Or a relaible camera if you are letting some of the big girls go.;)
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Make sure you use a good sand spike. You don't want one that rod can easily fall out of. Make sure the handle goes far into the well and the spike can go deep into the sand. Is a $700 set-up worth losing over a $10 cheap sand spike?
If there is no bait around a fish could still be in the current. Even slight currents could hold fish. Crazy Alberto's seminar is all about getting fish right near slack.
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Poppers - attract bass with a gurgling and popping sound on the water's surface. Poppers are a great choice to find and locate fish if you are trying several places in an outing. Poppers should be retrieved in a series of starts and stops.
Don't be afraid to use dead eels, they work wonders.
Whatever you do when landing the bass, DO NOT grab the line, especially on a big fish. I have lost a many fish my not being patient. Wait until you can lift the fish. It is a hard habit to break, but it is worth the effort.
I am fairly new to the surf fishing world myself, but my advice would be to the old timers with knowledge. If you see a newie on the surf struggling with tying a knot stop and give him a hand.
I always appreciate someone teaching me a new method.
Carry a safety pin to pick away at wind knots in braided line it saves alot of fishing time trying to pick it apart w/ your fingers saved my butt a couple 2-3 times:d
I find one of the best times to fish is high tide during either dawn or dusk.
If im fishing with a buddy and he happens to hook a fish, Dont be an A hole and without a word, come storming down and set up inbetween me and my friend who im talking to and start casting. YA GOT THE WHOLE FREAKIN CANAL BUDDY, GEEZE lol. It woulda been funny if it wasnt so rediculous
When you're looking for a great spot, you want to keep your eye out for a couple of things. Fish will be on the outsides of rip currents looking for food. Keep this in mind, along with knowing that there are pockets or troughs that get carved by the sea, and are known as ocean trenches.
Dont' forget to move. 50 yards it can make big difference.
A slough is a deep trough that runs parallel to the beach, bordered by a sand bar on one side and the beach on the other. The distance from the beach to the bar will determine the width of the slough.
Fish travel up and down this trough and look for food such small fish, crabs, and sandworms.
Buy what you can afford, not what others tell you to buy. Inexpensive plugs can work just as well as a $25 one.
Murphy's Laws of Fishing....never promise anyone you'll get them a fish, no matter how good the fishing has been, unless you like embarassing yourself. :o
^ Smart advice there.
Different Types of Fishing Line
With hundreds of different types of fishing line out there some fishermen don't know what kind of fishing line to use. In this article I will tell you the different kind of fishing line and when to use them.
Monofilament Fishing Line Types
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Monofilament fishing lines are the most common types that are used for fishing. These have been known to be used for all kinds of conditions in fishing. These lines are best suited for freshwater fishing in streams or lakes. Monofilaments tend to stretch better and they are less visible in water. Green, red, clear, etc. are colors in which these fishing lines are available. One disadvantage of monofilaments is that they cannot be easily stretched if they are not in use for a long time. This is because, these lines take the shape in which they have been stored. So, these lines are suitable for frequent fishing activities, like that of fishermen and not for hobbyists. The lines also need replacement after few years, as they do not promise long-lasting durability against heat and water.
Braided Fishing Line Types
Braided fishing line types present themselves as the strongest of all types. These lines have no stretch and you can feel everything at the end of the lines. They have the advantage of being able to cast long distances and strong enough to resist the weight of large fish. They last longer than monofilaments fishing lines and are more abrasion-resistant. Due to their unstretchable nature, braided lines tend to break the fishing rods in case the drag is not set correctly. That is why, long-lasting fishing rods and reels are recommended to be used with these lines. Braided fishing lines are not preferable in clear water, as they become visible and that might ruin the fishing.
Fused Fishing Line Types
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Fused fishing lines share similar features with the braided line types. The only difference between the two is the method of manufacturing. Fused fishing lines are made out of multiple layers of microfilaments of gel spun polyetylene fibers. These fibers are thermally fused together. Inorder to produce a single strand of line, the fused fibers are applied with a separate coating. This gives the lines additional strength. These lines are thinner and provides great hook sets. However, these lines can only be cut using a sharp knife or scissor and they are also highly visible in water.
Fluorocarbon Fishing Line Types
Fluorocarbon fishing line types are popular due to their complete invisibility in water. They are also resistant against sunlight, gasoline, battery acid, and they do not absorb water. This is due to the polymer fluorocarbon, which is inert in its nature. For fishing spots having rocks, submerged logs and the likes, these type of fishing lines are most suitable, as they are also abrasion-resistant. These lines are heavier than other types and this makes it easier for the bait to fall faster and deeper in water.
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Although often dismissed by some as too simple, the white curlytail grub on a 1/2 oz jig can catch fish all year around.
^ Sometimes simple is best.:thumbsup:
cold water - as the fall water gets colder, when I am plugging I slow my presentation down to a crawl. That will get you bumpe or hits when the fish are sluggish.
I don't known if anyone else said this yet but it's a good idea to check the first 20' of your line right before you plug, or at the end of your surf trip. Sand and small rocks can put a lot of abrasions on braid or mono. You don't want to lose a cow because you were not equipped to play the game.
I have a buddy that fishes bait most of the time and every fish he catches he cuts back his line and reties as mentioned above all of that sand and rocks are causing abrasions in your line and leader while it lies in the water not to mention what a fish does to it running all over the place.I do check my line,leader,knots and hooks quickly after catching a fish, also why lose a fish or for that matter a good plug it only takes a few seconds to give a quick look see
Before putting your reels away after you’ve rinsed and cleaned them, back the drags all the way off. This will help prolong the life of the drags.
Striped bass fish like to swim in flowing, clean and clear water. They do not prefer muddy and unclear water. You can always find striped bass fishes swimming with their nose pointed towards the water current. Therefore you can hold your fishing bait into the direction of the water and the fish would definitely be pulled towards the food. If you intend to catch several fishes at a time, then you need to look into clear waters for a group of stripers. If you find a group, you should slowly move towards them, otherwise if they smell your presence, they might swift in deeper water.
Let the fish get tired out, yet don't let slack get in your way. Here is some great advice I received a while back from a good friend of mine.:
"Once the fish is done with his runs you can start to apply pressure using a slow pump. You move the fish on the upward movement of the rod tip. You gain line as you lower your rod tip toward the fish. Don't reel when your raising the rod tip and moving the fish (not as important on a conventional reel with a good drag, but if your using a spinnning reel and cranking when the drag is running you'll be putting twists in your line!)
Usually, it is just a matter of time before you get the fish to the beach -- but getting a big fish through the surf line can be a trick. You've got to time it so the waves push the fish up onto the beach. I've seen a lot of lines snapped by trying to beach a fish against the undertow."
Bunker and lead weight fishing from the surf or shore.
When I am fishing bunker, I try to use the lightest weight possible to keep the bunker from moving too much. I don't really want it anchored, like with a door sash or something. I want it moving with the current. Most of the time this doesn't matter at all, but if the fish are picky, other than the standard fishfinder rig, try downsizeing your weight. Some times that will make the difference. Good luck fellas, there are a lot of bunker around now, and at times some nice bass and blues under them.
I cannot remember who said it, but I read it here somewhere in one of the forums-
Be willing to modify your strategy as the conditions change. Don't get stuck in a rut.
I had some time to kill this afternoon and went over some of the posts in this thread. Thank you darkskies for starting this and all the fellas who posted up, there is some golden advice in here. Should be required reading for all new members.
^^ x2.
This time of year the storms we are having can affect the ocean temperatures and clarity significantly. Remember that when heading out for your destination.
You have to realize the fishing is either "on" or "off" for the night.
If it's dismal, there ain't no sense in sticking around for more punishment unless you have another location you can quickly get to where conditions are different. All this talk of "when" :laugh: the fall run will be starting....it already started people, but we are still plagued with inconsistency, even the bait guys are not hooking up every single day.
So have a plan, and stick to it. If things are off for the night, learn to recognize it and cut your losses so you can come out again. :learn:
Umm, didn't someone one time say its called fishing, not catching..... I'm thinking a few of us just enjoy being out there taking that punishment :HappyWave: working a shore line, looking for a cut in a bar, a rip, a stray fish. I don't think I have ever cut a trip short because of not catching a fish.
Lets see, stay out and fish and not catch anything....or go home and do yard work, a to do list, clean the house, go to work, sleep.....I'm going to choose fishing and not catching fish :idea:
I also just like to be out there now myself but for the sake of tips 101 heres my .02 cents for what its worth I say to be more productive at surf fishing the best time to be out there is the last hour and a half before and after the slack tide occurs and even into slack tide big fish can be caught at slack tide especially in the inlets(live eels w/ little or no weight get their attention at this time especially if that falls in the nighttime or early a.m. theory is the fish are not going to come out of whatever structure they are hiding in from the current to eat simply they need to use the least energy to eat the most food hence the period of time stated above it is easier for them to move with the slower water and feed and also reposition themselves for the change in water movement" killing 2 birds with one stone." Naturally their are the other factors moon wind time of year etc. Spring fish the back waters of rivers and bays(water warms quicker)Summer(fish the ocean side look for structure deep holes the water is cooler)Now comes the fall and migration when you need to be on your A game because as far as I am concerned bait is the thing you need to find in order to find the fish they are on the move and hungry they are looking for the same thing you are just for different reasons Onshore wind will be helpful every beach has a favorite wind to set the stage you should know that already and of course storms this time of year will screw everything up but before a storm is a good time to get out there after stay home till the water clears.This is solely my opinion but I still say if you want a biggin get out there in Sept. to early Oct. because as far as I'm concerned in NY thats the time before you get into schoolies and their is the occasional later big ones who got lost in the parade or are going to winter over.Every single fish over 20 lbs. I have caught was in the 2 months above.Still have not broken 20 lbs. in the Spring close 18 lbs. was the best but I only fish one spot in the spring.