# surf casting/retrieve vs. leave



## sleepyluke (May 28, 2008)

Again, thanks for the forum, you are saving me years of learning curve when I get to town and yes I am one of those dreaded tourists, but hope I don't act like one. 

Question, I have always surf fished with bigger rods and spikes and letting baits sit. Last year I got bored and threw a rouge that I had left in my tackle box actually on accident and caught a flounder in the surf on it. My question, how often do any of your surf fish with a cast/retrieve vs the "traditional" surf fishing jsut leaving things out to soak? I am planning to try things in the sound side of Johnson Beach this year, but just curious if any of my bass skills will ever be used. I am constantly learning and loving it. Thanks for help

Complete other issue, I read in another post that a heron ate someones bait fish off the pier. Last year I threw back a small catfish and it washed back up with the waves and a heron got it. As much as i hate those stupid catfish (yes i hate them, I finally got stuck by one and it HURTS!) do the heron do alright with them? I assume head first the beak and stuff lays down the fins, but I felt bad for the heron, not the catfish. I really like the morning scenery and my heron friends when you are on the beach alone early with one or 2 herons "helping" you fish.


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## tjwareusmc (Jul 10, 2008)

Those birds know exactly what they are doing. That heron has probably eaten more of those than you have ever seen!

Good question on the cast and retrieve. I was out the other day and when I would get out far enough to make my cast, I could see fish chasing bait all around me in the surf! I was thinking that I could probably stand there and do some cast and retrieve fishing but honestly, the waved would have beat me to death and it would be quite a walk back to the cooler each time I caught one.

If you found a sand bar that was only about waist deep on a calm day I'm sure you could do well.

I'm sure you know, the sound side of Johnsons beach is a completely different issue! It can be a wader's paradise if you hit it right. Several years ago when I first really started fishing down here I got into some gator trout over there and it was exciting!


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Surf Fishing Retrieves*

You can either 'sit and soak bait' or cast from the beach.

I fish with jigs and my retreives are in short hops to imitate the small critters trying to dig in to escape.

I also use hard plugs on occasion. I like to catch Spanish, bluefish and other fish with them. Just cast out and retrieve them. The fish can/will catch up with them.

While sitting and soaking, it's good to cast out with a Carolina(Fishfinder) Rig on another rod and dragged slowly across the bottom. Whiting love it. I don't know why, but it does. C2


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## jcallaham (Dec 13, 2009)

It's like all other fishing some days can be great others not so good, I like cast and retrieve, especially ths time of year. And you will not hook a catfish unless you snag one.


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Casting and Retrieving*



jcallaham said:


> It's like all other fishing some days can be great others not so good, I like cast and retrieve, especially ths time of year. And you will not hook a catfish unless you snag one.


Jim; glad to see your post!

I have caught gafftopsail(not hardhead) catfish on a jig with sweetener. I think that it was probably the sweetener.

Come on over and see the latest batch of 'Charlie's Super Jigs' (and teasers). Take home a few to try. C2


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

I've only fished the beach for a few days in the summer. I bass and crappie fish in Arkansas and just couldn't stand sitting there I had a lot of fresh dead shrimp stolen just letting it sit, but started doing a cast and retrieve. I caught very few hardheads after that and started catching a lot more whiting a spadefish and a small shark doing the cast and retrieve. I didn't catch on every cast, but I didn't lose nearly as much bait either. I think you could probably get away with a smaller weight doing that too.


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## nathan70 (Jul 12, 2011)

You can use your bass fishing skills. Specks and redfishing is really similar to bass fishing. When you go up the river one cast maybe a bass the next a red and the next a speck or even a flounder. They will hit flukes and stuff just like bass. I know a guy that would catch nice flounder on a big bass worm, working it just like you do for bass. Also top water and crankbaits are really similar to bass fishing.


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## jcallaham (Dec 13, 2009)

well I am stuck in north west Al for a few weeks doing 14 hr days. If I were home I woould be tossing some of charlies jigs, maybe some chrome spoons and those flukes are good for lady fish and blues not good table fare but fun fishing.
seems like theres been redfish in the surf and that bass gear might catch afew


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

nathan70 said:


> You can use your bass fishing skills. Specks and redfishing is really similar to bass fishing. When you go up the river one cast maybe a bass the next a red and the next a speck or even a flounder. They will hit flukes and stuff just like bass. I know a guy that would catch nice flounder on a big bass worm, working it just like you do for bass. Also top water and crankbaits are really similar to bass fishing.



I've got a buddy that fishes the little bay at Mexico Beach every year like that. He's there now fishing. Catches lots of trout, spanish and shark like that. Says they catch the occasional flounder too. Said he's never caught a catfish like that.


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Catfish*



johnf said:


> I've got a buddy that fishes the little bay at Mexico Beach every year like that. He's there now fishing. Catches lots of trout, spanish and shark like that. Says they catch the occasional flounder too. Said he's never caught a catfish like that.


I was raised on a creek in South Baldwin County Alabama and would fish the banks all the way to the Bay.

You would catch a bunch of different fish on the same bank, casting and retrieving. Redfish love spinnerbaits!

I once caught a huge Gafftopsail Catfish on a topwater plug. I thought that I had caught the speck or redfish of a lifetime until I got it to the boat. C2


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