# need updated help for trip to surfside "questions"



## duck6611 (Mar 23, 2011)

Okay going to surfside this weekend I have the big rods not concerned about rod length and what type of reels, I have that. I am fishing for shark and bull reds by the way. What I need to know is do I spool them with monofilament or braided and whatever one, what pound size. Second do I tie off from my main line to a wire leader or same line that I spooled with. What weight size for the bottom do I wade and cast out with and what size circle hooks. Just need help! What I need, is a kayak. Somebody please tell me a good rig! Thanks guys every time I go down there I get broke off on a run that last about 15 or 20 seconds!


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## fabian31268 (Jul 31, 2005)

your leaders need to be at least 7-10ft long if your yaking for big sharks if you have big bait you need big weights i tie leader to main line if casting from beach you will need to waid out and leader will have to be short less then 4ft and 6-8oz weights and more likely to get cut offs.


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## duck6611 (Mar 23, 2011)

what pound test do I spool with and do I spool with braided or mono, which one and what pound test


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## fabian31268 (Jul 31, 2005)

what reel you using? yaking baits 60-80lb casting 30-40 mono. i can make you leaders and weights if you need them


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## mullethead00 (May 31, 2010)

Better check the surf cams for weed.  Sargassum usually still pretty bad this time of year...may limit the length of line you can keep in the water.

I use 40lb mono for the surf red rigs. Prefer 3ft wire leader with a 6oz spider weigth (80z if surf is high). I use 16/0 circle hooks baited with cut mullet or live croaker.

I use 80lb braid for shark rigs, and yak it out 300-400yds. The rig looks like the one described here: http://www.tx-sharkfishing.com/

Good luck.


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## aceshooter01 (Jun 27, 2006)

duck6611 said:


> Okay going to surfside this weekend I have the big rods not concerned about rod length and what type of reels, I have that. I am fishing for shark and bull reds by the way. What I need to know is do I spool them with monofilament or braided and whatever one, what pound size. Second do I tie off from my main line to a wire leader or same line that I spooled with. What weight size for the bottom do I wade and cast out with and what size circle hooks. Just need help! What I need, is a kayak. Somebody please tell me a good rig! Thanks guys every time I go down there I get broke off on a run that last about 15 or 20 seconds!


duck, it all depends on what type of reels and rods your using and if your going to have a yak to kayak the baits out with before anyone can really answer you.

imho with a yak, leaders need to be at least 7 foot long, 16/0-20/0 circle hooks depending on the bait. if your fishing with say a penn senator 9/0 or bigger, on a 5-8 foot rod, 60 lb mono and up (you can use braid but use it as a backing underneath your mono) and weight 8 oz.

no yak, well your going to have to have a smaller reel, penn 4/0 or smaller, on a rod that is around 10 foot. spool up with 30-40 lb mono with braid backing. leaders should be 3-4 feet, something that is castable (you can't cast a really long leader). weight 6-8 oz.


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## fultonswimmer (Jul 3, 2008)

*Fishing gear*

LIght tackle. Surf reds/pompano using 15lb. P-LIne, 40lb shock leader on poles ranging from medium duty Ugly Sticks to 10' Tsunami with nothing heavier than 4lb. spider weight. Do not need extra heavy duty gear unless as suggested, you are BTB and going for the big sharks.


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

I think the above poster meant 4oz weights not 4lb weights. Nice pile of pomps!


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## hunterjck (Sep 30, 2010)

*Surf Fishing Help*

I have been fishing the surf for almost 80 years using spoons, live shrimp and mullet imitation plugs for specks. However, that picture of the mess of pompano stunned me - I had never seen a catch like that! I will appreciate someone explaining to me how one goes about fishing for pompano. What bait, how far out, what kind of rig (hook plus leader), cork if used) etc. I assume a normal bait casting rod and reel is o.k. I would love to go after some of those delicious fish. Thank you.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

they really are into pompano in Fla. might look up their methods in Fla. mags

fish the guts with light line and really bright jigs , like for ice fishing, or small bits of fresh dead shrimp, sand fleas, ghost shrimp etc. and small hooks

they are an untapped resource in TX, few fish for them on purpose


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

to the OP, regardless of mono or braid, sounds like you could back off the drag a bit... in the surf you can generally give a fish a really good first run before trying to turn him unless you just don't have any line left on the reel

as to the pomps, the cult breakaway and corpus fishing guys put messes of pomps (almost) like that together down south pretty often... watch those forums and there are a few guys who routinely post up "pomp window" forecasts... they can also tell you how to catch them... seems they mostly use fishbites and fresh dead... secret seems to be in bait placement, ie backside of 2nd bar, etc... I just luck into one now and again abd they sure do make great blackened pomp tacos!


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## fultonswimmer (Jul 3, 2008)

*Surf*

At 70 years young and on the skinny side, yeah I wish I could throw out a four pound surf weight. And I wish my other equipment were bigger too.
The pomps were not supposed to be on the recent post but I am not at home so it was a guess when I uploaded. Pomps are a big deal down my way around Corpus and South to PINS, especially during the cooler months but can also be found down on PINS as late as June, July....they prefer calm, clear, blue-green waters. They like to eat small pieces of fresh peeled shrimp on nothing larger than a 2 or 3/0 circle hook. Some swear by using pink/orange shrimp byes threaded on the hook on top of the shrimp but I do not see that it makes much difference. Like drum, pompano swarm in large community schools and if you get one there should be much more right there. Sometimes you have to get WAY out beyond the 2nd or 3rd. bar to hook em but other times you can throw out right from shore and find them.
I have been fishing up at Quintana the last couple of months and it has been work, what with the weed, and choppy surf. Managed some trout, black drum but the reds have been hard to find(keepers anyway).
If you ever find yourself(selves) down towards Rockport, or Corpus look me up and we will go after some of those tasty Florida pomps.
Hope surf conditions improve as I have to head South in another week or so and I sure would like to take home some freezer stockers.


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