Corpusfishing.com

[SteveV/RippinLips]

So I would say I'm relatively new to surf fishing. I have tried a few times without any luck. Truth be told I haven't put in much time trying but I'd like to now. For starters, the gear I use are as follows. 3 12foot Ocean master rods 6-120z rating with Daiwa Seagate 50sgt 50h on all three. And one Avet HX MC cast 5/2 reel with a jawbone 1040 custom rod from Roy's. I purchase my leaders and spider weights from Albert over at HardLife fishing shop and also use Breakaway leaders as well. So I guess the advice I'm looking for is where should I start my surf fishing adventures? I've randomly chose spots toward Port A 3-4 times. What baits are good for this time of year and what guts should I target. I enjoy catching Redfish, drum, trout, would like to catch sharks as well (I know that's a whole other subject haha). But any tips from some seasoned vets of the surf would be really apreaciated. Thanks and God bless

Steve
#Merica
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Be Good and Good Luck

[chapcat54]

I have been surf fishing most of my life using lighter tackle, targeting whiting, reds and trout, or whatever I can catch, in the 2nd gut. I have just recently purchased heavier surf tackle, and am looking to gain experience using it as well. The 2nd gut has always been most productive for me, but sometimes you have to get the bait way out there. You have very good tackle. It seems to me you just need to gain experience. You don't always need to use the big heavy stuff either. Learn to read the surf, look for nervous bait in the water, birds working in close, etc. to help locate feeding predator fish. In the surf, if you are not getting bit, move. Sometimes you just have to find them. Sometimes you just won't. Anywhere along the beach can be productive, but I will always prefer green, or clearer water on a moving tide. Sandy, brown chuned up surf usually means a plague of hardheads more often than not, if you can catch much of anything at all.

I have always had the most success for whiting using fresh dead shrimp and/or Fishbites on a double drop rig with a spider weight. This time of year is good for larger whiting. I caught one about 15 inches long the other day, a very nice one. Pompano are around as well on the same. Both are fine eating. Look for drum in the surf on the same baits fished on the bottom.

For trout, a live 3 or 4 inch pin perch, small whiting or croaker, finger mullet, or other small live bait has worked utilizing a fishfinder rig, or using topwater, spoon or twitch bait lures with clearer water in warmer months. Live shrimp will catch em as well of course, but it is not my preferred bait in the surf. A four inch pinfish can catch a monster trout in the surf. I have a post here in this forum with photo of a 29 inch trout I caught on one last summer.

For reds, you can't beat a live mullet on a fishfinder rig, or a large chunk of fresh cut mullet, or the head baited on a 4/0 to 10/0 circle hook.

I don't target sharks, so I would defer to someone else for those strategies.

There are many YouTube videos on surf fishing, techniques, reading the surf, etc. that I have found educational as well as entertaining. You might try that as well for info. Hope this has helped.

[ziacatcher]

Don't overlook the first gut. I have seen many people fishing the second and third guts while the whole time trout Jacks and other fish are in the first gut behind them.

[kweber]

right..
some cedar-chopper (hill-country) friends of mine do well w/ cheap equip and load up on whiting and a few reds and blacks. all the time...
they are the folks w/white legs standing in the wade gut...
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the creepy uncle that scares the kids....

[Yak Daniels]

x2 on what everyone has said.

Chapcat nailed it pretty good with what to look for. It takes a lot of time out there to really understand what you're looking at (not that I know what I'm looking at, but I'm getting better!)

I start with baits in the wade gut/this side of the first bar. If no luck after a few minutes then other side of the first bar/first gut/this side of the second bar, and just slowly progress further out. If still not doing any good, pack up and move. I fish down PINS and when trying to decide on a spot to run shark baits, my way of looking at it is that if I can't catch bait there then most likely I'm not staying.

Start with shrimp/fishbite combo to catch whiting, reds, black drum, rays, hell even some small sharks. For getting started on sharks, take the whiting and cut the head off and throw it on a 16/0 circle leader with 6' of heavy (500+ lb) mono and cast it out in the guts. That'll usually produce pretty well.

Post up when you plan to go and maybe someone on here can meet up with you and show you a thing or two. If you ever see me out, white '96 K1500 suburban with a shark rack, stop by. I definitely don't know it all but I'd be more than happy to show you what I use.
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-Pat

[chapcat54]

ziacatcher is right about the first gut. Bait fish are plentiful often in the first gut, so it only makes sense that predators would be in there at times chasing them. I caught a 15 lb jack a while back in the first gut after noticing some trout in very clear water and tossing silver spoons at them.

[FoldCatOne]

Learning to "READ THE SURF" which is closely akin to being able to read the water on a trout stream is almost a necessity in finding fish. It's the old 1% of the water holds 90% of the fish. I plan on a chartered trip with Capt. Jeff Wolda sometime soon. He is recommended by Billy Sandifer which is good enough for me.
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Gary J
NA3VY
Ham Radio and Fishing - Is There Anything Else??
I'm Ultra-Conservative - Rush is a Liberal

[hickroots07]

[hickroots07]

[chapcat54]

When it comes to learning to read the surf, another thing worth mentioning that might help is Google Earth. For example, if you zoom in and look at the N Padre Island surf from the air using Google Earth, you can plainly see the bars and troughs (guts) formed by the wave action. What is not as obvious, but that you can see if you look more closely, are the cuts through the bars where receding water races out stronger, and you can see areas where the troughs are pinched or expanded. Look at how the waves acted when they passed over these features. Then, when when you go to the beach, try to observe the wave action to find similar structure.

[SteveV/RippinLips]

You guys kick supple bum. I'm really appreciative of all these responses. This is awesome
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[SteveV/RippinLips]

Btw, I like how it replaced a$&* with "supple bum". Lol
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[Tyler]

[larry meinert]

Get a cast net and a minnow bucket. Live mullet work best for me. They are tricky though. You walk out with a net and it's just like Porky Pig and Daffy Duck at the start of duck hunting season, they disappear. If you have a pole, they are everywhere. When the ones up front see you, they move out, subsequently the upcoming mullet also move out. They sort of talk to each other. I have had best results walking way out then working back onto shore up and at a 45. As for cut bait, a nice hunk of skip jack is red fish crack though they will bite on just about anything. Another important bit of information that I don't believe anyone covered and that is most important, is to sharpen your hooks often even right out of the bag. The salt water can dissolve the tip of your hook in 1 hour. A wet stone and a few drops of oil work wonders. L