Article by Sue Foster
THE SURF ANGLER
The Atlantic Coast of Maryland and adjoining Delaware offer a fishing experience like no other. The angler needs no boat nor does he need an array of fancy equipment. The surf angler, unlike other “shore” anglers, will experience very few snags. These fishermen have miles of beaches to explore so there is an element of freedom and independence that seems to radiate from surf anglers. The surf fisherman rarely feels confined.
Surf fishing begins in March with a few stripers and sharks. It picks up in April with more striper action and the first bluefish. By May we see a good run of stripers and bluefish. Some black drum are also reported, mostly on Assateague Island. Once we get into June, the fish run smaller and we get into the summertime fare of snapper blues, kingfish (whiting), croaker, spot, trout, flounder, sand sharks, short stripers and skates. We don’t see large fish again (aside from rays and sharks) until September, when big red drum run offshore of Assateague. In October we see big stripers once again, along with larger bluefish. This can last into the first week of December.
What makes a good surf fishing area is deep water close to the beach (rolling dark water) with an outer bar further out (white water.) A perfect surf-fishing scenario is a “cut” in this outer bar (rolling dark water) where the water cuts through the outer bar into the deeper water close to shore (a slough.) This is also sometimes called a “rip.” This is where the polarized sunglasses come into play. Sometimes the cut in the bar is hard to see. Cleaner looking water coming into the slough from across the bar will be a tell tale sign of a cut in the bar. These cuts are the passageways where the fish come across the bar and into the slough. Like any other kind of fishing, cleaner water will make your bait more visible and make it easier for the fish to feed!
Surf fishing is like any other kind of fishing. Fish like structure and feed at changes of depth. A perfectly flat beach is not a good surf fishing beach. A beach that offers a simple dip
as you walk out into the ocean will attract baitfish, little crabs and tiny clams that in turn attract the larger fish you are trying to catch.
Many anglers ask about tides when surf fishing. An incoming tide is the tide between low tide and high tide. This tide is very popular with surf fishermen because the water is cleanest and the crabs tend to steal the bait less. The very best tide, however, is probably three hours before high tide and three hours after the high tide. Some anglers make the mistake of looking at the tide chart and going exactly at high tide. They miss several hours of a good tide that happens before the peak!
Time of day is also very important when it comes to surf fishing. Fish seem to come in closer to the shore during the early hours of the morning, between 4 A.M. and 10 A.M., and again in the late afternoon to dusk between 4 P.M. and dark. If this coincides with a good tide and a favorable breeze, all is well with the fishing world.
The wind direction is very important when it comes to surf fishing, especially during the summer months. An east, southeast, or northeast breeze brings fish closer to the beach. A westerly wind can make the surf nice and flat and very easy to fish, but it may not produce.
What other weather factors make surf fishing good? Like any other kind of fishing, a falling barometer will make fish feed. They sense a front or a storm coming and they will
feed more readily. Like most kinds of fishing, the time between the new moon and the full moon also gives surf fishermen the “edge.” Nocturnal fish such as drum, stripers and trout tend to feed on a full moon.
The most important part of the surf fishing experience is the rod and reel. As we said before, the key to surf fishing is to get your rig, bait and sinker out past the crest of the waves. To do this, you need to cast a certain amount of distance. Therefore, you need a rod in the 8 to 13 foot range. The most popular lengths are 10 to 11 footers.
Like in any sport, the nicer the equipment, the more enjoyable the sport will be. A quality surf rod will have more graphite in it, thus making it more sensitive and lighter in the hand. It doesn’t necessarily make it stronger, just more pleasant to use. Some higher dollar surf rods have a skinny cork-wrapped grip that also makes the rod lighter to hold. The guides are usually of a higher quality. The guides on an inexpensive surf rod are made out of ceramic and are thicker and heavier. The guides on a higher quality surf rod may be made out of Aluminum Oxide that is thinner yet stronger, and they also weigh less. Since the diameter of the rings is larger, your casting distance will increase. They will also hold up longer. If you are using a Spectra Fiber line such as Power Pro, it is important to invest in a higher quality rod. The thin Spectra line can eventually cut through ceramic guides.
A higher quality surf reel will have from 4 to 13 ball bearings. The more ball bearings a reel has, the smoother it will feel and the longer it will last. Some reels, such as Shimano, have ball bearings that are sealed. This is important when surf fishing.
Quality surf reels have a ball bearing in the line roller. This keeps your line roller on your bail turning so your line does not wear a groove in it. This is a plus when it comes to surf fishing. A line roller that does not turn correctly creates friction that can slow you down when casting.
A quality reel will have heavier gears, more drag discs in the drag system to make the drag work better, and some even have a Waterproof Drag System.
If you choose a 9 to 10 foot rod and reel combination, I would spool with 14 to 17
pound test line. If you choose an 11-foot or longer rod and reel combination, I would spool with 17 to 20 pound test. Also, if you plan to cast lures with your surf rod and reel, you need to use lighter 10 to 14 pound test. Thin diameter lines are also a good choice.
Spectra Fiber lines such as Power Pro or Berkley Fire Line lines are great for surf fishing. Most experienced surf anglers use these types of line because of the strength, small diameters, and sensitivity.
The appropriate surf rig is of utmost importance when surf fishing. If you are new to surf fishing, the basic rule of thumb when choosing surf rigs is to look for the rigs that have brightly colored Styrofoam floats on them. These are all surf rigs. The float does three things when fishing in the surf. They make your baits more visible to the fish; they elevate the bait off the bottom floor so the moving sand does not cover up your bait, and it helps keep the troublesome speckled crabs from chewing off your bait.
The surf angler needs to decide what he or she will be fishing for and what kind of bait the angler will use in order to choose the correct rig. If you are using any kind of cut bait such as squid, mullet, herring, butterfish or bunker, you will be fishing for bluefish, stripers, drum, flounder, trout and sharks and can use a surf rig with medium to large-sized hooks. (Sizes #4 and larger) If you are fishing with some kind of worm, you will likely be fishing for kingfish (whiting), croaker, spot, pompano and small sea trout so you can use a kingfish or spot rig that is made with smaller size #6 or #8 hooks.
A great rig for surf fishing is the mullet rig. Some people feel these rigs are complicated, but they are actually quite simple. Always buy a couple extra hooks, as sometimes they fall off or bend when catching the snapper bluefish. The advantages to the mullet rig is that you don’t need a knife to cut your bait; the bait stays on the hook, and since the rig comes with a fairly long leader and a big float, the crabs generally stay away from it.
Serious surf anglers like to make their own rigs for big stripers and drum. They use 50 to 80 pound test leader material with a #6/0 to #10/0 circle hook. The 18 to 30-inch leader is tied to a 3-way swivel and snap, or set up with a fish finder rig.
Ranger long cast rigs are also available, pre-made in some tackle stores. These rigs are available with or without floats. These specialty rigs allow the angler to cast out with the baited hook attached to a plastic hook holder, so the rig and sinker do not go into two different directions when casting. These rigs allow anglers to cast 30 per cent further.
The sinker is probably the most important aspect of surf fishing. Round or bay type sinkers will roll back in with the waves. You need to use pyramid, hurricane, or sputnik type sinkers. Hurricane type sinkers will hold better per ounce than the traditional pyramid types. If the surf is extremely rough or the current is running hard, sputnik sinkers are available. These sinkers have retractable wires that need to be reset after every cast. Only use these sinkers when you have to, but always have one or two around.
The cast is an important element in surf fishing. There are several techniques that surf anglers employ to get a distance cast. If the angler is a beginner, just getting the bait out beyond the crest of the wave is the most important thing to do. If you are right handed and casting with a spinning rod and reel, put your right hand at the reel seat with your thumb above and your fingers below. Flip over the bail, holding the line with your index finger. Be sure to position the line towards the end of your index finger so you don’t forget to let go of the line when casting!
Bring the rod tip over your head, and then cast forward, propelling your bait into the ocean. It takes practice to get a “long cast.” If your rig goes too high in the air, you won’t get the distance. If you cast is too low, it will drop inside the first big wave. Follow through and extend your casting arm to get that extra couple yards. Keep your eye on the ocean where you want to land your cast, not on your hands. If your finger gets sore, purchase a finger guard.
If you have no bait on the hook, you can’t catch fish. The serious surf fisherman needs to check the bait often and either hold the rod in his or her hand, or watch the tip of the surf rod in the sand spike like a hawk! The smaller the baits, the more often you need to check your bait.
Big fish are often lost in the wash in the surf. If you hook a nice fish, be sure to use your drag and let the wave action help you bring the fish to shore. The biggest mistakes an angler can make is to pull too hard when the fish gets close to shore or let slack get in the line. Keep tension on the fish the entire time, but wait for the next wave to bring it closer.
To have an enjoyable day of surf fishing, there are only a few key items you need besides the rod, reel, line, rigs, bait and lures:
• A simple PVC sand spike will protect your investment.
• A 5-gallon bucket or a cooler to hold your bait and fish.
• A sharp knife is necessary to cut your bait.
• A pair of needle nose pliers or some sort of hook remover to extract the hook is very important, especially when fishing for bluefish!
• A ruler is important to make sure your fish are legal.
The surf angler is a special type of fisherman. Rarely is he or she disappointed; even if the
fish aren’t biting, the mere experience of being on the beach fishing is very special. Sunsets, sunrises, birds diving, and porpoises jumping are all part of the surf fishing experience.
