Surf fishing at the beach on the ocean can get real exciting. In this article I will outline surf fishing tips I have learned through the years that anyone can use. Some tips have been acquired through personal experience and from other successful surf fishing friends.
First you need to make sure you have the adequate equipment. A fishing rod that is between 10 feet and 15 feet long is the ideal length in order to achieve good casting distance and leverage. The fishing reel can be a spinning reel size 6000 up to an 8000 size with a good drag system and good line capacity for heavier line such as 17 to 25 pound test. One thing to remember about fishing in the ocean, you never know what you will catch, so you need to be prepared with the proper heavy equipment to handle a 30 pound sting ray or a large blue fish that have giant teeth, not to mention the occasional shark. Sometimes you will catch small fish like whiting or lady fish that are too small for a heavy rod, but being prepared for the big one is really what you want.
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Blue Fish Teeth |
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Blue Fish Teeth |
Choosing where to fish is another choice to be made. If you are at a home or condo on the ocean front you would most likely fish right out front. Then look for activity on top of the water, like birds diving into the water feeding on bait fish. Where there are small fish there are big fish not too far away. Fish close to them if you can, otherwise get out your polarized sunglasses and look for bait fish near where you are standing. If you don't see any, just cast out to where the waves break and let your bait float in the sandy trenches the waves create. That is where fish will look for food.
Always look at the tide chart for your area and pick your fishing times around high tides. The best time is usually 2 hours before and one to two hours after high tide. Surf fishing at these times can usually yield the most activity. Also try early morning and early evening which is normally a good fishing time. Coupled with high tide, this time frame can be very exciting and productive.
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Blue Fish Teeth |
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Blue Fish Teeth |
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Blue Fish Teeth |