Surfcasting 201 - The Surfcasters' Bible....Artificial Only thread....

[jigfreak]

Good advice on bucktails ds I do the same thing. If you don't carry different sizes for different stages you will lose the fish. for slack tide dont forget to bring a popper or plugs because the fish will then move up and down in the water.
Another thing I like to do when the water is colder is let the fish tell you what retrieve they want. I start out slow but some times they want it fast. You have to experiment with different speeds and change it up if you want to get fish when it's a little colder in the water or when a cold front moves in. A lot of guys will leave if the bite is not hot. change up your retrieve and you could still pick away at them.

[hookset]

Another thing I like to do when the water is colder is let the fish tell you what retrieve they want..

Spot on. sometimes conventional wisdom doesn't work. One of the great things about fishing is it can be different every time. When one tbing doesn't work try the total opposite.

[dogfish]

^^^^^^^ Agree, well said. Have been reading a lot of talk on here about albies lately. You want to use the lightest line possible. No hardware direct tie. Fluoro leader for calm water. Not always necessary but since they are so spooky you want to have all the advantages. They are hammering them a little South of us in Rhody. Fun fish to catch but they taste worse than bluefish.

[surfstix1963]

First things first learn how to read a beach understand different structures and how the fish and bait utilize it if you don't understand it surf fishing is useless. Don't buy into a ton of different plugs if you decide to make the switch to artificials, first buy a few learn them then move on to others understand them and gain confidence in their use be prepared for a lot of fishless trips. it happens at first. you need to dedicate yourself to it.

Tins are a good start they can be worked in any part of the water column.

I will tend to tell you to avoid the surface plugs at first usually there are many more fish under what you are seeing on top. Resist the temptation to chase blues down the beach. the stripers are often right behind them feeding on the scraps.

Check your weather before you go and pack what you need.
obviously if the wind is cranking in your face a bomber or SP isn't going far. grab some heavy needles and bottle plugs for example.

Rather then moving constantly work the area you are in. cast at 12 O'Clock and vary your casts clockwise then counter clockwise (fan casting when you are not in a crowd can eliminate a great amount of area without moving constantly).

Understand bait types and choose your plugs accordingly. Don't be afraid to think out of the box. It will often save a trip.

There are only general rules for plugging some plugs can be worked differently then designed and that just may turn the fishes head. One general rule is fish lures slowly(if your bored more then likely your doing it right). you often don't realize how much line you are moving. Bait don't swim that fast so your plug shouldn't either fish ambush their prey if it is moving quickly they may turn their noses up to it(especially bigger stripers they are lazy).Take a look at your reel specs and see how much line you are taking up on one crank and you will understand better how fast and how much line you are moving.

Think like a fish.My wife always says I'm a nut when I tell people to look for the funny water because that will be some sort of structure. You just need to figure out what kind it is and how to utilize it. Like Monty always says fish the white water.It is high in oxygen and the wave pushes the bait into the foam left over, this is when the fish feed momentarily in between waves (wait for the wave to start breaking and cast over it and start working the white water). Don't ever lift your plug out of the water reel it right up to the beach just be careful setting the hook if they are feeding on the beach lip so you don't eat it.

Keep your hooks sharp,your line should be free of frays braid or mono line is often overlooked and lets face it that brings the fish to the beach.

Make sure your knots are tied correctly,tie your leaders at home so you have them when you need them.You don't want to be tying a leader while the fish are swimming past you.

On your wooden plugs if you use them, one thing that is often overlooked on wooden plugs is the barrel swivel,which is holding your hook to the plug they need to be inspected and changed every once in awhile they weaken over time and fail so the plug will need to be re-wired,if they are epoxy sealed inside and out they usually use hangers which cannot be replaced if something goes wrong with the plug.I have several SS darters that are headed for the can because the swivel is shot,most plastic plugs don't use swivels but the SS do.

[DarkSkies]

^ You can tell by the words above that the guy typing them has decades of experience and has paid his dues.
Thanks as always for unselfishly sharing the wealth of knowledge you have, Rich, and for being so patient with the new guys.
And thanks to you and all the members here who unselfishly give of themselves.

[buckethead]

understand bait and choose your plugs accordingly. Don't be afraid to think out of the box. it will often save a trip.

there are only general rules for plugging some plugs can be worked differently then designed and that just may turn the fishes head. One general rule is fish lures slowly(if your bored more then likely your doing it right). you often don't realize how much line you are moving. bait don't swim that fast so your plug shouldn't either. take a look at your reel and see how much line you are taking up on one crank and you will understand better how fast and how much line you are moving.

Think like a fish.My wife always says I'm a nut when I tell people to look for the funny water because that will be some sort of structure. you just need to figure out what kind it is.Like Monty always says -fish the white water. it is high in oxygen and the wave pushes the bait and the fish like that (wait for the wave to start breaking and cast over it and start working the foam). Don't ever lift your plug out of the water reel it right up to the beach just be careful setting the hook if they are feeding on the beach lip so you don't eat it.

Some great points SS. Learning to eliminate unproductive water is half the battle. Other wise you are wasting your time. Presentation is a key factor as well. Good thread. Dark you know I'm always glad to pitch in because you have a good group here. The ego boasting and chest pounding on other sites is very unappealing to me. The fishing reports where only a fish is posted and no details I call that chest pounding. If you don't want to share at least what you used keep the details and report to yourself. just my .02.

[DarkSkies]

Well said, bucket.
If you new guys want to learn, pay attention when buckethead posts as well. He's one of the old farts here.
He knows stuff.