I'm thinking about getting into beach fishing.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I'm thinking about getting into beach fishing.

Posted: 6/21/2011 5:55:30 PM EDT

I'm thinking about getting into beach fishing. Any tips on what kind of gear I need to have? I've not fished since the 90s.

Bout the only tip I've been given is to buy the longest fishing pole I can and some PVC pipe for it to go into.

Posted: 6/21/2011 5:56:27 PM EDT

[#1]

Pole, hooks, pole stand, line, bait, and a license.

Posted: 6/21/2011 5:57:33 PM EDT

[#2]

For what, and where?

Different species will require different gear.

Posted: 6/21/2011 5:59:47 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:

For what, and where?

Different species will require different gear.

NE Florida... at the beach. I'm not picky about what I get as long as it doesn't destroy my gear or eat me.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:00:13 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:

Pole, hooks, pole stand, line, bait, and a license.

Apparently a license is free for this sort of thing here in Florida.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:00:58 PM EDT

[#5]

I like to fish but it is almost all freshwater. You might get your best replies in the salt water fishing forum in Outdoors section.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:01:26 PM EDT

[#6]

North Carolina's a damn fine place for it.

We never really bothered about "gear" when I was a kid.

We just came with what he had and got after it.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:01:37 PM EDT

[#7]

I like to fish but it is almost all freshwater. You might get your best replies in the salt water fishing forum in Outdoors section.

ETA:Sorry about the double tap

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:02:36 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:

Quoted:
For what, and where?

Different species will require different gear.

NE Florida... at the beach. I'm not picky about what I get as long as it doesn't destroy my gear or eat me.

We took our vacation on Tybee Island, GA this year....I caught a blue runner and a ladyfish by surfcasting on the beach.

We also caught some sharks off the pier on the beach.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:06:25 PM EDT

[#9]

Get Up early. The beaches are usually best early on good moving water. Ex. the beach bite at Sanibel is over as soon as walkers walk by and push the fat snook out of the trough where they were eating glass minnows, this is usually before 9am. You can fish nights at the passes under the bridges. 50lb. braid, 40lb flurocarbon leader and hang on.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:08:34 PM EDT

[#10]

Start off with a spinning reel and rod combo from walmart, whatever they have, maybe 8'-12' rod, probably less than $100, heck, probably quite a bit less but I know you can get a descent Penn reel there sometimes. Throw some 20# test on it, get a couple of rigs, they'll have one heavy line with clips on each end and one or two arms off of the main line. Put a heavy lead sinker on one end, hooks on each of the arms, and tie the top end to your line. Put a shrimp or sand flea on each hook and throw it in the water. A piece of 2" PVC pipe about 3' long cut at an angle on one end works great as a rod holder.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:09:42 PM EDT

[#11]

I love surf fishing, I was on vacation at the end of May in Cocoa Beach and the two days i went fishing i caught a ton of fish surf casting.

I caught whiting, flat head catfish and some lady fish

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:14:08 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Start off with a spinning reel and rod combo from walmart, whatever they have, maybe 8'-12' rod, probably less than $100, heck, probably quite a bit less but I know you can get a descent Penn reel there sometimes. Throw some 20# test on it, get a couple of rigs, they'll have one heavy line with clips on each end and one or two arms off of the main line. Put a heavy lead sinker on one end, hooks on each of the arms, and tie the top end to your line. Put a shrimp or sand flea on each hook and throw it in the water. A piece of 2" PVC pipe about 3' long cut at an angle on one end works great as a rod holder.

This man has it down. The only thing I'd add would be a well stocked cooler and a lawn chair.

My favorite surf combos are a 12' rod and a Penn Squidmaster reel, but any large spincaster will do.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:21:37 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
I love surf fishing, I was on vacation at the end of May in Cocoa Beach and the two days i went fishing i caught a ton of fish surf casting.

I caught whiting, flat head catfish and some lady fish

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:24:19 PM EDT

[#14]

You're gonna be one of the ones I have to walk around early in the morning, aren't you?

Dont forget your bucket to put your fish in.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:26:12 PM EDT

[#15]

Never seen anyone catch anything fishing on the beach. In both the outer banks and Florida.

Also its free for RESIDENTS to fish on the beach.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:29:08 PM EDT

[#16]

my brother uses a kayak to carry his line way out and comes back in and fishes from the shore, catches BIG ones

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:33:43 PM EDT

[#17]

Don't go over board and buy the real heavy fishing gear a nice 7 to 8 foot med heavy rod and a nice spinning reel that handles up to 15 lb line is all you need from shore.
You will get some Redfish and some Sea trout and a bunch of bait stealers.If you going from a beach then you can use a surf rod of 10 feet or longer so you can cast out further.

I'm over here in Citrus county and can show you a few spots if you want.Fishing from shore isn't that great right now because it's so damn hot.

Edit -just realized you said NE,I read it as NW,I half asleep.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:35:37 PM EDT

[#18]

I thought the title was about 'beach fisting'...whoa.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:52:20 PM EDT

[#19]

Get you a decent med-hvy 8' surf rod rated to 6-8 oz of lead and a 5500 or equivalent Penn reel. Spool the reel with 12-15 lb test with a 20-25lb (depending on main line weight) shock leader. That will handle most things you will mess with close in till you start wanting to cast for distance for big drum and such. No use in getting in over your head with tackle then discovering you don't care for it. One thing about Penn reels is that they hold their value.

If memory serves there are a lot of nice Pompano in your area so learn to catch sand fleas. In fact darn near everything in the surf loves sand fleas. The great thing is they are free for the taking. I invested in a flea rake so I can scoop and scoot. Mullet or bunker are good baits too.

How you rig your terminal tackle depends on what you are after but as you say you really don't care a bottom or fish finder rig will do you. Lots of basic info on-line and lots of FL surf fishing sites. Check them out because there are differences between FL and NC surf fishing I'm sure. Good Fishing

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:53:29 PM EDT

[#20]

That's called surf fishing.

Don't be cheap and get your self a good rod and reel, you'll appreciate it later.

And live bait.

Posted: 6/21/2011 6:59:34 PM EDT

[#21]

The big rods are so you can cast way out there past the break when surf fishing.

Get some flounder rigs with no. 8 hooks and blood worms. 1 to 3 oz weight depending on how much you need to keep it on the bottom vs the waves and current.

You only need a small piece of bloodworm. Enough to cover the hook. Anymore will just get nibbled off by the fish. You should be able to catch spot almost anytime in the summer. If the water is murky, they will be anywhere past the break. If the water is clear, they hang just on the back side of the breaking waves where the water is cloudy and it hides them from sight feeders.

Catch a few of those and cut strips from the fillets (leave the scales on) and hook it on some 1/0 or 2/0 hooks on the same flounder rig. Then cast it back out and you can catch everything else out there with it.

If you want to go for bigger fish, use the whole spot on a big hook.

Posted: 6/21/2011 7:01:31 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Pole, hooks, pole stand, line, bait, and a license.

Apparently a license is free for this sort of thing here in Florida.

Double check that. Last year I had to buy a license. I think it was 9 bucks.
I think that is a relatively new thing.

Edit, apparently its free, but you gotta get a license.

http://myfwc.com/license/recreational/saltwater-fishing/shoreline-faqs/

Posted: 6/21/2011 7:03:04 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

That's called surf fishing.

Don't be cheap and get your self a good rod and reel, you'll appreciate it later.

And live bait.

I called it beach fishing because it looks more eye catching.

Posted: 6/21/2011 7:04:07 PM EDT

[#24]

I just dug out three old fishing rods. One has to be 40 years old.

If they can handle some decent fishing line I'm putting em to some use.

Posted: 6/21/2011 7:04:39 PM EDT

[#25]

I've never cared for surf fishing, I always preferred either wade or kayak fishing for trout, spanish and reds on the bays/flats. If you are in NE Florida check out the Guana River area, it's basically a salt water lake(no tides, no current, light chop at the most with wind), you can throw a kayak in there and catch trout, reds, black drum, etc. We used to always take along pieces of PVC pipe, string and chicken necks and set a bunch of lines out to periodically check while fishing, we would net loads of blue crabs doing that.

Posted: 6/21/2011 7:08:54 PM EDT

[#26]

If you have a light rod (like 6 - 7 ft) get a red lead head, with a white or green Mister Twister grub and bump it off the bottom by twitching the rod as you reel it back.

It looks like this.

Or do the same thing with a speck rig:

Posted: 6/21/2011 7:11:03 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:

Quoted:

For what, and where?

Different species will require different gear.

NE Florida... at the beach. I'm not picky about what I get as long as it doesn't destroy my gear or eat me.

i almost got a big ray in the obx... fucker broke the leader

Posted: 6/21/2011 7:15:04 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Pole, hooks, pole stand, line, bait, and a license.

Apparently a license is free for this sort of thing here in Florida.

Double check that. Last year I had to buy a license. I think it was 9 bucks.

I think that is a relatively new thing.

There is a new Saltwater shoreline license that took effect in 2009, it is "free" for residents but you still have to get it and pay a $2-3 fee to the vendor. Resident freshwater fishing from shore requires a license unless you are using a "cane" type pole or hand line(no reel). Fishing from a boat generally requires a license.

Posted: 6/21/2011 7:19:02 PM EDT

[#29]

I always liked pier fishing more than surf casting, but the advice you've received is sound.

Posted: 6/21/2011 7:20:22 PM EDT

[#30]

I love salt water fishing. Few things in life are as great as being on a nice beach in moderate temps surf casting.

You don't need much...just a decent rod, reel, some sinkers to keep the bait in place, and a bit of local intel on what's running and what they like to eat. Every now and then I make a trip to Holden Beach S.C. and in one afternoon's fishing I generally catch enough flounder to make a meal for several people. I've always had good luck on shrimp...even frozen shrimp from wal-mart thawed before you take it out. Blood worms work well too. You're going to get skunked on bait every now and then, but it's better than jerking the line at every nibble. I usually wait until I feel a good series of tugs to try and set the line.

If you can catch a time when schools of fish are running...blues, croakers, etc...you can catch fish damn near every time your hook hits the water.

Posted: 6/21/2011 7:22:28 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
I love salt water fishing. Few things in life are as great as being on a nice beach in moderate temps surf casting.

You don't need much...just a decent rod, reel, some sinkers to keep the bait in place, and a bit of local intel on what's running and what they like to eat. Every now and then I make a trip to Holden Beach S.C. and in one afternoon's fishing I generally catch enough flounder to make a meal for several people. I've always had good luck on shrimp...even frozen shrimp from wal-mart thawed before you take it out. Blood worms work well too.

If you can catch a time when schools of fish are running...blues, croakers, etc...you can catch fish damn near every time your hook hits the water.

No shit

Posted: 6/21/2011 7:29:00 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
I always liked pier fishing more than surf casting, but the advice you've received is sound.

Same here. I spent three summers working at the Va Beach pier. But the guy who taught me the most on how to fish was a cuban guy from FL who happened to be working there at the time. He knew how to catch everything off a pier and had an amazing understanding of fish.

In Sept when the first cold front comes through and we get a cool NE wind. I turns the water muddy and the bigger "yellow belly" spot and croaker come running through going south for the winter. Black people from all over SE VA and NE NC know it's time to come out to catch them to stock up their freezer. You could stand on the beach and look down the pier all you see is a perpetual motion of hundreds of fish flying out of the water and being reeled up to the pier. You hear people singing hymns and praising the lord. It's really something else.

Posted: 6/21/2011 7:40:54 PM EDT

[#33]

Night fishing on the Va. Beach pier is one of my favorite memories from childhood.

Posted: 6/21/2011 8:10:30 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:
Night fishing on the Va. Beach pier is one of my favorite memories from childhood.

I agree. It's very nice out there when it's a calm summer night. I worked there from 94-96. Worked night shift one summer. Saw lots of pretty sunrises. It was an enjoyable time.

Posted: 6/21/2011 8:10:40 PM EDT

[#35]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'll try to go fishing early early in the morning this weekend. If the skies down here are still filled with smoke from forest fires I might not be able to do it though. The stuff keeps making me sick as hell.

Posted: 6/21/2011 8:12:48 PM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
I thought the title was about 'beach fisting'...whoa.

I thought the same thing! Had to read that twice.

Posted: 6/21/2011 8:14:28 PM EDT

[#37]

Lots better places to fish here. Intercoastal, river, or the pier if you really want to surf fish … Guana River was a good suggestion or Dutton Island.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I'm thinking about getting into beach fishing.

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