# Havin a bit of trouble surf fishing lately...



## LUPilot (Apr 10, 2012)

For the last month, my total haul of fish has been a whopping 6 catfish and 1 very large cownose ray. I've fished primarily on the weekends, but occasionally during the week, mostly in the late afternoon/evening time frame. Most of the fishing has been done at various places at NASP, but I've also made a handful of trips to Johnson Beach. I've tried using sandfleas (when I could still find them- another topic of interest), dead shrimp, peeled shrimp, cut bait, spoons, jigs, gotchas, and a whole assortment of other lures. I've tried yaking out whole fresh blue fish and large chunks of other cut bait for sharks or bull reds. All this has got me nothing. Any tips/suggestions? Getting frustrated seeing everyone talk about catching tons of whiting, reds, blues, pomps, and sharks, while I land a 6 oz catfish... if I get a bite at all.

Thanks for any help or suggestions!


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

It's all about the tide and wind in my opinion....when it's flat calm I don't catch much. Need a little surf to stir it up and a rising tide, preferably within 2-3 hours of high tide. When the barometer starts dropping and the surf picks up a bit, that's the time to go.


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## BIGRIGZ (Oct 2, 2007)

the only other thought I have is: when I started fishing here, I started by using the 2-hook drop rigs that you buy at walmart etc. I had about the same result as you. I have found that the rigging of my leaders affects hookup/bite ratio. When I went to hand tied mono, using smaller swivels, and a carolina rig, I started catching way more....

If by chance you're using pre-fab drop rigs and fishing with a pyramid weight? I would suggest learning to tie your own 2-hook dropper rig out of mono, and/or using a carolina rig setup with an anti-roll sinker; instead of drop style rigs.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

BIGRIGZ said:


> the only other thought I have is: when I started fishing here, I started by using the 2-hook drop rigs that you buy at walmart etc. I had about the same result as you. I have found that the rigging of my leaders affects hookup/bite ratio. When I went to hand tied mono, using smaller swivels, and a carolina rig, I started catching way more....
> 
> If by chance you're using pre-fab drop rigs and fishing with a pyramid weight? I would suggest learning to tie your own 2-hook dropper rig out of mono, and/or using a carolina rig setup with an anti-roll sinker; instead of drop style rigs.



Funny you mention that because until last November I always tied my own rigs. I decided to fish two poles all month with one being a store bought "tourist" rig and the other my own hand tied rig. I am sad to say the store bought rig caught fish at almost a 2-1 rate and that was with over 12 surf fishing trips that month. Maybe it was pure luck, I don't know, but I don't tie my own surf rigs anymore.


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## LUPilot (Apr 10, 2012)

I use a combination of both store-bought rigs and homemade ones, generally more of the store-bought because throughout the spring/summer they outfished my homemade rigs as well. Can you describe the set up you use for your carolina rigs?


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## jspooney (Oct 2, 2007)

talk to pompano joe on the PFF. He is the expert in my book.


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Surf Fishing Rigs*



LUPilot said:


> I use a combination of both store-bought rigs and homemade ones, generally more of the store-bought because throughout the spring/summer they outfished my homemade rigs as well. *Can you describe the set up you use for your carolina rigs?*






jspooney said:


> talk to pompano joe on the PFF. He is the expert in my book.


I ain't Pompano Joe, but I did stay at the Holiday Inn one time. :thumbup: I will attempt to describe the Carolina, Slide or Fish Finder Rig; as I know it.

You put an egg(or a pyramid) sinker on your line. You then tie a black swivel to the end of your line. You attach the leader to the other end of the swivel. At the end of your leader, tie a bead and a 1 or 1/0 Circle hook. 

Some people insist on Fluorocarbon for leader material. JMHO C2


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

If you have shifty and strong currents the carolina rig is susceptible to some nasty tangles


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Surf Fishing Rigs*

When you have strong shifting currents, you don t use a FF Rig: you use a Dropper Rig of some type. I use a single dropper Flapper Rig. A simple double dropper rig is also subject to tangles.JMHO. C2


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## LUPilot (Apr 10, 2012)

I've used primarily double dropper rigs and I've made my own carolina rigs and fish finder rigs as well. I've never had any luck with the fish finder rigs. How long are the carolina/fish finder rigs that you use?


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## rufus1138 (Oct 29, 2012)

i keep my carolina rig (thats all i use, braid with sinker to a swivel and flouro to the hook) pretty short usually never over 3 feet long, and i always use live bait or cut, i stopped using lures pretty quickly after i got a line in the water just because circle hooks and live bait give u such a better hookup ratio unless ur in a boat chasing schools of fish, we use the boat now and then but its just for varied acess to different spots.


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## jcallaham (Dec 13, 2009)

Hey LU Pilot, there are alot of good answers to your question on here .

but my 2 cents is this, I think for the last few months when we are surf fishing we are fishing where there are no fish. Unless we happen to be in just the right place at just the right time we get skunked.
It seems like the only fish I have caught are just passing through. they are not holding or feeding in holes or deep areas along the beach, exept for the catfish,catfish catching has been epic for me.

I just think that this has been a down summer / fall cycle and look forward to winter black drum and redfish,then hopefully the pomps and whiting will be back come springtime


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Jcall I would have to disagree with you....fish have been plentiful (in the Navarre area) when the conditions are right....it's all about hitting it at the right time under the right conditions....hit it during the wrong tide or wrong wind or some other unknown variable that you can't account for and the fish aren't there....hit it when it's right and it's epic. I saw at least 30 pomps in less than an hour two days ago. Just my opinion.


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## LUPilot (Apr 10, 2012)

On that note SniperPeeps- what are the "right" conditions?


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

LUPilot said:


> On that note SniperPeeps- what are the "right" conditions?


 
Well if I knew that exactly I would kill them every time I went but the things that I look for are like I said earlier, Rising tide within a couple hours of high tide. If the high tide happens to be early in the morning or late in the evening, even better. Not flat calm condition but not super rough....you want the bottom stirred up and the water not crystal clear. Falling barometer ie approaching cold front, and a good location where there is a well defined cut to fish. Now those conditions don't happen all the time, and I surf fish more than when all of those conditions happen but those are the things I look for. There are days where I won't go surf fishing at all like when the wind is howling out of the North and the water is glass calm and crystal clear on the beach or when it is super rough.

I keep track of what the conditions are when I catch fish and what they are when I don't so that in the end I spend more time catching and less time sitting.

Sometimes I just go surf fishing to get out of the house in which case I disregard conditions all together and just go but if I am looking to stock the freezer I pick my days.


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## BIGRIGZ (Oct 2, 2007)

Another thing that I have seemed to notice is that the daytime fishing is really slow the last few days of a Full Moon and the few days after the Full Moon.

Only thing I can figure is that the fish are tired from staying up all night on the full moon feeding....


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Pompano Fishing*



jcallaham said:


> Hey LU Pilot, there are alot of good answers to your question on here .
> 
> *but my 2 cents is this, I think for the last few months when we are surf fishing we are fishing where there are no fish. Unless we happen to be in just the right place at just the right time we get skunked.
> It seems like the only fish I have caught are just passing through. they are not holding or feeding in holes or deep areas along the beach, exept for the catfish,catfish catching has been epic for me.*
> ...


Jim;
Get out some of those jigs that I gave you and get after those fish! When you do hit on a fish; there's usually a bunch. Crank up that beach cart and stay with them. You're right in that these fish are on the move, headed for places East and South but will eat when something is put in front of them.

Run 'n Gun is the way to go!

It's the other way around in the Spring. The fish aren't any real hurry; moving only as the waters warm and food becomes available. It's a good time to 'Sit and Soak' ; both bait and the sun.


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## emon550 (Sep 4, 2012)

I caught my first bull on a dropper rig (single). If I use a fish finder or carolina rig, it's usually at least 24", no less....


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