Mattval ^^^this is the way you should go at first. A good surf fishing setup can run you well over $100 bucks and that's not talking the tackle  you will need....


Yea I just spent $100 on a new rod and reel.  I will get another set up just like you say here.  The shakepere from WMT.


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## Railroader (Jun 9, 2020)

Mattval said:


> I would be fishing St Simons, Jekyll Island.  Maybe Tybee but I heard you can only fish certain places on Tybee.
> Thanks for all responses yall.



From the Soccer Complex to the South end at Jekyll, and Massengale Beach/Gould's Inlet at St. Simons...

Tybee used to be really good, but I hear in recent years it has become a pain to navigate...

An hour South at Fernandina, American Beach is good.  And Nassau Sound.  Worth the trip, most of the time.


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## nickel back (Jun 9, 2020)

Mattval said:


> Yea I just spent $100 on a new rod and reel.  I will get another set up just like you say here.  The shakepere from WMT.



I started out with the catfish setups from Wal-Mart, I had more money tied up in the tackle then the rods but them rods lasted for years.


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## Rabun (Jun 9, 2020)

redneck_billcollector said:


> And some times it is not always about the fish you catch....View attachment 1021051View attachment 1021052View attachment 1021053View attachment 1021054



18 yr old Macallan....now that's how you wait on the bite.


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## Foster (Jun 12, 2020)

At St Simons many times the fish are in the white water not 10ft from shore. Stop by St simons bait and tackle by the pier and get some advise and $15 worth of bait and gear. Take the kids to the pier to fish while the wife shops after the sun goes down. Print out a tide schedule and take it with you and ask the bait shop about when to fish. From the beach, keep rods in the water as an afterthought and the kids and wife don't feel orphaned by it but get the exciting part of fishing. Goulds inlet is nice swimming and fishing so check that area and the beach from there to north of the the coastguard public access for less crowds. Small circle hooks, pyramid weights 1-3 oz, frozen shrimp and squid are all you really need. Try a pompano rig on one of the poles and try different depths and read the water.


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## Redbow (Jun 20, 2020)

Semi-Pro said:


> Get a med light spinning rod you would normally use for 1-2 lb fish. Carolina rig a #6 mosquito or circle hook with a marble sized peice of peeled shrimp. Cast 20ft. From where the water meets the sand. Catch 100 whiting a day. 20ft give or take 5 ft.


I found out many years ago that Whiting will head for the surf when the tide starts coming in. A couple guys used to take their jon boat right up to the surf just outside Murrells Inlet SC then cast out and troll real slow to seaward almost every day. They caught plenty of Whiting and some very nice ones as well.


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## Mattval (Jul 7, 2020)

Thanks yall


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## jammeri5 (Jul 7, 2020)

Mattval said:


> Thank you.  I did not know that!


You can take the class online. It’s a little time consuming but not terrible. You have to renew every year


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## Mattval (Apr 29, 2021)

Dustin Pate said:


> My tackle varies greatly depending on where I'm at and what I'm fishing for. Where do you plan on fishing?


Jekyel, st simons mostly


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## Hit-n-Miss (Apr 29, 2021)

surfishingflorida.com  Aka(florida surf casters) Join the forum and search for posts by Earl Brinn my father. He was a master(RIP) and shared info freely. Google Earl's Pompano rig for a way to make your own rigs.


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## Mattval (Apr 29, 2021)

Great Info!  We are heading down to Florida.  I will update.


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## Railroader (Apr 30, 2021)

Hit-n-Miss said:


> surfishingflorida.com  Aka(florida surf casters) Join the forum and search for posts by Earl Brinn my father. He was a master(RIP) and shared info freely. Google Earl's Pompano rig for a way to make your own rigs.



No kidding!  His info helped me a lot years ago when I was learning surf fishing.

Even ran into him a few times on the beach.  He was a living legend, for sure.


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## Hit-n-Miss (May 5, 2021)

Railroader said:


> No kidding!  His info helped me a lot years ago when I was learning surf fishing.
> 
> Even ran into him a few times on the beach.  He was a living legend, for sure.


 It’s nice to to know that someone on here knew him. I miss my dad. Bet he talked your ear off ?


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## Railroader (May 5, 2021)

@Hit-n-Miss 

I remember him as someone who was always glad to see another surf fisherman, especially someone younger to carry it on.

He was a guy that knew his bizness, and liked to talk about it, and share.  He even showed me his "rig" and tied me a couple while fishing once.

Been using it, or something close ever since...

He probably wouldn't remember me, on a few chance encounters, but I will always remember him.


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## Mattval (May 6, 2021)

Going to Anna Maria Island in July.  What species can I expect to catch down there?


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## Mattval (May 6, 2021)

Railroader said:


> A few things that will help you tremendously...
> 
> Learn to salt cure shrimp.
> 
> ...


HeY Railroader.  I just got some hooks and the frog tongue weights on order.


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## Mattval (May 6, 2021)

Hit-n-Miss said:


> surfishingflorida.com  Aka(florida surf casters) Join the forum and search for posts by Earl Brinn my father. He was a master(RIP) and shared info freely. Google Earl's Pompano rig for a way to make your own rigs.


Hey there Hit and Miss, I think that site is not working or has been hacked. Do you have any info saved?


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## Railroader (May 7, 2021)

http://www.surfishingflorida.com/Forum.aspx

Try that, Matt...


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## Mattval (May 12, 2021)

alot of good advice here!


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## Hit-n-Miss (May 13, 2021)

Mattval said:


> Hey there Hit and Miss, I think that site is not working or has been hacked. Do you have any info saved?


try "floridasurfcasters" comes up as surfishingflorida.com Or just search Earl Brinn pompano rig on google


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## GTMODawg (May 24, 2021)

redneck_billcollector said:


> Yeah, I surf fish....  These were all on live sand fleas and fish bites..... These are a few from a recent two days fishing during the corona virus shut down....how you fish depends on the conditions and where you are fishing and what is in the surf. In the panhandle, you can never go wrong with sand fleas or ghost shrimp...that is what most of the fish in the surf are eating...I use fish bites too with my bait as a stop, so to speak, to hold my bait on the hook  and for added color. Using cut bait or squid in the spring or summer will get you too many sharks, rays and catfish where I fish most of the time...which most people do not want to catch.





Some STUD Pomps!  Serious good eating....and fun to catch.  

I think the shrimp or sand flea attracts the fish and they knock it off the hook and come back for the fish bite......but I have caught about as many on just fish bites.  They stay on the hook a LONG time.....


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## GTMODawg (May 24, 2021)

redneck_billcollector said:


> In Florida please note....if you are using wire leaders of a certain length, hooks a certain size or have someone take your bait out via a kayak, etc...you best have a certificate showing you have passed the shore based shark fishing course or you will get cited and the fine can be hefty. They are cracking down on shore based fishermen fishing for sharks.  Even if you catch one without any of the above, which you will, you best have the certificate if you plan on keeping a shark.




What is the reasoning?  Most fisherman think its because swimmers think fishing for fish attracts fish.  I do not think this is so as a fisherman, in fact I am a pretty good case study for it being absolutely not so?  Is it due to big fish being fought to near death and improperly being revived?  Its happening to some degree on most beaches...why the crack down?  It can't possibly be swimmers complaining about attracting sharks can it????


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## GTMODawg (May 24, 2021)

redneck_billcollector said:


> In Florida please note....if you are using wire leaders of a certain length, hooks a certain size or have someone take your bait out via a kayak, etc...you best have a certificate showing you have passed the shore based shark fishing course or you will get cited and the fine can be hefty. They are cracking down on shore based fishermen fishing for sharks.  Even if you catch one without any of the above, which you will, you best have the certificate if you plan on keeping a shark.




To be perfectly honest they ought to crack down on Reds, Tarpon and Snook fishing from the beach also....you see an awful lot of gut hooked Reds, Snook and Tarpon just unhooked or the line cut and released at times on some beaches.  Add in the 10 minutes of picture taking and no effort at all to revive a fish which is nearly dead from fighting and I would bet there is some serious damage done.  Most Tarpon get off before they ever know they were hooked but it ain't unusual to gut or gill hook them with J hooks.....reviving Tarpon is harder than catching them (maybe not as hard as getting a hook in them but close).  At least if your using live bait you ought to use circle hooks but having some sort of online exam for reviving fish ain't a bad idea.....


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## redneck_billcollector (May 24, 2021)

GTMODawg said:


> What is the reasoning?  Most fisherman think its because swimmers think fishing for fish attracts fish.  I do not think this is so as a fisherman, in fact I am a pretty good case study for it being absolutely not so?  Is it due to big fish being fought to near death and improperly being revived?  Its happening to some degree on most beaches...why the crack down?  It can't possibly be swimmers complaining about attracting sharks can it????


I think it is because a number of people beach fishing for sharks have been hurt not knowing how to deal with them. My place at the beach also happens to be one of the more popular places to beach fish for sharks in the PCB area...the public beach next to my place I should say, and I have seen a few people hurt over the years messing around with sharks when they did not know what they were doing.


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## redneck_billcollector (May 24, 2021)

Mattval said:


> Thanks yall


Well, did you get it figured out?    I saw you were wanting to fish the GA coast. I do not know about now, but when I was in the Army, stationed at H.A.A.F. back in the early 1980s I surf fished Tybee a lot especially during the Fall for huge redfish/channel bass and then large bluefish.  I used a fish finder rig, normally with a whole finger mullet for bait (dead) and a pyramid sinker that would be appropriate for the surf.  I had a 14ft Glass rod with an old Mitchell reel made for surf fishing.  Of course this was back in the early 80s and they had a huge bull red run along with a really nice bluefish run.


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## GTMODawg (May 25, 2021)

redneck_billcollector said:


> I think it is because a number of people beach fishing for sharks have been hurt not knowing how to deal with them. My place at the beach also happens to be one of the more popular places to beach fish for sharks in the PCB area...the public beach next to my place I should say, and I have seen a few people hurt over the years messing around with sharks when they did not know what they were doing.




That makes sense.  You see a lot of folks on Youtube with big sharks posing for stupid pictures LOL....its best to get them unhooked and on their way as quick as possible but for some reason a lot of folks think its a good idea to wade into the water with them and do all manner of silly crap....not to mention dragging them up the hill and keeping them on the beach for several minutes while they get enough pictures to fill a photo album.  Even a 100 pounder flopping around can break a leg not to mention damaging itself.  Sharks are extremely tough but any fish that fights as hard as they do when caught from the beach (without the aid of a boat to follow them and release them quicker) is probably near death from exhertion...every second counts if it is to survive the experience.


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## Mattval (May 25, 2021)

redneck_billcollector said:


> Well, did you get it figured out?    I saw you were wanting to fish the GA coast. I do not know about now, but when I was in the Army, stationed at H.A.A.F. back in the early 1980s I surf fished Tybee a lot especially during the Fall for huge redfish/channel bass and then large bluefish.  I used a fish finder rig, normally with a whole finger mullet for bait (dead) and a pyramid sinker that would be appropriate for the surf.  I had a 14ft Glass rod with an old Mitchell reel made for surf fishing.  Of course this was back in the early 80s and they had a huge bull red run along with a really nice bluefish run.


Hey there.  Will be fishing the ga coast mainly.  Going down to Florida for a week in July.


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## ninjaneer (Jun 5, 2021)

You'll be amazed what you'll catch with a 3/8 bucktail jig or a silver spoon.


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