# What Do You Fish For?



## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

This is a surf fishing forum. To me, surf fishing is long rodding for sharks, bull reds, etc. However, there seems to be a lot of people here who primarily, if not exclusively, wade for specks, or fish light tackle for panfish.

What is your idea of surf fishing?

Long rodding for big fish.

Wading for specks.

Pan fishing.

All of the above.

Just to be clear, I'm not criticizing anyone, just curious.


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

Bigfost, are you bored? LOL..
The title of this forum "Gulf Cost Surf Fishing" says it all to me. When I first started surf fishing, I was just trying to catch anything, so I learned by trial and error what was in the surf to catch. After 4-5 yrs of careful study and getting advice from this forum on different techniques from veterans like yourself, it became somewhat of an obsession. Some would says it's a disease, depending on how you look at it. At this point, I would say it's all of the above and it's a blast! I continue to be pleasantly surprised when a new technique brings success and fish in the cooler! As a result of this, my equipment allows me to catch anything available that day including (starting from the bottom of the food chain): baitfish, whiting, pompano, croaker, specs, sheepshead, black drum, redfish, jacks and sharks. Bottom line is it's a lot of work but also a lot of fun. If I have a bad day fishing, I always still have a good day on the beach! Maybe, this pic describes it better:


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

when i fish the surf, it's most often for trout. but i also like to fish for trout early, then when the wind picks up or the trout move deeper, i like to set out the long rods and sip some cold ones for a few hours and relax.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

Yes surfguy, I am bored this morning. :spineyes:



monkeyman1 said:


> then when the wind picks up or the trout move deeper, i like to set out the long rods and sip some cold ones for a few hours and relax.


Monkeyman, if you have time to relax and sip cold ones, you're not working hard enough. :doowapsta

Seriously, there are many days when between catching bait, wading out and casting, yakking baits out, and catching fish, I literally never have a chance to sit down. surfguy is right, if you're doing it right, it's hard work.


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## Bob Keyes (Mar 16, 2011)

Sharks and smaller fishes (bait), in that order

Bob


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## Brine Jake (Aug 12, 2005)

I just discovered this board a few weeks ago. I like it because it focuses on the surf, which is where I am in the summer, even though I have a boat and there are piles of big trout caught everywhere else, in larger concentrations, and often bigger fish. I don't fish the surf in the summer because I think there are more trout in the surf than at all the other hot spots. I fish the surf in the summer because I'm strictly a wader, and it's the surf. I just find it magical. (Some people fish the surf year round.)

I'm with y'all. Fishing the surf can be done a lot of ways, for a lot of different fish. To each his zones. I'm a trout plugger--period (sure, I'll take the macs and reds, gaffer, blacktip, occasional pompano, even a tripletail on rare occasion). I also like checking out what the baiters and the long rodders are doing, esp when y'all are fighting something big. 

Wading the surf is different from wading the bays. Even though we fish hard, people are more laid back. Everybody gets along at the beach and in the surf. You don't have to worry about spooking fish. Everything's in motion. You can move around, pass by each other on a bar, talk about what's happening, instead of worrying about guarding a spot or getting encroached on (except by boaters throwing anchor in the fish at hot spot structure locations which have long since given way to the madness of crowds, of course. If you fish known structure anywhere, including the surf, you have already decided you just like fishing in crowds. I did hear of a fistfight breaking out at the bodies one day back in the mid 90's, between two waders, out on the "third bar" if you can believe that. Pretty hard corps. I'm glad I was down the beach that day.)

Lately I have run across one or two guys who seem to think that bay wade rules apply in the surf. They get a little unhappy from time to time.

One day a long time ago, just me and this old salt hit a few fish. After they moved, he says, "There ain't enough waders here to hold 'em."

These boards: Obviously there's overlap on subjects of gear, technique, rays, sharks, etc, here, but this board is for surf fishing--whatever way. Everything else is for the GFD board. I like that.


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## surffan (Oct 5, 2004)

surfguy said:


> Bigfost, are you bored? LOL..
> The title of this forum "Gulf Cost Surf Fishing" says it all to me. When I first started surf fishing, I was just trying to catch anything, so I learned by trial and error what was in the surf to catch. After 4-5 yrs of careful study and getting advice from this forum on different techniques from veterans like yourself, it became somewhat of an obsession. Some would says it's a disease, depending on how you look at it. At this point, I would say it's all of the above and it's a blast! I continue to be pleasantly surprised when a new technique brings success and fish in the cooler! As a result of this, my equipment allows me to catch anything available that day including (starting from the bottom of the food chain): baitfish, whiting, pompano, croaker, specs, sheepshead, black drum, redfish, jacks and sharks. Bottom line is it's a lot of work but also a lot of fun. If I have a bad day fishing, I always still have a good day on the beach! Maybe, this pic describes it better:


X2 and I don't have a yak I try target whatever is there on a given day. With a bit of luck this will keep you very busy.


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## histprof (Oct 30, 2011)

I'm fairly omnivorous. I just love being on the beach, especially at a quiet time when there are not many other folk about.

I fish both light tackle and long rods. The light tackle will really shine later this summer when the weed shuts off and the wind lays down. When the surf gets full of specks and big smacks, there is good eating to be had. As we progress around through the fall and winter, the long rods will keep me busy. I have also been known to carry the ultralight tackle and wrestle fish on that (4 lb slot black drum on 4 lb line in the first gut). Specs, smacks, slot reds and uglies, whiting, croaker and pompano will all get a ride home in the cooler for supper.

I am something of an oddball in that I am not particularly interested in the sharks, bull reds or large black drum. I have no issues with them being caught, and I really enjoy the reports and pictures on this board, I just don't target that for myself. The last larger shark that I caught (48 in on the SS jetty), I handled badly and ended up having to keep it. It was not enjoyable to eat. I will catch what eats my bait, but I don't specifically target the big ones. Knowing my limits, I just see that as a chance for me, one of my kids or companions or the fish to be injured needlessly when I am not planning to eat the fish.


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

bigfost said:


> Yes surfguy, I am bored this morning. :spineyes:
> 
> Monkeyman, if you have time to relax and sip cold ones, you're not working hard enough. :doowapsta
> 
> Seriously, there are many days when between catching bait, wading out and casting, yakking baits out, and catching fish, I literally never have a chance to sit down. surfguy is right, if you're doing it right, it's hard work.


i guess it depends on ones definition of "doing it right". after trout fishing for 3-4 hours in the surf, my shoulders get tight - particularly throwing arties hundreds of time. and my legs get tired, depending on the current. when i come in from trout fishing, i'll rest a few minutes, then catch bait for the long poles. bring out the long poles and enjoy the beach while watching for rods bending. 15-20 minutes later, if no takers, pull them in, re-bait/bring out, and repeat.


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## jagarcia10 (Mar 10, 2011)

All the above. Unless trout are thick in the surf I usually start off with shrimp on the bait rods. Once fresh bait is caught i use cut bait on the surf rods for bull red, stingray and small sharks. While those baits are out I'm usually trying to catch live mullet for reds and smacks. When i get some live bait i will throw that out. Once i feel i have enough bait (whiting, croaker, pompano, ect..) i get the shark reels ready to deploy. 

As stated above, it is a lot of work. If I'm sitting down thats because all my rods are out and the fish aint biting.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

monkeyman1 said:


> i guess it depends on ones definition of "doing it right".


Again, no offense intended. To each their own. I was just making the point that surf fishing can involve constant motion, especially if the fish are cooperating.

My typical surf trip starts with putting out the bait rod while I'm rigging the kayak and the long rods. If mullet are showing, I'll also throw the net for a while. Hopefully, by the time I've got my rods rigged, either the net or the bait rod has supplied enough bait to get started. However, I always bring backup bait. That's usually what was left over from the previous trip. Depending on the season, I might also have live crabs that I bought on the way down.

I leave the bait rod out all day to supplement my bait supply as I fish.

After deploying my rods, normally two casted rods and two yakked rods, if I have enough bait to allow it, I might sit down for a few minutes. If not, it's back out with the net for some more prospecting.

On a good day, by the time I've deployed the last rod, I get a run on one that's out, and so it goes that day.

I've caught upwards of 20 bull reds in a day, and that will keep you busy.

Good fishing brothers.


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## Brine Jake (Aug 12, 2005)

Re



histprof said:


> I am something of an oddball in that I am not particularly interested in the sharks, bull reds or large black drum. I have no issues with them being caught, and I really enjoy the reports and pictures on this board, I just don't target that for myself.


I think that's the way of most trout pluggers. In Sept I might use a heavier rig to avoid getting spooled, but even then I try to keep the bulls of my line.
If I think that's coming, I try to get my plug out of the strike zone. A bull red is like a jack to me. No offense meant. I also enjoy watching one landed, and viewing the pics. Just not my thang.


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## jettycowboy47 (Jun 17, 2012)

a


surfguy said:


> Bigfost, are you bored? LOL..
> The title of this forum "Gulf Cost Surf Fishing" says it all to me. When I first started surf fishing, I was just trying to catch anything, so I learned by trial and error what was in the surf to catch. After 4-5 yrs of careful study and getting advice from this forum on different techniques from veterans like yourself, it became somewhat of an obsession. Some would says it's a disease, depending on how you look at it. At this point, I would say it's all of the above and it's a blast! I continue to be pleasantly surprised when a new technique brings success and fish in the cooler! As a result of this, my equipment allows me to catch anything available that day including (starting from the bottom of the food chain): baitfish, whiting, pompano, croaker, specs, sheepshead, black drum, redfish, jacks and sharks. Bottom line is it's a lot of work but also a lot of fun. If I have a bad day fishing, I always still have a good day on the beach! Maybe, this pic describes it better:


That's me to "T"- I am new to the salt scene however. I d like to pick up a" light" wader rod /reel for jigging shrimptails or popping live bait for the trout. I feel safer in the open surf than in a bay. Talk me down as always.:brew:


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## sharksurfer66 (Sep 17, 2005)

I agree with Bigfrost here... If you're doing it right, it is a lot of work!! When my wife and daughter go with me, I have to remind myself to make time for them too! Otherwise I could spend all day rebaiting, catching bait, etc... However, it is a benifit when they go because my daughter has a blast on the small casted lines catching my bait for me!!
That being said, I always go rigged for bull reds, sharks, or both. The lightweight stuff is just for catching croaker or whiting for bait. More recently, i have started fishing for specs in the surf first thing in the morning if i am there early enough.

BTW- Surfguy- This was originally "The Gulf Coast SHARK Fishing" forum, so a lot of the older members that hang out in this forum are probably here for that reason.

Whatever the species I catch (or dont catch) it is always about having a "Day at the Beach"!!


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## JOHNNYREB (Apr 20, 2006)

Pomps....late fall/winter

Reds.....fall/winter/early spring

trout..... summer/early fall

Black drum....late fall/winter

smacks......summer/early fall

jacks......spring/summer/fall

Sharks.....year round or until water temp drops below 58 degrees.

The surf pretty much dictates what im after.


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

sharksurfer66, X2, I learn something new everyday. I forgot to mention about when my "Ah Ha Moment" in surf fishing occurred. I hardly ever see any discussion about where to fish in the surf. The first few times I tried it, it seemed like a complete mystery and I doubted whether there were any fish to catch actually in the surf. My "Ah Ha Moment" came to me when I learned how to "Read the Surf". I'm guessing most people that don't catch many fish or just started don't understand the importance of "reading the surf". I may be giving away the motherlode here, but trust me, it's the MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do to have success, hence my motto "Be the surf".


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

sharksurfer66 said:


> However, it is a benifit when they go because my daughter has a blast on the small casted lines catching my bait for me!!


I love it when my wife goes. She'll catch a big fish now and then, but her passion is the small stuff, so she'll stand out in the surf all day catching my bait for me! That's what I call a win-win.


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## jagarcia10 (Mar 10, 2011)

bigfost said:


> I love it when my wife goes. She'll catch a big fish now and then, but her passion is the small stuff, so she'll stand out in the surf all day catching my bait for me! That's what I call a win-win.


+1 :dance:


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## histprof (Oct 30, 2011)

Thanks for the enjoyable chatter this morning. Definitely bored. I have gotten tired of looking at the webcams for Chocolate milk water in the surf all week. I've got the RV hitched up and sitting in front of the house half loaded for a run to the Ozarks and Six Flags. Half loaded stinks because we could drive out of this rain with an hour's effort. We had an early alarm set to get going today, but the storm beat the alarm by a good hour this morning. 5 inches and counting here in Cypress.


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## histprof (Oct 30, 2011)

Oh, and Evans popped in the Alps today and gave up lots of time. Sky is now sitting 1-2 in the GC and pulling away.

Told you I was bored.


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## AirForceJack (Oct 3, 2011)

bigfost said:


> Yes surfguy, I am bored this morning. :spineyes:
> 
> Monkeyman, if you have time to relax and sip cold ones, you're not working hard enough. :doowapsta
> 
> Seriously, there are many days when between catching bait, wading out and casting, yakking baits out, and catching fish, I literally never have a chance to sit down. surfguy is right, if you're doing it right, it's hard work.


Not to mention if the wife and kids are with ya, then its DAAAAD, dAAAd my line tooo, im hung up, or wheres the bait, have you seen my shoes?? It goes on and on but I love every sec of it. Just my to cents


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## AirForceJack (Oct 3, 2011)

Anything that will bite when it comes down to it. catching is catching, when its slow rather catch gafftops and hardheads and all the other "bait thieves" as i call them. Just really a good day if ya get a big ol red or actually big ol anything...Good Question man!!


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## ATXFishdaddy (Feb 29, 2012)

*reading the surf....*



surfguy said:


> sharksurfer66, X2, I learn something new everyday. I forgot to mention about when my "Ah Ha Moment" in surf fishing occurred. I hardly ever see any discussion about where to fish in the surf. The first few times I tried it, it seemed like a complete mystery and I doubted whether there were any fish to catch actually in the surf. My "Ah Ha Moment" came to me when I learned how to "Read the Surf". I'm guessing most people that don't catch many fish or just started don't understand the importance of "reading the surf". I may be giving away the motherlode here, but trust me, it's the MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do to have success, hence my motto "Be the surf".


 Any tips on "reading" the surf?


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

bigfost said:


> Again, no offense intended. To each their own. I was just making the point that surf fishing can involve constant motion, especially if the fish are cooperating.


none taken. i'm usually their for the trout bite first and foremost. i like to relax some afterwards and if i pull a big girl in from the long rods, that's icing on the cake. i love the beach/surf unless there are a bunch of screaming kids around thrashing about, or some pants-on-the-ground people around me.


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## JOHNNYREB (Apr 20, 2006)

Suckouts in the bar, deep wade guts, pinches, holes, drop offs on the back side of bars, cochina.....find cochina and most often times you will find some fish, Time on the beach is really the only way to learn, just look for things that seems different looking and fish them.....If you dont have any luck move, as far as bait look for birds working, boiling water, sometype of activity.


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## ATXFishdaddy (Feb 29, 2012)

*cochina...*



JOHNNYREB said:


> Suckouts in the bar, deep wade guts, pinches, holes, drop offs on the back side of bars, cochina.....find cochina and most often times you will find some fish, Time on the beach is really the only way to learn, just look for things that seems different looking and fish them.....If you dont have any luck move, as far as bait look for birds working, boiling water, sometype of activity.


What is this cochina you speak of sir?


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

ATXFishdaddy said:


> Any tips on "reading" the surf?


I may blow everyone's mind here, but I think along the upper TX coast reading the surf is overrated, at least in the conventional sense. In areas where the surf is relatively shallow, there is much more value in looking for deeper than normal guts, or cuts through the bars that might concentrate fish. Up here, though, you can travel for miles and never see anything of interest. Most of our guts and even our bars are plenty deep to allow fish to move back and forth easily.

I am more interested in water clarity, bottom composition, bait showing, that type of thing. During the summer, if I can find decent water over a sand bottom, or if I can find good concentrations of bait, that's where I'm going to fish. In the depths of winter (yes, I still fish during the winter), I might fish over mud bottom because the mud absorbs heat better, thus the water is a bit warmer. The fish like that. On the down side, mud bottoms are much more difficult to wade. Be careful.

Most of us have, or will, develop favorite places, often for some indefinable reasons. In the areas I usually surf fish, I have favorite "spots", but if I have to fish somewhere else because someone has been inconsiderate enough to take "my" spot, I still usually catch fish. So...........


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## JOHNNYREB (Apr 20, 2006)

ATXFishdaddy said:


> What is this cochina you speak of sir?


Those little burrowing clam like things you see as the surf water goes out....those are cochina( hope my spelling aint throwing off) If youve ever cleaned a pomp and seen the pink,geen,brown stuff....those used to be cochina :smile: Sometimes when they surface at the waters edge the beach looks like its moving. Hope it helps.


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

JOHNNYREB said:


> Suckouts in the bar, deep wade guts, pinches, holes, drop offs on the back side of bars, cochina.....find cochina and most often times you will find some fish, Time on the beach is really the only way to learn, just look for things that seems different looking and fish them.....If you dont have any luck move, as far as bait look for birds working, boiling water, sometype of activity.


Also, changes in water color, direction of current, tidal movement, moon brightness, ph and temp of the water just to name a few. There's no simple guide but here's a pic someone posted a few weeks ago on where to place your bait.


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## JOHNNYREB (Apr 20, 2006)

bigfost said:


> I may blow everyone's mind here, but I think along the upper TX coast reading the surf is overrated, at least in the conventional sense. In areas where the surf is relatively shallow, there is much more value in looking for deeper than normal guts, or cuts through the bars that might concentrate fish. Up here, though, you can travel for miles and never see anything of interest. Most of our guts and even our bars are plenty deep to allow fish to move back and forth easily.
> 
> I am more interested in water clarity, bottom composition, bait showing, that type of thing. During the summer, if I can find decent water over a sand bottom, or if I can find good concentrations of bait, that's where I'm going to fish. In the depths of winter (yes, I still fish during the winter), I might fish over mud bottom because the mud absorbs heat better, thus the water is a bit warmer. The fish like that. On the down side, mud bottoms are much more difficult to wade. Be careful.
> 
> Most of us have, or will, develop favorite places, often for some indefinable reasons. In the areas I usually surf fish, I have favorite "spots", but if I have to fish somewhere else because someone has been inconsiderate enough to take "my" spot, I still usually catch fish. So...........


Yeah my bad, that went thruogh my head after my post. The things i mentioned are things i look for on pins. Probably a different world.


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## seabo (Jun 29, 2006)

plugger for trout ,brine jakes reasons are mine too . and a big surf trout jumping down on a topwater in your face is pretty fricken awesome!! then the occasional tarpon . or a seaturtle popping up by ya. so much for so little..


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## JOHNNYREB (Apr 20, 2006)

surfguy said:


> Also, changes in water color, direction of current, tidal movement, moon brightness, ph and temp of the water just to name a few. There's no simple guide but here's a pic someone posted a few weeks ago on where to place your bait.


Good layout of the surf, and i agree. a lotta what you mentioned should be known before you even hit the beach. The planets all alighning.....well thats a **** shoot


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

bigfost said:


> I may blow everyone's mind here, but I think along the upper TX coast reading the surf is overrated, at least in the conventional sense. In areas where the surf is relatively shallow, there is much more value in looking for deeper than normal guts, or cuts through the bars that might concentrate fish. Up here, though, you can travel for miles and never see anything of interest. Most of our guts and even our bars are plenty deep to allow fish to move back and forth easily.


I totally agree with you on that. Our upper coast surf really doesn't have much srtucture. Many times, I'll just look for abnormalities on the beach, or I look for shell beds. On the most part, I think upper coast fish are constantly traveling the guts since there is not much structure to hold them. On the other hand, beaches like matagorda and Pins has plenty of structure that will hold fish.

I love fishing for it all. I love plugging the surf for trout this time of year, but I will fish with surftackle the rest of the time for reds and sharks. I am also known to fish dead shrimp on bottom too - I'm not too proud to do that. Good whiting fillets are as good as anything if you ask me and it makes a trip worth it during the winter. I just love the beach.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

I love fishing the surf for all of the above. I like to catch my bait with net or bait pole and then get out some long rods, But if the surf is right and the guy's are BTB fishing I want to be out there with them, It's awesome getting a sleigh by a Shark or Bull Red.


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

SurfRunner said:


> I totally agree with you on that. Our upper coast surf really doesn't have much srtucture. Many times, I'll just look for abnormalities on the beach, or I look for shell beds. On the most part, I think upper coast fish are constantly traveling the guts since there is not much structure to hold them. On the other hand, beaches like matagorda and Pins has plenty of structure that will hold fish.
> 
> I love fishing for it all. I love plugging the surf for trout this time of year, but I will fish with surftackle the rest of the time for reds and sharks. I am also known to fish dead shrimp on bottom too - I'm not too proud to do that. Good whiting fillets are as good as anything if you ask me and it makes a trip worth it during the winter. I just love the beach.


I agree with everything said so far and you can take it to the nth degree or make it very simple. My point is this: without much structure in the surf around here, the fish are constantly crusing the bars, in and out, so you have to look close for any slight difference or nook or cranny where the fish are most likely to gather. :ac550: That's what makes it interesting and challenging every time. If I targeted one type of fish, I would probably go home with an empty cooler most of the time.


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## fishing-guru (Feb 2, 2011)

All of the above, bull reds are my favorite though.


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## spicyitalian (Jan 18, 2012)

bigfost said:


> I love it when my wife goes. She'll catch a big fish now and then, but her passion is the small stuff, so she'll stand out in the surf all day catching my bait for me! That's what I call a win-win.


x3

Most of the time mine is content with just fishing with fishbites in the first gut so she doesn't have to wade too far out amongst all those potential stingrays. If I manage to get some finger mullet she will use those too. It keeps me in bait whiting though.

I like to get out there a little farther and see what I can come up with. I'm happy as long as there is some action.


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## Brine Jake (Aug 12, 2005)

fishing-guru said:


> All of the above, bull reds are my favorite though.


Speaking of bull reds--I was never a pier fisherman, but one night during the bull red run I went out on the pier just to watch the action. A guy in a hawaiian shirt had the gig down cold. I watched him land and release about ten bulls in less than an hour--I mean some big-uns. After he unhooked, he just bent down, ventilated, grabbed em with both hands, and scooted em off the pier. (I think it was Jimmy Buffett.)


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## Brine Jake (Aug 12, 2005)

seabo said:


> a big surf trout jumping down on a topwater in your face is pretty fricken awesome!! then the occasional tarpon . or a seaturtle popping up by ya. so much for so little..


Forgot about tarpon. My first time to see a guy chunking a topwater (except for floating Mirrolures) in the salt, back in '72 or '73, my bud and I in East Beach surf each have a few nice trout on our strings throwing 52M's, and this "old" guy in a straw hat walks out next to us, waist deep on the bar, working a Tiny Torpedo. We're still hitting fish, thinking, what's up with this old guy? Next instant, he jumps a 4-5' tarpon right out in front maybe 15-20 yd. It rose 2 - 3 times more before it cut him off. (I've only hooked 2 that I recall--first was at Port A jetty, around the same time, same size, just sitting on a rock goofing off with the kid's Zebco and a plain white tout. Second was years later on Follett's, on a TA 7 silver w/yellow bucktail worked real fast. Bioggest tarpon I ever saw wading the surf wasn't hooked--it just rolled right next to my right hip pocket, close enough to touch. Monster.

Speaking of old guys, any surf chunkers remember Jimmy Key? Ken Gaebel?


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

Brine Jake said:


> Forgot about tarpon. My first time to see a guy chunking a topwater (except for floating Mirrolures) in the salt, back in '72 or '73, my bud and I in East Beach surf each have a few nice trout on our strings throwing 52M's, and this "old" guy in a straw hat walks out next to us, waist deep on the bar, working a Tiny Torpedo. We're still hitting fish, thinking, what's up with this old guy? Next instant, he jumps a 4-5' tarpon right out in front maybe 15-20 yd. It rose 2 - 3 times more before it cut him off. (I've only hooked 2 that I recall--first was at Port A jetty, around the same time, same size, just sitting on a rock goofing off with the kid's Zebco and a plain white tout. Second was years later on Follett's, on a TA 7 silver w/yellow bucktail worked real fast. Bioggest tarpon I ever saw wading the surf wasn't hooked--it just rolled right next to my right hip pocket, close enough to touch. Monster.
> 
> Speaking of old guys, any surf chunkers remember Jimmy Key? Ken Gaebel?


About 3 weeks ago at Surfside, I had kingfsih attack my topwater. I was standing on the 2nd bar casting on top of the 3rd. I had one blow up and thought it was a trout. I kept working it and didn't get it 3 feet before I got 2 or 3 more consecutive blowups...big blow ups! I felt the weight of it and got bit off. I saw one of them and it was a 10 or 15 lb. king. It would have been cool to catch one. I think there was more than one blowing up on my topwater. And no! It wasn't spanish macks. I have caught plenty of both and know the difference.

Anyway, you never know what you are going to catch in the surf, which is why I love fishing it so much.


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

SurfRunner said:


> About 3 weeks ago at Surfside, I had kingfsih attack my topwater. I was standing on the 2nd bar casting on top of the 3rd. I had one blow up and thought it was a trout. I kept working it and didn't get it 3 feet before I got 2 or 3 more consecutive blowups...big blow ups! I felt the weight of it and got bit off. I saw one of them and it was a 10 or 15 lb. king. It would have been cool to catch one. I think there was more than one blowing up on my topwater. And no! It wasn't spanish macks. I have caught plenty of both and know the difference.
> 
> Anyway, you never know what you are going to catch in the surf, which is why I love fishing it so much.


Wow, I've caught plenty of kings off rick formations in deep water ~200ft but I had no idea they would come in to the surf so close. Cool!


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

surfguy said:


> Wow, I've caught plenty of kings off rick formations in deep water ~200ft but I had no idea they would come in to the surf so close. Cool!


It's not unheard of, but it doesn't happen much.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

SurfRunner said:


> About 3 weeks ago at Surfside, I had kingfsih attack my topwater. I was standing on the 2nd bar casting on top of the 3rd. I had one blow up and thought it was a trout. I kept working it and didn't get it 3 feet before I got 2 or 3 more consecutive blowups...big blow ups! I felt the weight of it and got bit off. I saw one of them and it was a 10 or 15 lb. king. It would have been cool to catch one. I think there was more than one blowing up on my topwater. And no! It wasn't spanish macks. I have caught plenty of both and know the difference.


Hey, it's the fisherman's rule, if you don't land it, or better yet, get a picture of it, you can call it anything you want.

I had a marlin on briefly on my last BTB trip, but alas............


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

Kingfish are caught quite often on the Surfside Jetty. I have caught them halfway out and thats not that far out of the surf. 

I have seen pictures of them caught from the surf at Surfside, but have never witnessed it personally.

Anyway, it really doesn't matter what anyone thinks of my story cause I still experienced the thrill regardless.


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## txteltech (Jul 6, 2012)

I like fishing from the surf for trout and reds, usually in the first or second gut.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

SurfRunner said:


> Kingfish are caught quite often on the Surfside Jetty. I have caught them halfway out and thats not that far out of the surf.
> 
> I have seen pictures of them caught from the surf at Surfside, but have never witnessed it personally.
> 
> Anyway, it really doesn't matter what anyone thinks of my story cause I still experienced the thrill regardless.


What exactly is the difference between a juvenile king and a smack? Can you honestly tell without landing and counting rays of fins, and such?

I'm not trying to start something - exactly, but you stated categorically that you could tell the difference while fighting them. That I doubt.


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

bigfost said:


> I'm not trying to start something - exactly, but you stated categorically that you could tell the difference while fighting them. That I doubt.


I was only telling the story of an experience I had. And, I am not going to be made to feel like I can't talk about the ones that got away on this forum.

I am not going to act childish in trying to convence you that I am telling the truth. If you don't beliieve me...That's your choice.....But not my problem.


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## Brine Jake (Aug 12, 2005)

Nothing wrong with starting something. Next best thing to catching trout and macs in the surf is a good online debate.

SurfRunner quoted



bigfost said:


> What exactly is the difference between a juvenile king and a smack? Can you honestly tell without landing and counting rays of fins, and such?
> 
> I'm not trying to start something - exactly, but you stated categorically that you could tell the difference while fighting them. That I doubt.


and replied



SurfRunner said:


> I was only telling the story of an experience I had. And, I am not going to be made to feel like I can't talk about the ones that got away on this forum.
> 
> I am not going to act childish in trying to convence you that I am telling the truth. If you don't beliieve me...That's your choice.....But not my problem.


Permit me to intervene a bit further, as an objective friend of the forum, to scale down the debate from a 1st Amendment case with a reminder about the observation data. In this case, assuming accuracy of the observation estimate of 10-15 lb, I submit that this tells the difference between a king and a smack, in our most probable world. A pretty big smack on a surf wade will rarely go 10 lb--it might, but rarely. One is a lot more likely to hook a 10-15 lb king in the surf than a 10-15 lb spanish mackerel. Responsible correctives welcome. (BTW biggest smacks I ever caught in any numbers, wading UTC were at the mouth of the Trinity River, ca late 1990's. Heheh. But this here's a surf fishin board.)

Fish on, brothahs, and when the weather blows, tell us your surf tales right here.


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## Brine Jake (Aug 12, 2005)

Brine Jake said:


> In this case, assuming accuracy of the observation estimate of 10-15 lb, I submit that this tells the difference between a king and a smack, in our most probable world. A pretty big smack on a surf wade will rarely go 10 lb--it might, but rarely.
> 
> Furthermore, now see this Tex State Record, courtesy atcNick:
> 
> ...


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

No..It wasn't a jack. I pretty much got bit off right away.

It was at least this size right here....Maybe bigger. 
I caught this one skipping a taddy jig across the surface not very far out on the jetty. Wasn't caught in the surf, but they are in the surf at SS at times.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

I've already heard some pretty wild mackerel stories from Surfside this year. A couple of weeks ago some guys were bragging that they had caught some 40+ inch smacks at the rig off the beach. When reminded that the state record is about a foot less than that, they said they "misspoke" and changed the story to 24 inches. :rotfl:


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## Brine Jake (Aug 12, 2005)

I don't see the Cero on the Texas Records list. They get well into the 10-15 lb range, I believe, and might make 40". I never caught one in the Texas surf. I know guys who say they have, but I don't know them well enough to verify the reports. Still less common than a king around here, I think.

(BTW Texas state record Spanish length is 34 1/2 inches.)


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## setxdargel (Jun 8, 2011)

bigfost said:


> Again, no offense intended. To each their own. I was just making the point that surf fishing can involve constant motion, especially if the fish are cooperating.
> 
> My typical surf trip starts with putting out the bait rod while I'm rigging the kayak and the long rods. If mullet are showing, I'll also throw the net for a while. Hopefully, by the time I've got my rods rigged, either the net or the bait rod has supplied enough bait to get started. However, I always bring backup bait. That's usually what was left over from the previous trip. Depending on the season, I might also have live crabs that I bought on the way down.
> 
> ...


This is how I use to do it.Now my fiance fishes for bait and Daddy runs long lines,(chicks dig long lines).But as far as this thread goes my Surf Fishing means big fish!

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2


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## shead (Apr 11, 2006)

This thread got me inspired to return to what I love - surf fishing. Been a long time since I was on the forums here, life catches you up into a new season and you get distracted, but now I'm fishing again, have an older teenaged son who likes fishing and a little 4 year old who needs to learn. Looks like I have many years to go.

Thanks for this thread, it (and the 5 black drum pups I caught recently) inspires me. Glad to say hey again to all the old crowd.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Is the surf full of weeds and muddy or fishable?


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