How to: Reading the water

[DarkSkies]

Some bay pics:

[DarkSkies]

Some bay pics:

[DarkSkies]

Basics: reading the rivers and inlets

[DarkSkies]

Some river pics:

[DarkSkies]

Some inlet pics:

[DarkSkies]

Basics: reading the surf
The surf is more challenging than the bay. While the bay changes every year, the surf changes with every major storm.

Cuts and sloughs:


Outsucks:

Current:

Inner bar vs outer bar:


Where fish like to be:

[DarkSkies]

more surf pics

[voyager35]

Basics: reading the surf
The surf is more challenging than the bay. While the bay changes every year, the surf changes with every major storm.

That's why guys should be out there putting in their time instead of following all the internet reports like lemmings. You can lead a man to water, but you can't make him want to learn.

What I do-----I mostly fish in a boat where GPS is important. You might think that's all there is to is, job done. Nope, I also have landmarks written down for my inshore spots that are just beyond the surf. When we fish the rocks off of Deal, I write down in a Captain's log which pieces were more productive that year, and when. I write down if a rocky piece was between 2 certain landmarks. I also do this when we drift for fluke because we are drifting on sand, and the humps shift with the seasons.

Reading the water should be something that is in every fisherman's toolkit, whether you fish the surf or from a boat. Fishing an inlet is important as well. There are certain weather patterns and tides when you want to be near the front on the incoming and others where you want to be further towards the back on the outgoing. There are others that have some severe rips right before the inlet, and you have to read that water as well. They all depend on the structure and water flow of that particular inlet.

[finchaser]

Basics: reading the surf
The surf is more challenging than the bay. While the bay changes every year, the surf changes with every major storm.

Cuts and sloughs:


Outsucks:

Current:

Inner bar vs outer bar:


Where fish like to be:

I know the answer to the last one: (Where fish like to be)

In the water

[DarkSkies]

I know the answer to the last one: (Where fish like to be)

In the water

(I guess you missed the part where I said: "I'll fill in when I get a chance" )

So you're takin the place of Killie tonight?

Where is the HealThyselfMiracleMan...he sick or somethin?

Did he ask ya to fill in for him on the ballbustin crew?

Ya know, the job doesn't pay overtime, and the hours are terrible...