# Advice for a surf fishing noobie



## GooseCommanderozz (Feb 17, 2012)

I've never really fished the surf before and I was wanting some advice on catching whiting, trout, anything good to eat. I'll be in crystal beach this weekend with some friends and was wanting to look like I know what I'm doing. I'm bringing some tout rods, some offshore rods, and some surf spinning rods. What's the best way to fish for whiting and trout in the surf? Only reason I'm bringing offshore rods is if I accidentally hook up with a shark. Any advice on bait, tackle, etc would be greatly appreciated!


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## Instigator (Jul 6, 2004)

Trout rods or smaller for whiting. Live, fresh dead or frozen shrimp will get the job done on them. I usually buy inexpensive head on white table shrimp from an Asian grocery and then what doesn't get used for bait is dinner. Of those 3 choices live is best for trout but you can pick up a few on dead/frozen. Fresh cut bait on the bottom will get you reds and gafftop. The catfish get a lot of bad PR because they're slimy but if you like fried channel cats you'll really like these. You'll probably catch plenty of whiting and small croaker for bait but if the mullet are in then cast net some of those. Drop your cut baits on the depth change just in front of and just past the bars. Free line your shrimp with as little weight as you can cast or use a popping cork. Fish moving water on a changing tide and you should have more whiting and gafftop than you want to clean. The other stuff is more hit or miss.


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## Mr. Saltwater (Oct 5, 2012)

For Whiting use a Carolina rig with a 1/2 oz. worm weight and a #8 treble hook on a 12" mono leader... baited with dead shrimp in the first or second gut. Lot of fun on light tackle, good eating, and no limit.


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## Mr. Saltwater (Oct 5, 2012)

Mr. Saltwater said:


> For Whiting use a Carolina rig with a 1/2 oz. worm weight and a #8 treble hook on a 12" mono leader... baited with dead shrimp in the first or second gut. Lot of fun on light tackle, good eating, and no limit.


The same rig with live shrimp, mud minnows, or finger mullet will catch trout, reds, flounder, and a lot less hardheads. Be sure to some long handled fish grabbers for hardheads...they can ruin a weekend if they stick you bad.


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## GooseCommanderozz (Feb 17, 2012)

Yea hardheads and gaff tops are no Bueno for me, I've been finned a few times when I was little. I've always fished the bay and marsh but surf is a whole new game to me. Is there a place around crystal beach to get live bait? I know the gas station in high island has frozen shrimp but I've never seen a bait shop. Sorry for all the stupid questions but the surf is all new to me.


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## Mr. Saltwater (Oct 5, 2012)

Couldn't tell you about bait shops down that way...haven't fished that far North in many years. If you can throw a cast net and catch some 3-4" finger mullet they work great.

Lots of good info on the forum if you use the "search". 
I recommend this thread:
http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=579274&highlight=surf+rig


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## ronnie collins (May 21, 2004)

Blue Water Bait Camp has Flags flying, letting you Know what they have, on there bill board at O'Neil Rd. and 87. O'Neil is a street East of Bamboo Beach Bar( big blue building). Theres a place at Rollover Pass, forget the name.


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## sharkinaggie (Jan 21, 2008)

If you are wanting to catch whiting, leave the shrimp (and anything else for that matter) at the bait stand and pick your self up some fish bites in the shrimp flavor. Use a fish finder rig or a double drop with a couple of small circle hooks. If the whiting are around, you will be wearing them out while your buddies are getting their shrimp stolen. The fish bites stay on your hook about 1,000x's better than shrimp and will also allow you to catch reds and drum as well. Just cast out right behind or right in front of the first bar (depending on where the tide is at) and wait. Easiest fishing in the book!

-SA


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