Most people have a perception that surf fishing means casting large sinkers and a variety of live and dead baits using a spinning rod. These spinning rods often perceived to be stout and long exceeding 10 feet typically. The fact is a spinning reel spool with 20 to 30 pound test monofilament line has in fact, been the norm. One of the challenges with this is the fatigue that is associated with hours of casting this large raid into rolling waves. The problem is that this type of tackle is often required to get the bait into just the right spot when the surf is high. Surf conditions including rolling and crashing waves against the beach, often require this type of equipment. There are however, situations where this is really too much, and anglers wind up using far more energy than they need. Fortunately, technology comes to the rescue and allows you to assemble a fishing rod and reel combination that is not only lighter, but shorter and easier to cast.
The Northeast particularly lends itself to some excellent opportunities for surf fishing and lower tidal currents combined with tame waves can be ideal. One thing to remember is these areas are not necessarily known for their large fish but instead a larger number of small sized striped bass as well as bluefish and the occasional bruiser. For this type of environment, scaling down to a graphite surf rod that is between 7 and 8 feet and a spinning reel in the 4000 size range is ideal. Using a 1 ounce to 3 ounce lure, you can still get the extra length you need for distance casting.
Braided fishing line has also made distance casting much easier for new anglers. Spooling a4000 size reel with monofilament backing and adding 200 yards of 30 pound test braid line offers the ability to use this smaller diameter line versus the traditional monofilament. The other advantage is there is less friction on your rod guide, which helps increase your casting distance. Braided lines do not offer the same abrasion resistance that monofilament lines have, and all surf casters must be aware of this. Because these traditional fishing areas often have rocks and boulders fields, surf casters can run into significant issues when casting braided lines. This situation can be mitigated by attaching a long fluorocarbon leader to the braided line before placing a lure on the line. To some degree, this will help prevent breakage if a large fish heads directly for the rocks.
For youngsters who are just learning angling, they will enjoy this much more if they are not frustrated trying to learn how to handle the oversized surf rod. In fact, the shorter tackle will make fighting smaller fish much more fun than trying to winch them in on oversized gear. The occasional large fish that gets hooked on the smaller gear will put the most seasoned angler’s skills to the test. What could be more sporting?
There is no doubt that large surf rigs will always have their place. This is especially true for the angler whose preference is the 5 or 6 ounce sinker who is on the hunt for the largest fish they can find. However, for those that are tired of carrying around heavy rigs along the beach when your main interest lies in catching fish in the 5 to 20 pound range, it is definitely the time to start thinking about scaling back, scaling down, and sporting.
When you are out saltwater fishing it is important to make sure you have the right supplies. Some of the most popular brands include Shimano Saltwater Reels, Penn Reels, and Team Daiwa Reels.
