# What to look for when fishing from the beach



## mustbgr8full (Apr 16, 2015)

Hi all I am a newbie to surf fishing.......Ive been 2 times. I was driving down the beach the second time looking out at the surf thinking where do I stop to fish.....it all pretty much looks the same. I have fished long enough to know that fish like structure. So I am thinking the only structure out here is the troughs, sand bars and mile marker post. I have watched a few Youtube videos about how to read the surf but I can never see anything they are talking about......
At this point I would just like to get a little experience so I do not care what I catch I just want to fish. I would however like to improve my odds at catching something. Ultimately I would like to fish for most anything other than shark but I am not opposed to catching one of those either. 

So I my question is how do you know where to stop and fish?


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## Castaway2 (Aug 8, 2013)

mustbgr8full said:


> Hi all I am a newbie to surf fishing.......Ive been 2 times. I was driving down the beach the second time looking out at the surf thinking where do I stop to fish.....it all pretty much looks the same. I have fished long enough to know that fish like structure. So I am thinking the only structure out here is the troughs, sand bars and mile marker post. I have watched a few Youtube videos about how to read the surf but I can never see anything they are talking about......
> At this point I would just like to get a little experience so I do not care what I catch I just want to fish. I would however like to improve my odds at catching something. Ultimately I would like to fish for most anything other than shark but I am not opposed to catching one of those either.
> 
> So I my question is how do you know where to stop and fish?


talk with Sharkchum on here, the surf fishing guru. and welcome to 2cool


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

Watch the sand. See any shell pieces? Likely that extends out too. Some areas have a lot more shell Tha. Others. The sand bars too will dip and change and make little points.

But your best bet is always birds and bait. If you see birds hovering in casting distance or you see bait busting the surface. Bait has no reason to jump out of the water. Piers and pilings and any thing in the water will make an eddy when the current is moving. That eddy will make structure on one side or the other. If the beach makes a point of any kind the surf likely does too. Finally check out Google Earth for any abnormalities in the waves. Recent pics will show if the bars and guts have changed.


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## ronnie collins (May 21, 2004)

Always believed that if bait is there the Reds will be there. So watch for bait coming up close to the shore line. they are there because something pushed them there.


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## jimj100 (Dec 1, 2012)

Google earth the beach where you fish. Sometimes they have an image from a nice, clear day and you can see all the sand bars. Matagorda has great structure. Sandbars constantly running into the beach, making the 2nd bar the first bar, and the first bar the beach. When you drive it, especially at low tide, you will see these structures from the ground. Then, if you fish the area often, you will see what these structures look like when the water's up and other conditions. sometimes there are much more subtle differences. All that said, there days when it is tough to make heads or tails. 
The easiest thing to do, walk to the first bar (can't miss it) and cast into the calm area right in front of you. That's as good a place to start as any. That's where i generally put my first cast. Then you can watch the wade gut right in front of the beach, or the 2nd gut over the 2nd sand bar, etc.


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## Mr. Saltwater (Oct 5, 2012)

Watch for areas where the waves don't break on the bars or the breakers are not as large as others. This is an indication of deeper water or a cut or depression in the bar that fish will use to travel between the guts. 

Areas with more shell than others are good places to check out too. Shell provides cover and food for marine organisms, crabs, small fish, etc...


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## CustomFlat1 (Oct 25, 2014)

Best advise I can give you is invest in a good pair of polarized sunglasses 
Next there is something called a fish pass for example if you are driving down the sand the waves are crashing and rolling on the second bar consistently and then you notice they aren't rolling in a certain area this is where the bar is washed out making structure or deviance of the norm in the surf often an area that holds shell and bait it takes years on the beach to figure it out but that's part of the fun


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## mustbgr8full (Apr 16, 2015)

*Thanks*

Thanks everyone!! Great information! I guess there is just no substitute for getting out there and getting a line wet......or at least looking for a place to do so.


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## DuckMendenhall (Nov 5, 2007)

Besides what was said above, please be aware of rip currents. PFD are not a must, but be cautious.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

I have found that if there are a couple of hotties sun bathing in bikini's, there are usually fish right close so that is a good place to stop and give it a try. (You may want to cast your line out so you are not so conspicuous)


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