There are two types of Rings, Brass rings and Split rings. Brass rings are used in much the same ways as Barrel swivels. The advantage of Brass rings over Barrel swivel is the rings lighter and stronger for its size. This gives the angler the ability to more naturally present baits. Split rings are made of steel and are used to attach hooks to lures.
Ezy-Rigs are used in running sinker rigs and give the angler the ability to change sinkers regularly. Ezy-Rigs come in 2 sizes, small or large and 2 colours Blue or Red. There are many imitations of Ezy-Rigs on the market these days they come in a range of sizes and colours, they are sure to do the job, but the original is always the best.
Floats come in many shapes and sizes and are used in many fishing situations. Floats are typically used to suspend a bait or baits in a certain area in the water column and indicate to the angler indications of a bite. Floats can be fix or running, clear or coloured, made of Plastic, wood, cork, foam or glass. Most floats are high visibility on the top for angler recognition and low visibility or white on the base for camouflage.
When choosing a float think about the application that you are going to use it for. If your fishing for Mullet or Luderick in calm waters you would probably use a Quill float. Now if you were fishing for these species in more turbid waters you would use a heavier pencil float. If you require a float for use in very clear water for catching very timid fish say trout for example, you would use a bubble float. Bubble floats are great because you determine their buoyancy by inserting water into the bubble, this lets the angler present the bait as naturally as possible. If your rock fishing and casting big baits you would use a Torpedo float.
You have to consider the following when choosing a float, Size of fish targeted, size of bait, Casting characteristics, environment being fished, angler visibility required, running or fixed rigging and the advantages of fish attracting devices like burley cages and flashing devices.
As a tip if you want to rig a float in the running style and don’t want to use a heavy sinker as a stopper try tying a piece of wool where you require the stopper. Many anglers find that their line sinks and creates a bow of line between the rod and the float. This bow of line reduces hook-up rates as it reduces strike time. One way of reducing or eliminating this line bow is to apply Silicon or Vaseline to your main line.
Nets and gaffs are used to land fish. Gaffs are primarily used on fish that are intended for the table. Fish should be gaffed in the head or shoulder region, this reduces the damage to the edible fish flesh. Gaffs come in a variety of sizes and are typically designed for landing larger fish. The size of the gaff required is dictated by the size of the fish targeted. For fish that roll and thrash like sharks Flying Gaffs (Gaffs with detachable barbed hooks) are best suited. Gaffs can also be used in handling fish destined for released. If you intend to release a fish gaff the fish in the mouth there is very minimal damage done to fish as long as you support the fish’s weight as you lift it.
A quality Gaff should have a strong handle, sharp stainless steel barb less hook, hook cover and a quality handle grip.
Nets and the type employed are once again dictated by the fish that you are targeting. All nets should be of sturdy construction and furnished by a quality mesh. It is essential to match your mesh dimensions with the fish that you are anticipating on landing. You can look very silly if you fish slips through your net’s mesh and escapes. Nets are a more fish friendly way of landing your catch, this is epically true if your intending to release your fish. For anglers primarily intending to release their fish a net from the Environet range should be considered. Environet are specifically designed for catch and release fishing. Environets reduce the damage to the fish’s protective coat of slime, thus reducing the stress levels on the fish and increasing the fish’s chance of survival.
There are many features to look for when choosing a net. Net features include telescopic handles, collapsible heads, mesh type, mesh gauge, grips and handle lengths. When selecting your net make sure that you choose a net that is durable enough for your chosen application. Also in is vital to check the condition of your net prior to each fishing expedition, there would be nothing worse than loosing your catch of a life time due to a failure in your landing equipment.
Tip: Always net your fish head first and lead the fish to the net. Squid on the other hand should be netted from behind.
Bats are used to kill a fish and prevent the fish from suffering and doing damage to the boat. Bats are normally made out of aluminium or wood and are in the shape of a base ball bat. They are very effective for pacifying large fish quickly.
Depth Sounders have many applications including monitoring water depth, temperature, bottom structure, sea bed composition and fish locations. Good sounders offer high definition images/pixel count, water temperature readings, depth readings, grey line (a measure of the density of the sea bed), sensitivity control, interference reduction, split screen display, zoom, speed display, back light and even GPS input options.
Pixels are the measure of how many part a screen is divided into to. The higher the pixel count the higher the display definition. For shallow water operations a frequency of 200Khz is best, where deep water applications require a frequency of 50Khz. With a lower frequency you obtain deeper penetration but your target separation suffers.
Sounders are very much horses for courses. If you are going to use your sounder a lot then purchase a high quality model, if your only going to use one occasionally then get a lesser model. The key to a sounder is to get the best one for your requirements. There is no point in having features that you are never going to use. Sometimes a basic sounder may be all that you require. Simple features such as Grey line, 200Khz frequency, water temperature, sensitivity control, depth readings and zoom are all the features many anglers require.
To bag it or to box it is the new question in fishing gear storage. In the past everybody has had a tackle box. These boxes were hauled across the country in search of the fish and fishing memory of a lifetime. Your typical tackle box was like a trophy cabinet furnished with all of your favourite lures and accessories, it had fresh and saltwater gear as well as everything else you owned. Tackle boxes can be very cumbersome. A quality tackle box should be waterproof, have a quality handle, quality-locking device and be of suitable internal design to suite your needs. Tackle boxes have many different internal designs, including multiple trays, removable trays, adjustable shelves, adjustable compartments and internal removable storage boxes.
Personally I prefer tackle bags. My reason behind this preference is the simple fact that the tackle bag is a very versatile item. A tackle bag is a Shoulder bag or backpack style of bag that has many different features. Tackle bags use storage boxes and plastic sleaves to store your chosen tackle for the trip. I have many storage boxes all sorted into relevant categories, Trout, Salt water, Freshwater, Tropical, Surf and Trawling are just some of my categories. I love the fact that I grab my bag, chuck in the relevant storage boxes, a jacket, hat, sunscreen and other supplies and it is all in one neat easily carried bag. This is a huge advantage if your hiking/ walking to your chosen location or even if you storage space is limited.
A quality tackle bag should be very study in construction, have quality shoulder straps, heavy duty zips, and compartments big enough to store your storage boxes. Features of tackle bags can include binder rings to store plastic pockets, removable sections, phone, map and GPS storage units waterproof and cooler compartments and even inbuilt seats.
This is the Ultimate Surf Fishing Guide for beginners. It starts from scratch and breaks down every facet of surf fishing with detailed instructions and complete diagrams.
Spinner RigsSurf fishing can become an overwhelming experience if you aren’t prepared. The amount of area to fish is massive, the equipment is much larger than freshwater gear. Not to mention, some saltwater species are very large and intimidating. If you aren’t sure how to surf fish—don’t worry at all, it’s much easier than you think, and can be among some of the most rewarding experiences you’ve ever had. This guide starts from scratch and tells you everything you need to know on how to surf fish as a beginner. From picking your rod and reel, bait and rigs; to finding a good spot on the beach to fish. This guide will walk you through your equipment setup and fishing strategy to give you the confidence to go out and catch fish.
Trophy Triple Tail caught in the surf on Sanibel Island FL by Tailored Tackle Owner Ed Hitchcock. Watch it happen on our Tailored Tackle YouTube channel!
Surf fishing is much more demanding on your gear than fishing in freshwater. For your surf fishing setup, you will need to use much larger fishing rods and reels to be able to cast your bait further and handle much larger and stronger fish. Surf fishing rods are almost twice as long as freshwater rods, attached with a reel that can hold hundreds of yards of thick fishing line. For beginners, we recommend a surf rod combo between 8ft to 10ft in length attached with a 6000 to 8000 series reel, spooled with 25lb to 50lb braided fishing line.
Surf fishing reels come in a variety of shapes and sizes. When choosing a surf fishing reel, one of the easiest and most popular kinds to use is called a “spinning” reel. Manufacturers typically give their surf fishing reels a size rating in increments of 1000, starting at size 1000. Select a spinning reel in the 6000-8000 size range that can hold a minimum of 500yds of 25lb braid. The most important factor is the amount of line that it can hold because many saltwater species can grow over 3ft in length! Anything that large can easily peel off hundreds of yards of line. If you think you’ll be fishing mostly for larger fish over 3ft long, such as sharks or rays, get a reel that holds a minimum of 500yds of 25lb braid.
Surf fishing rods are significantly bigger than other types of fishing rods. Simply, this is what’s required to successfully cast heavy baits to fish that are in the surf. Your rod needs enough height and power to cast beyond the waves breaking near the shore. An 8ft surf rod will work well in areas where the water is calm; otherwise, choose a minimum length of 10ft. Surf rods also have characteristics called “power” and “action”. The power represents the strength of your rod while the action represents how “bendable” it is. Select a Medium-Heavy power rating with a Moderate action. This will be a great all-around rod, allowing you to cast heavy sinkers and handle fish over 3ft in length.
Braid is the preferred line type for surf fishing. Make sure to have enough to fill your reel with the right amount of line. If your reel can spool 500yds of 25lb braided line, then make sure you spool it with about 500yds of 25lb braided line. Adding too little or too much fishing line will cause problems that can easily be avoided. Because braid is so thin and gets slick when wet, your fishing knot has to be very secure so it doesn’t slip. For this, use the Palomar knot.
You can never go wrong when you fish with natural bait. The most convenient and accessible way to use natural bait is to buy it frozen. While fresh bait is ideal, frozen bait works great too. The most popular and universal frozen baits found across the US are shrimp and squid. Frozen fish such as bunker, shad, and mullet are also very popular. Depending on which frozen bait you’re using, you will need to choose a fishing “rig”. A rig refers to how your hook, weight, and swivel are assembled together. This is important because with the right fishing rig, you will present your bait to the fish in the best way to get them to bite. Choose the right rig, and you will have much better success.
You can never go wrong when you fish with natural bait. The most convenient and accessible way to use natural bait is to buy it frozen. While fresh bait is ideal, frozen bait works great too. The most popular and universal frozen baits found across the US are shrimp and squid. Frozen fish such as bunker, shad, and mullet are also very popular. Depending on which frozen bait you’re using, you will need to choose a fishing “rig”. A rig refers to how your hook, weight, and swivel are assembled together. This is important because with the right fishing rig, you will present your bait to the fish in the best way to get them to bite. Choose the right rig, and you will have much better success.
Use large fish finder rigs for large cut bait to target fish over 3ft such as sharks, striped bass, and bull sized red drum. A good heavy set up is the fish finder rig with a 4oz sinker baited with a 2” thick cut of frozen fish such a mullet, shad, or bunker. If there are bottom feeders such as toad fish, sea cats, or crabs that keep eating your bait, add a 2” foam float to your leader a few inches away from the hook, or just change to a float rig. A float rig will lift your bait off the bottom away from many of the crabs and other species that eat your bait before the larger fish do.
Use shrimp and squid to target species such as sea trout, croaker, sheepshead, flounder, rockfish, and all types of perch. Remember, almost every species eats shrimp and squid, and that’s why you should always have shrimp and squid rigs on-hand. When you want to cast long distances and need to hold the bottom, use a smaller Fish Finder rig with a pyramid sinker. For casting short distances for fish less than 3ft, use a ready rig with 1-2oz. Ready rigs aren’t as natural as fish finder rigs, but they are easy to cast and manage. These are a great pick for fishing with family and friends. We recommend using #4 wide-gap hooks for squid, and 2/0 J hooks for shrimp.
Specialty rigs such as the Bottom Rig (Old Dominion Rig) and Pompano Rigs are also very popular for smaller surf species. As you can tell by the name, the Pompano Rig is primarily used for pompano, and other fish of the same relative size like spot, croaker, and perch. Fish this rig very close to shore during high-tide right where the first wave breaks (known as the “lip”). The Bottom Rig however is made primarily of wire, and it’s designed for rocky bottoms and turbulent surf. It’s an excellent rig for using around piers, jetties, rocks, bridges, and inlets.
Saltwater lures are simply artificial imitations of what fish like to eat. Spoons, jigs, and topwater poppers are some of the most popular fishing lures to use. These lures attract fish visually since they do not have any natural smell like frozen bait. Use them when water clarity is high and surf conditions are moderate so fish can see them better. Unlike natural bait, you will need to cast the lure and give it life-like action yourself to entice the fish to bite. To use the weedless silver spoon, cast the spoon parallel to the shoreline in the trough and steadily retrieve it back to you. If you suspect there are bluefish around, then do a fast retrieve.
The spoon will reflect lots of light in high clarity water and mimic a baitfish. If nothing bites after 10 minutes, try the grub and jig. Cast into the trough and let it sink to the bottom. Then begin to retrieve it by bouncing it on the bottom. Make sure to pause often to allow fish to pick the jig up off the bottom. Jigs work great in moving water along jetties and inlets. If you see baitfish that are active on the surface, then this is a great opportunity to try a topwater popper. Cast out and make it zig-zag on the surface with pauses every so often. Fish often hit on the pause. If you don’t see any active fish, this is still a great lure to make them curious and see what all the commotion is about.
Heading to the beach with the correct assortment of surf fishing gear is critical. You’ll need to be able to safely handle fish of all sizes, as well as the tools to setup your fishing gear properly. To cut your frozen bait, you will need a fillet knife between 6 to 9 inches. This will also serve as the same knife you use to fillet the fish you catch if you want to keep them for eating. You will also need a pair of good pliers. These are absolutely essential. You will be dealing with fish that have teeth, and fish that have very small mouths that are too small for your fingers. Using pliers to remove a fishhook is the safest and best way to remove it. We recommend 6” to 12” pliers with a line cutter, crimper, and wire cutter, like the 6.5” pliers from our Freshwater Kit. These additional features will help fix and maintain your surf rigs.
You should also have a towel to keep things clean and take care of your surf fishing equipment. A wet towel will also help you to get a good grip on fish that you catch, allowing you to handle them safely. Having a pair of bolt cutters on hand is also a must for safe handling if the hook is swallowed. When dealing with hooks and wire, you might need to cut the hook or a piece of wire off if pliers don’t suffice. Accidents do happen, and you may need the bolt cutters to cut the hook in a first aid emergency. For fishing with multiple rods, you will need sand spikes. Place them securely in the ground so they don’t move under pressure. These are a must for fishing with multiple rods, help keeping them secure and off the sand. For other useful tips check out Take Me Fishing’s Expert Surf Tips.
Once you find an area to fish, the best time to surf fish is almost always when the tide is moving. Movement creates current, and fish rely on current to bring them easy meals. To plan this, simply look at a tide chart of your area. It’ll tell you the predicted times for high tide and low tide. Plan to have your line in the water about 2–3 hours before high tide [emphasis mine]. In general, high tide brings fish in closer to the beach and hopefully to the areas you scouted beforehand. This is often the best window of time to fish on the beach, but the true answer is it depends. It could be the outgoing tide that starts putting you on the fish. For example, fish tend to position themselves on the outside of the inlets of creeks, bays, and waterways when they empty during the outgoing tide. Some areas produce best on the incoming tide, others on the outgoing, and some do well (or poorly) during both.
We highly recommend surf fishing using two poles per angler. This will allow you to target multiple species without the difficulty of managing many rods. Being able to stand in between both rods will allow you to react quickly when a fish bites, significantly improving your catch rate. Have one pole rigged with a heavier rig for cut bait and one pole sporting a smaller rig for shrimp or squid. Use the larger rig to target larger species, and use the smaller rig to target smaller species. When it’s time to cast, walk into the water to maximize your casting distance.