# Reading the Beach, I SUCK!!!!!



## Minh (Jun 1, 2018)

I have watched at least 20 if not closer to 30 videos on how to read the beach for the various cuts and underwater structures. On the videos I can see what the narrator is saying but when i go to our beaches it all seems the same to me. I was there this weekend and I drove all up and down Sargent beach (all brown water) and it looked the same. I found what i thought was a good spot and fished all day and caught one hard head. 

Of course claimed that as not being skunked. 

How the hell do you read the beach? I think that the beaches in other parts of the country are very different from ours and then definitely have more structure than we do.


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## AFORWW (May 2, 2018)

Sometimes it can be difficult. Especially on rough days where the waves are breaking heavy. Might consider going out at low tide and surveying the structure of the exposed beach. That will give you hints to underwater structure as well as show you where the holes, points, cuts etc are in the Wade gut. 

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## Lagavulin62 (Jun 1, 2016)

Haha. Hey you’re not alone. The only thing that really works for me is the obvious shell washed up on the beach. Sometimes that’s all you need. In the water I can find the 1st and 2nd gut but that 3rd is hit or miss and usually I just learn from those around me.


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## Minh (Jun 1, 2018)

Yeah i drove up and down Sargent and looked for shells. None of any significance. Then focused on the waves crashing and nothing. Then looked for cuts within the various guts and that wasn't successful either. 

I have also tried the low tide thing, and will try it again but i don't think that really works well for the surf. I think for the back bays it is a great idea, but the surf changes so much that I'm not sure that works.


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## AFORWW (May 2, 2018)

Minh said:


> Yeah i drove up and down Sargent and looked for shells. None of any significance. Then focused on the waves crashing and nothing. Then looked for cuts within the various guts and that wasn't successful either.
> 
> I have also tried the low tide thing, and will try it again but i don't think that really works well for the surf. I think for the back bays it is a great idea, but the surf changes so much that I'm not sure that works.


It works great for the surf... I'll try to get pictures when I go out tomorrow to try to better explain why. But the beach itself can tell you if there a point that extends out, holes in the Wade gut, cuts that generate rips. Clearly it won't tell you what's going on out at the second bar but it can give you some indication on how things are shifting around.

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## jimj100 (Dec 1, 2012)

go walk out to the 2nd bar, or even just the first bar. look down the bar. see the waves crashing in a long line? do u see a spot where they are dragging? breaking later? that's a deep spot. a little channel thru the sand bar. that's a good place to try. this can be harder to see from the beach looking out. easier to see these structures looking down the bar. 

that said, u can find these things all day, but sometimes, the fish aint biting. if you keep at it, yoiu'll hit it eventually.


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## Minh (Jun 1, 2018)

AFORWW said:


> It works great for the surf... I'll try to get pictures when I go out tomorrow to try to better explain why. But the beach itself can tell you if there a point that extends out, holes in the Wade gut, cuts that generate rips. Clearly it won't tell you what's going on out at the second bar but it can give you some indication on how things are shifting around.
> 
> Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk


post it up please because i will take any and all information.


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## Minh (Jun 1, 2018)

jimj100 said:


> go walk out to the 2nd bar, or even just the first bar. look down the bar. see the waves crashing in a long line? do u see a spot where they are dragging? breaking later? that's a deep spot. a little channel thru the sand bar. that's a good place to try. this can be harder to see from the beach looking out. easier to see these structures looking down the bar.
> 
> that said, u can find these things all day, but sometimes, the fish aint biting. if you keep at it, yoiu'll hit it eventually.


now this is a good idea. i can definitely see how it would be easier to see if you are in the water versus being out of the water.


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## BullyARed (Jun 19, 2010)

Minh said:


> I have watched at least 20 if not closer to 30 videos on how to read the beach for the various cuts and underwater structures. On the videos I can see what the narrator is saying but when i go to our beaches it all seems the same to me. I was there this weekend and I drove all up and down Sargent beach (all brown water) and it looked the same. I found what i thought was a good spot and fished all day and caught one hard head.
> 
> Of course claimed that as not being skunked.
> 
> How the hell do you read the beach? I think that the beaches in other parts of the country are very different from ours and then definitely have more structure than we do.


You have to spot a beach section that is full of bikinis under the Sun. Walk out to the second gut and fish your way in! Happy Fishing!


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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

Search Sharkchum and read for days.


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

Just meet me down in Sargent one day and I'll show you how to do it. I't not that hard, you just have to know what to look for.


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## Notenoughtime (Mar 7, 2011)

Hey Chum,

How long will you stay in one spot without any action?


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## Reel Time (Oct 6, 2009)

Notenoughtime said:


> Hey Chum,
> 
> How long will you stay in one spot without any action?


The action follows Sharkchum wherever he goes!


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## Minh (Jun 1, 2018)

sharkchum said:


> Just meet me down in Sargent one day and I'll show you how to do it. I't not that hard, you just have to know what to look for.


how will i know it is you?


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

Notenoughtime said:


> Hey Chum,
> 
> How long will you stay in one spot without any action?


 It depends on if I really want to catch fish or not. I go to the beach to drink beer and relax, catching fish is just a bonus. If I'm in a tournament and really need to catch fish I will at least wait a few hours before moving to another spot. I don't base my time on a clock, I base it on tide cycles. When I get to a spot I'm waiting for the tides to move. If the tide goes through it's cycle and I haven't caught anything, then I'll move.


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

Minh said:


> how will i know it is you?


I'm the one catching fish one after another. 
I drive a big white dodge with so many rods sticking up in the back it looks like a porcupine, you can't miss me.


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## MarkA70 (May 3, 2011)

Reading the beach is SIMPLE, just do what I do, learned from the Videos,* Look of the Big Fluorescent Yellow Arrow* that points to the cut, that is where you fish!


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## BullyARed (Jun 19, 2010)

sharkchum said:


> I'm the one catching fish one after another.
> I drive a big white dodge with so many rods sticking up in the back it looks like a *porcupine*, you can't miss me.


LOL! Definitely can't miss!!! Haven't done surf fishing for a few years and I need to join you folks for the fun! Hello Sharkchum, what day and where and time you fish?


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## Minh (Jun 1, 2018)

MarkA70 said:


> Reading the beach is SIMPLE, just do what I do, learned from the Videos,* Look of the Big Fluorescent Yellow Arrow* that points to the cut, that is where you fish!


Not sure how to find that. I copied and pasted that title and nothing came up


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## ReedA1691 (Jan 29, 2018)

When I arrive at the beach, it's usually still dark, or just starting first light, so it's nearly impossible to see anything to indicate sand bar breaks. The best indicator I know at that hour is how far the water comes up onto the beach - the further it comes up, the least resistance, a safe bet there's a break in that bar). But that is more of an indicator of a break in the first sand bar and I have not found the breaks in the second sand bar to line up with those in the first sand bar. 


After first light, and once I've not found good fishing in my first spot, I drive down the beach looking for bait and hopefully, an opening to sidle into so I can fish the bait.


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