When is the surf too rough to fish?

[Monty]

, spelled everything correctly.....
When is the surf to rough to fish. Wave height, wave period?
Dirty, murky water?
In general is there a cut off with wave height that will cause you to not fish ocean side?

[surfstix1963]

5' to 7' I'm getting to old and fragile to be knocked on my butt too much,and if I can't get down to where I want to be in the WW zone it's a waste of time.

[DarkSkies]

Whoops, spelled height wrong.....

When is the surf to rough to fish. Wave height, wave period?

Fixed it for ya, Monty....

I was telling ya the other day, I try to make it a rule that in NJ I go out when wave height is between 2-4.
Folks who fish in other states, and Montauk, may have different answers as well.
Duration for me, is best at 6-12 secs, anything less also seems to affect my results negatively.

According to my logs that's been the most productive time for me at night. Those seem to be conditions when I can most effectively present to the fish using artificials, with a chance at getting their attention. And not put myself in danger at the same time.

Others may feel differently.
I think it also depends on whether you're fishing bait or artificials.

Good thread.

[storminsteve]

I'm not as hard core as some of you guys. dont like the spray of water in my face it gets old real quick. white water monty I am curious what your preference is, 8-10 feet?

[ledhead36]

I fish with bait so its easier you just need the right weight sinker.
Rather fish the bays, When I fish the ocean I find when the surf is too big there is a lot of weeds and that gets all over the bait. No fun

[Monty]

I'm not as hard core as some of you guys. dont like the spray of water in my face it gets old real quick. white water monty I am curious what your preference is, 8-10 feet?

5-7 feet is about it for me. I just want to be out there fishing, so if its fishable and I can get out there I do.
But...Catching a Striper in a rough surf gives me a bigger rush. Its more challenging to me, hence the feeling of accomplishment is bigger.
One of my favorite outings I caught 3 short Stripers and lost 2 others plus a few hits in waves that were in the 4-6 feet area on long casts with Ava 37 and rubber teaser between 2:00 and 5:00 AM, on a sandy beach, dragging it over sand bars, along the bottom.....in pouring rain (was lots of fun, worked hard for those fish, in solitude ).
2-4 feet with a decent chop is lots of fun. Got chop and white water and water that's not to murky its time to I like throwing a 2 3/8 oz Super Strike popper in this type of water in daylight. At night throwing Hogys over bars, close to rocks, troughs. My favorite/most successful plug for rough surf at night is the Bottle darter.
Normally if I get down to the shore and the waves are 4-6, 5-7 and water is murky I'll head bayside (not an option these days).

[Rip-Plugger]

I don't fish surf much at all but,if my plug won't swim in it i would not fish it.


R-P

Long Wharf,New Haven,Ct.

[UrbanFishingMan]

When The State Police come & take you off the beach & shut down all access
then THE SURF IS TOO BIG.
anything else toss the heavy bucktails till it gets chocolate milk colored.

[stripercrazy]

if I can't get down to where I want to be in the WW zone it's a waste of time.

I agree. When the fish are chasing after small bait types and they are in close the fish will be in closer too. The biggest surf works if they are hot on the heels of that bait. Otherwise with big surf you sometimes have a big sweep and you are only in the strike zone for a few seconds.

[stripercrazy]

When The State Police come & take you off the beach & shut down all access
then THE SURF IS TOO BIG.
anything else toss the heavy bucktails till it gets chocolate milk colored.

That is a HUGE wave. Great picture urban fishing man.

[buckethead]

With the above pic I wonder how you would stay in the strike zone or in contact with what you were throwing. I put in 6-8 but on 2nd thought should have put 5-7. Unless that surf is loaded with moving bait it gets difficult to toss and stay connected when they're over 6'

[buckethead]

I think hurricane arthur will qualify for this question.