Got a few random surf fishing questions...

[gavin310]

Hey guys, just a few random questions I'm hoping I can get some info on:

1) How does this rain affect surf fishing? Is surf fishing in the rain just a waste of time? Someone said you should wait a couple days after it rains before you resume fishing... any comments on this?
2) What about surf fishing at night? Even at night is it better to work with low and high tides? Can you use the same setup as you do in the daytime? Can you catch the same fish?
3) I'm still figuring out how to work with the tides. Is 1 hour before and 1 hour after low or high tide a good standard to follow? Is it possible to fish at any time with luck, or are the fish pretty finicky about what time they eat?

Thanks for any info guys. I'm really starting to get a good grasp of surf fishing and i'm loving every minute of it!!

[gavin310]

I totally forgot another question I had about fishing line... I've been using 15 pound test because I always like to entertain the idea of catching something bigger than perch, although I always catch perch. I did catch a 2 1/2 foot leopard shark, which was great. My question is, let's say I'm using 8 pound test (which I'm going to start using from now on) and I hook something like a 15 pound halibut. Should I be fine? What if it's a 30 pounder? Would my line be gone or what? Thanks again :)

[PUDD MASTER BAITER]

I USE 8LB EXTRA STRONG P-LINE THAT STUFF IS STONG . IM NOT SURE IF YOU USING CONV. OR SPINNING, EITHER WAY THAT IS WHY I USE LONG 8.5 FT. FENWICK IM-7 MED. CONV. ROD.AND SPINNING ROD. MY SHIMANO BAIT CASTER, HAS 20LB.RATED CRYSTAL FIRE LINE THE DIA. OF 8LB. MY SPINNING HAS 12LB STRENTH 4LB. DIA. I USE THE 8 TO 12LB P-LINE AS A LEADER. MY SPINNING REEL A SEDONA 2500. THE LONGER ROD WILL HELP ABSORB A LARGE FISHES FIGHT,AND THE SMALLER DIA. LINE GIVES YOU 2 TIMES, THE CAPACITY ON YOUR REEL WITH UNMATCHED FEEL. THE OTHER BENIFIT IS YOU CAN STILL ENJOY THE SMALLER FISHES FIGHT, AND CAST A MILE IF YOU NEED TO. JUST MY OPINION NOT TO SOUND LIKE A NO IT ALL .GOOD LUCK AND PEACE OUT MIKE THE PMB....

[bsp]

Throw 10lb braid on a 2500 size spinning reel and then use an 8lb flourocarbon leader (uni to uni knot). Pair this with an 8.5ft medium action Salmon/Steelhead spinning rod (8-17lb line) and you can catch anything.
Do not surf fish until at least a week after the rains. This is for YOUR health. After it rains all sorts of waste (every kind) gets swept into the ocean, and it can make you really sick if you come into contact with it.
Surf fishing at night is much better for sharks/bat rays, but if you are targeting those you need a whole new set up. Think a Penn Jigmaster with 30lb line, 12ft ultra-heavy surf rod (6-12oz), an 8 or 10oz sinker, steel leader, and an 8/0 hook. Other than that it is pretty similar to fishing in the day.
The best time to go surf fishing is when you have time. If you can try to hit up high tide, but I have had some epic days on a low tide.

[atfish]

Another reason not to fish the surf after a rain is all the kelp and debris in the water. I think incoming tide is the best. Outgoing tide the fish retreat to deeper water and not as actively feed. Although I have caught fish in all scenarios. I have an 8 foot inshore with diawa 6.3:1 with 12lb main and 6 lb leader.

[MikeAce00]

1 nice tip with surf fishing... If you get there while the tide is low, you can see all of the structure and holes where the fish will be when the tide is coming in. Knowing where the fish are can help your productivity because some fish like the BSP will be in schools. Fishing for BSP is something that can really be done at any time of day although I have seen some of the hottest action for myself right around sunset. I was also turned on to Gulp Sandworms in Camo cut into 2 inches pieces... This is almost exclusively what I use now. Also be careful not to try and target too many fish at once. Surf fishing has sooo much to offer from Corbina-Perch-Sharks-Hali, list goes on. I prefer to target one species like Perch and use 2-4lb test and if I'm in the mood for some leo's maybe I'll set up another rod on a sand spike with heavier line. Hope this helps you get more enjoyment out of the surf. (guess that was more than 1 tip)

Tight lines,

Mike