Getting Started with Saltwater Surf Fishing (part 1)

Scouting the layout and getting organized

Take witness, I am here to confess one of my major weaknesses. Fishing.  Not just a little, a lot!  Not for extended periods of time, but a little on a lot of days. And I catch my share of fish, some for sustenance, most for the sheer pleasure of the hunt.  I don’t know exactly when it happened or anything about the chemistry involved which makes me so fanatical, but never the less, I confess to the addiction. I like to do it but most of all, I really enjoy talking about it! Because of this, I often get requests from novice anglers for advice or those who have often thought about trying the sport but can’t determine a starting point. It’s a difficult subject for me because I have always believed that each individual needs to find what works best and is most comfortable for him or her. Please consider this piece as a general guide for getting started not a - be all, end all instruction manual for the novice.

The first time I hit the beach in search of fish, I would have had just as much success if I left my tackle at home. The only thing that I didn’t take with me is a Sony to hang around my neck and mark me as a true “first timer”. Not that I hadn’t fished before, but more that I hadn’t done it with my feet in the sand. It took a while, but eventually I evolved into an actual Angler. Many days of trial and error.  The following are some observations which may make your transition a little smoother.

Scout your location

Knowing the beach you are fishing is a big plus if you arte actually looking to catch fish. I say that because some anglers (and I use that term very loosely) aren’t very concerned with catching, more so the relaxation that come with the act itself. Head to your favorite beach, at low tide, and take note of what you see. I repeat, go at low tide. Getting there when the water is out will allow to see where the cuts, holes and slews are that bait fish will use and subsequently the target fish will go to get their meals. Remember, its all about the bigger fish eating the little fish. Simple as that. So knowing their pathways makes it a lot easier to find the trophy fish. Most fish are by nature, ambush predators. They know where the baitfish hangout or travel and often wait for their meal to be served up. By presenting you lure or bait as an alternative, you become the top dog.

Organize your tackle

Now that you know where to locate your prey, its time to organize the gear that you are going to need to land them. The biggest problem I encountered when I began with this obsession known as surf fishing, was what to take with me. In the beginning, I used the “better safe than sorry” method. That is, I took everything (including at times a cart with the proverbial kitchen sink on it) that I had on my treks. But as my efforts matured, I learned that it was better to pare down my equipment which would allow me to cover more ground with less obstacles. Knowing your fishing area is one thing, having the right equipment to take advantage of that knowledge will increase your chances of success exponentially. For example, suppose your scouting mission has  indicated that your best opportunities lie 75 yards off the shoreline and that the shallow cuts in the ocean floor indicate that a topwater lure will work best in these conditions. With data on hand, I would load up a variety of sizes and colors in my plug bag which allow me to maximize my chances of landing the big one. I would choose the best rod and reel from my arsenal for the situation and have alternative options available in the vehicle. I keep fully stocked tackle box in the vehicle as well. But I tend to travel light and keep my options open if my original gear falls short.

If I could give you one piece of advice that I had to figure out on my own it would be this. Learn what works best for you. Learn which knots are easiest to tie for you. Experiment to find out which equipment fits your style of fishing the best. Are you more comfortable and patient?  Bait fishing, where you wait for the fish to find the bait you present it may be your best option. Or are you, like me, destined to literally lure the fish onto the beach with artificial baits? I can’t tell you that. But what I can tell you is that if you find the method that works best for you, chances are better than even odd it will become a lifelong adventure for you. Hopefully this article will save you a little of the trial and error that I went through in the beginning. In the future I will attempt to walk you through some of the other aspects of surf fishing. Until then, try thinking like a fish. What would you do?