Surf Fishing 101

[hipkvw]

This is surf fishing with bait. Other types can only be done after the basics are mastered.

GEAR: Any rod will do but if you want to look professional get yourself the big white 15 footer from WalMart. Your spinning reel should be ample enough to land at least a 800lb tuna. I heard someone in NY caught one 20 years ago. Thats inside info I'm giving you. Conventional round reels? Who uses them anymore?? Hooks.....8/0-12/0 at least! Sinkers 3-10oz or you can double and triple up on small ones. Line, a good quality 50-80lb mono. Leaders...90-270lb wire because you never know whats gonna hit! 130lb swivels. The biggest snap swivels you can find. Rod spike, bucket, cooler, bait(squid is numero UNO), lawn chair, and beer.

Step one: Look for everyone else on the beach with a rod in a snadspike. Find a place and dump your gear. Open beer and question fellow anglers. Its OK if they say they didnt catch anything because there is 20 in a 40 yard stretch so thats where you need to be.

Tip:Offer Beer to closest angler on left and right to ease the anger of you being so close.

Step 2: Jam spike way down in the sand at least 30' from the waters edge. Pull rod and reel out of the sand and insert it into sand spike. Put strips of squid on hooks. Oh yeh...add 2 or 3 hooks....give them a smorgasboard.

Tip:Hit Sea Gulls with shells so they stay away from your bait as it simmers in the sun.

Step three: The cast. First finish beer. It is best to get a 10' running start. As you reach the waters edge, let it rip! 25' is a good cast with a 15' rod, 6 oz weight and 1/4 pound of clam strips.

Tips: If squid flies off tie it on with dental floss. Dont forget to open the bail! Spinning reel faces down.

Step Four: Walk 40' back to chair with bail open. Put rod in sand spike and sit in lawnchair. Open new beer. Watch as birds 60 yards up the beach dive on bait. What a sight to see as you sit and drink a beer on this beautiful morning.

Tip: Reel in slack that blew over the guys lines 30' to the left or right depending on wind direction. Dont pick up washed up baitfish from the beach....squid is best.


Step five: Drink Beer and relax.

Tip: If line drifts 50' with the tide...let it be. The bait is still in the water.

Step Six: As rod bends to the ground, run as fast as you can to get it from the sand spike. Walk back 6'-10' and set hook AT LEAST 6 times. You have a 15' rod, 80lb mono, and 130 wire leader...no need to worry about drag. Crank in your prize!

Tip: If rod and spike pulls out of sand a Pete Rose dive in the wash will make you look real cool. Unless you lose the rod of course.

Step seven: Carry fish no matter what size to your chair 40' from the water and measure fish in the sand(hold down with knee). Carry back to water and heave in. If you drop it before you get to the water just kick it.

Tip: Kill all sharks and skates..they will eat all your bait. Leave them on beach to die.

Step eight: Go back to beach chair, put legal fish in 120qt cooler you drug from the truck, open new beer, repeat steps 2 through 7.

Tip: Dont mind the guys catching fish under the birds with the little 8' and 9' rods. There just gettin' lucky.

Tip: They sell coolers and carts with wheels for all your gear.

Step nine: Getting dark. Finish 6 pack or 12 pack. Pack up all your gear. Time for weigh in. Fish dont bite in the dark.


Step 10: Drag slimy, sandy fish into tackle shop for weigh in and poloroid. Put beer on the counter.

Tip: Its OK it was 10 pounds and not 40 like all the guys on the beach told you. Your still their hero!

Congrats: You are now a sharpie! Purchase 4 more setups(cause you can handle all them at once),Go on the net post pic and give advice to all the newbies!

[hipkvw]

If you didnt see D.Bay fishing 101...this is just for fun. Poking fun at ourselves. PLEASE NOBODY TAKE OFFENSE!!!!!!!!!!

[BIGGESTJACK]

BADFINGER TOLD ME TO GO TO THE TACKLE BOX I WENT THEN IT SAID----(MY NAP BUZZER WENT OFF I'M BACK)CAN YOU REVIEW.I HAD TO COME HERE I GOT TIRED AND TOOK A NAP.DO YOU HAVE A MILLER LITE.

I'M CONFUSED I MISSED ALOT?

[ 01-15-2004, 03:56 PM: Message edited by: BIGGESTJACK ]

[bassvamp]

HIP, You forgot to specify at the cooler must be made of styrofoam. That way when you're walking back for the hookset and you trip over it you break the cooler and not your leg. Then let all the styrofoam blow down the beach with your bait cups and WAWA bags! There's thousands of people down that way anyhow -sombody will pick it up.

[hipkvw]

Vamp, LOL. I like when they sit on the styrofoam coolers and smash them.

[bassvamp]

Styrofoam coolers are valways a big hit on partyboats too! :D

[SEAISLE]

Hip The white Bucket??

[hipkvw]

Originally posted by SEAISLE:
Hip The white Bucket?? ..LOL...I had one of those WAY BACK in the day!

[SEAISLE]

They come with cushioned seats now! :D

[Bob ECT]

No one ever offered me a beer on the beach.

I like the hold em down with a knee tip, I usually just use my foot. Once the guts squeeze out you have a nice grip on them. The knee tip will allow me to get some more weight into them though. Thanks again.

[hipkvw]

Originally posted by SEAISLE:
They come with cushioned seats now! :D I had one of those too with a nifty swivel seat and a cooler built in ;)

Bob, No prob. Im too fat to bend over so I cant use my foot....go figure ;) It works.

[Never Better]

Additional gear/clothing tips:
when in doubt, buy the red reel
Basic attire: wife-beater shirt, white knee socks,white high tops with the laces undone for effect

[ReelQuick]

I like the part about the 50 yrd.drift,(Don't worry the baits still in the water)I'm still laughing!Thanks I needed that.

[hipkvw]

LOL...no prob. i like all the added tips you guys are giving. We are going to produce some pro surf casters this year ;)

[ReelQuick]

What kills me,your describing the guy I bring to the suds every year.And he catch's the fish.(You don't need blood worm's,night crawlers are worms ain't they)

[hipkvw]

Originally posted by ReelQuick:
What kills me,your describing the guy I bring to the suds every year.And he catch's the fish.(You don't need blood worm's,night crawlers are worms ain't they) LOL...These tips are tried and true :D

[BEACHBASSARD]

HIP YOU HAVE JUST DESCRIBED THE WILD DANGEROUS AND ALWAYS GOOD FOR A LAUGH BRIGANTINE GILLIGAN THATS IS THE PROPER NAME FOR THEM AFTER ALL WE HERE HAVE SCHOOL FOR THEM HIDDEN ON A REMOTE PART OF THE ISLAND SOME WHERE PAST THE PLOVER FENCE .PS YOU FORGOT THE HAT WITH THE FISH HOOKS ON IT AND THE LOOSE DOG EATING BAIT.


BUT THEY ARE FUN TO WATCH ON SLOW DAYS. :D :D

[ShoeB]

You forgot to add:

Stay off them rocks/jetties, they're slippery, no one on them speaks english, and you can't catch fish off 'em anyway!

[njfisher]

Hip,

That guy you described keeps finding me on the beach and setting up besides me! My real problem with it is he is the only one that seems to catch anything!! :D

[SEAISLE]

Sometimes the old ways are the best ways. They really are still fish and they dont know we now have expensive equipment. :D

[on the hook]

Isn't that statement true! My 1st time beach fishing(this summer) I used freshwater bass gear and was high hook! Who needs all them long telephone poles? Yeh Hip, took a few casts to realize there was side movement too! Since this was probably my 1st & last year doing it, I wont get to try the rest :D Had a friend, Striper Joe, who had never striper fished before with me about 7 yrs ago. Out at the bottom of 60ft. Early Dec, the 8th, short sleave(?) weather. He rigged up a fishfinder and started chunking. Told him he had it rigged wrong. He hooked the ff to the swivel, and added a weight. Now he took a 3ft snelled hook and added that! Long story short, he caught 2 cows(like that hip?) at about 43in and 30lbs!! :D :D Still his biggest fish. Really hooked him though, and that is about all he fishes for now. BTW, all I got were skates and dogs that day. No other boats out there that day. Gotta admit, the only thing the fish sees(we hope) is the bait!

[Capt Buck]

Hip,
I think you got the casting method wrong here mate. 10 ft is nowhere near enough to get wound up for a good cast. You have to get back from the evil edge of the ocean at least a good 30 paces, then take a good pole vault style run towards that same evil, ever encroaching water, STOP dead in your tracks and let the lead fly!. If your finger timing is right, the bail don't snap over ,spinning reels point down rule here, and 10 yr old line don't snap (what the heck is a shock leader again?) then and only then will you get an earth shattering, getting close to a world record cast of 25 ft. Oh, and don't ever think that you would get wet when you go to fish at the oceans edge, waders are for those showoffs with those funny looking trucks with the long "poles" on the front. Of course you also under estimated the minimum required amount of adult beverage that needs to be consumed to enhance your surf fishing experiance, a 12 pack is the absolute bare rock bottom amount for a couple hours on the beach. I think squid would have to be at least a couple days old too, preferably the stuff let to sit in the sun for a least one day, that way it stays on the hook better. Just thought I'd pass these hot and helpful tips along so we all can be better surf fisherman.

[hipkvw]

LMAO...you guys are cracking me up!

[FISH BUCKET]

drifting over your line(no matter how much weight they use)is annoying,but casting over your line constantly,is grounds for manslaughter!
anyone who uses a spinning reel upside down(even after being told its upside down)should be neutered so as not to breed more like him!

[rustyhook]

Fished next to that clown for couple hrs. one day. He went thru all the antics described, got bored,and got tried of fishing and got his surf board off his Volvo AWD. Paddled out on the flat ocean and sat there for another couple of hours with a big smile.
Found out what the smile was about when he finally drifted to shore. Had the board up-side-down with the skag up his @^$%#^.

[BEACHBASSARD]

I THINK WE HAVE FORGOTEN THE INPORTENCE ON THE PROPER WAY TO LIP HOLD BLUE FISH. THIS SHOULD ONLY BE DONE BY TRAINED PROS.


OR AFTER THAT FIRST 12 PACK!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[dorsal dude]

whyz everybody alwayz picking on me?

[Brian E. Mullaney]

Originally posted by ShoeB:
You forgot to add:

Stay off them rocks/jetties, they're slippery, no one on them speaks english, and you can't catch fish off 'em anyway! Amen to that!!!! They've even discovered the Barnegat South Jetty :mad: and the art of concealing short fish :mad:

[wildwoodblockhead]

Also don't forget the economy size bodybag of popcorn to feed the seagulls while you're waiting for a bite.That always entertains everyone within 50 yards.

[wentfishn47]

Or when some stupid SOB throws all his bait on the beach when he decides to leave instead of in the water that really sucks b/c you have them things flying all over the place flying into your line and what not and that bait could have been good chum for the fish or take it home for the next trip or offer it to someone fishing on beach. I bought clams off this guy that was next to me and he did not want to waste the clams so I bought them from him.

[ 01-21-2005, 08:41 PM: Message edited by: wentfishn47 ]

[stoneharborchef]

"...the 15 foot one from Wal Mart..."


Was just in the Wal Mart by the Hamilton Mall and saw the exact rod in question....good lord you could frame a house with the bottom sections of those telephone poles...

[Brian E. Mullaney]

HIP - I just read this - Too funny!!!!!!!!!!!! v :D

[Bgsdad]

Here's a good one. Don't pay attention to the beach when chasing birds so you hit a rut and your cooler that you forgot to bungy down bounces out and you run it over! This makes you look like a real pro! I know!

[wildwoodblockhead]

Always bring as many kids as you can (borrow some kids from the neighbor if you have too)and totally disregard their activities while your fishing.When you finally get tired of watching them you can send them down to swim at the next beach.("Not here Hilda,take them down where those guys are fishing!")Hiney hooking could become an olympic sport.

[KeysKid]

Ahhhh...a classic, this is an oldie but goody!

[KeysKid]

dp

[ 01-22-2005, 01:33 PM: Message edited by: KeysKid ]

[hipkvw]

LOL...I forgot about this. You guys thought Dakota was bad ;)

[mch]

I caught my first few stripers on artificials this season.............I'm sure gonna miss falling asleep on that beach chair.

[junkmansj]

I thought the Spinning reel went on top of the Convenional Rod!

If they are from the east they only use 2 OZ and keep everything!!

[Whiteyr]

I resent that `white bucket' remark - my white bucket and I go way back! I think I have rigs in the bottom from 1970! smile.gif

[Keeper Seeker]

WWWOooooooooooaaaawww...... I KNOW the dude!!! :eek: :cool: :D

[SEAISLE]

Hey Hip I still have that damn bucket and ya know what the older I get the more I am going to use it!

[captbill35]

Hip, you forgot the hook removal step.
1) Try to find knife in 27 in 1 tool. Cut 3" hole around imbedded hook and remove hook.
Tip#1) Sometimes it is easier to hold fish up in the air by the leader and poke and slash at the hook with knife. When fish falls to the ground, hook is free. If a keeper place in cooler. If a throw back, kick to the water's edge.
Tip#2) If hook is swallowed, ask fisherman to the left or right if they have a long filet knife, preferably 10-12". Make sure you get the point of the knife all the way down the fish's throat. Tip #1 works well here, also.
What ever you do, do not leave hook in fish, it may get an infection.

[hipkvw]

LMAO...

[Brian E. Mullaney]

excellent post hip!

[clamchucker]

Gees.....guess it's time to "paint" my bucket :rolleyes:

[BASSWHOOPIN]

I'm not painting my bucket - I'm going to bleach it , so everyone knows I'm a PRO & that I gradgeeated from hipkvw surf fishing 101 class . The one thing that wasn't mentioned was about being polite to the 253 people that ask you what you are fishing for & then ask if you caught any , while thier looking in my profesional white bucket for the catch of the day . As for my styrofoam cooler - someone stole it . I guess sombody else wanted to look professional .

[fshrwmn]

OMG this is funny,
I needed this laugh...thank you.
I remeber a guy came up to me the other year and asked how heavy of a sinker he should use. I asked him what he had and he showed me a round tin of "dial a size" split shot.
I told him to tie the whole thing on. :D

[wildwoodblockhead]

A guy and his kid walked out on the jetty this summer with very light freshwater rods and saw 4 or 5 whole surf clams sitting next to a guy fishing near me and asked,"What do you use to get them?"Without looking up the guy replied,"A five dollar bill."Now that's entertainment on a long hot day.

[rob]

ok, I've read all this, the LOL stuff etc.

but what is funny about the original post?

I don't get it, you mean you've NEVER fished like that??????


-- (ok, just a little lol....great thread...messed up my monitor reading this stuff)

[stripedfever]

Hooked a surfer few years back, didn't know how big they had to be , didn't matter , the beast bit me right off, next time I'm gonna use steel leader !! Their just like Mako's , you hook em ,and they come right to ya to check out who hooked em !! :D Also pretty much any beach in the summer month's, you'll be the only guy on the beach fishing , then people start swimming or launching small water craft and I would say do you mind moving down the beach a little bit, they would answer , Oh, your lines aren't bothering us !! :D smile.gif

[JohnG]

You forgot pulling onto the beach opening your door letting your 3 dogs out ,taking a quick piss, while the 3 dogs all take a giant crap, then speeding up the the beach, with dogs running behind the truck! The north end of Brigantine version!!

[Mr.Crab]

Too funny!

Don't forget to leave the bait cups and beer cans to mark your spot!

[Keeper Seeker]

stripedfever, :D :D :D From a guy who spent many years surfing... that's a three big grins on that one!!

Were you on the Avalon Pier in 1977? ;) :D

[ 02-01-2005, 08:32 PM: Message edited by: Keeper Seeker ]

[stripedfever]

Keeper ,this was in the late 90's Ocean City Beach !!Had to be at least a 6 footer, had him on for 5 seconds before he bit me off !! :D