For all the fishing I do, I've never done it too much/know much about it so I need some advice. My brother has never really enjoyed offshore fishing all that much but he likes to play on the beach and tries to surf fish. He doesn't own a rod nor does my mom even though they go to the beach every other week. Does any have any suggestiong on a Rod/Reel Combo's I look to get him for X-mas. Any good books w/ tactics?

11/30/2005 4:52:49 PM

get a rod and reel, get some shrimp...throw it out there....wait

11/30/2005 4:57:32 PM

forgot one step

drink beer

11/30/2005 4:58:49 PM

As for the rod, get the longest one possible, as it will help you cast the furthest. In surf fishing, this is crucial. You are also going to need a "bottom rig" which is a thick monofiliment rig that has two hooks, both at different heights in the rig, and a place to attatch a sinker. With the sinker you are going to need to get at least 6-7 ounces on there. Anything less will have the current/waves moving your bait all around the bottom. As for the best bait, shrimp works well, although the fish have a harder time tearing fresh cut bait squid off your hooks, increasing hookup ratios. Hope this was helpful...

[Edited on November 30, 2005 at 5:12 PM. Reason : .]

11/30/2005 5:10:00 PM

I have always used calimari (squid) and this hook contraption this guy game me, its like a mobile of hooks like 4

11/30/2005 5:11:54 PM

I used to love going surf fishing when I lived in Wilmington. Pier fishing too. That shit was great.

Good advise on the long pole and bait. I would get too hung up on the quality of the pole for a first rig. Put the money into a decent open-face reel.

Definatly drink beer first though. Helps with any fishing.

11/30/2005 5:14:41 PM

Yeah, I mainly pierfish on oak island when I'm at home in Wilmington. Wal-mart or Dick's are probably your best bet. Price depends on what kind of fishing he will mainly be doing. You can get a decent all around spinning rig for bottom fishing for about $35 or so. 7-8ft rod with a medium sized spinning reel(125-200yd of 15lb test) is about the right size for most people. For spots, croakers, smaller blues, this rig will work fine. It should be more than enough for the occasional shark or ray that will inevitably be hooked. Wal-Mart/Dick's and all the tackle shops will carry the premade 2-hook bottom rigs in 2 variations(regular bottom rigs & blue rigs-floats by hooks). Fishbites(artificially flavored baits) have become popular and actually work well replacing shrimp, squid, and overly priced bloodworms. http://www.fishbites.com

[Edited on November 30, 2005 at 5:40 PM. Reason : ]

11/30/2005 5:38:57 PM

Thanks for the advice. I'm not too worried about the tackle because I make all that stuff. I do think I'm gonna spend about $120-$150 on a combo because I've learned my lessons over the years about rods and reels.

11/30/2005 5:59:46 PM

6-7 ounces of lead? Somehow I dont think so. Longest rod possible? I dont think so either. What kind of fishing is he doing to do? Drum and chopper blue fishing at hatteras or spots at atlantic beach? If he is going to catch flounder, spots, small blues, whiting, etc like the majority of people surf fishing, then 3-4 ounces, and an 8 foot rod will be fine. Check the action on the rod, if you will be cast 3 oz of lead, an ounce of bait, an ounce of line/rig etc, then you want a rod rated for around 5 oz. If you get a stiff rod, unless you really know what you are doing, you are not going to catch many smaller fish. If you are not going to really wash and rinse the reel every time you use it, buy a cheaper reel, surf reels tend to get more salt exposure than others. The rod on the other hand will last a long time if rinsed occasionally.

I have a 10 foot tica w/ an old penn spinning reel that I have used for many years. I can outcast most people on the beach, and if I have to use more than 5 oz of lead, that generally means the wind is blowing to damn hard to catch fish anyway. Thats the rig I use in the spring and fall at topsail to get to the other side of a sandbar for drum and big blues. I also have an 8 ft rod and a smaller spinning reel that i use for casting inbetween the beach and the bar to catch spots etc.

11/30/2005 6:48:04 PM

yeah. A 12-15' rod isn't necessary unless you plan on drumfishing for monsters. Those are rigs you'd see up on the outerbanks. Hell most people can't even cast a rod that big. As for sinkers, a 4oz pyramid sinker is the most that I've used surf/pierfishing and that was in a 15-20mph wind. If you need more than that around here, then it's probably a little too rough to be fishing in the first place. A 2-3oz sinker on a bottom rig will work most of the time. And I second the recommendation of a tica if you're wanting to spend that much. I have a 10ft medium heavy spinning rod that I use as an anchor rod for king fishing off of piers and love it. It's a tad expensive since they are near $100 but it is well worth the money.

11/30/2005 6:57:35 PM

Mainly will be fishing Hatteras and the bars off OI.

11/30/2005 7:26:34 PM

Get a stiff action 9' spinning rod (Tica cheap and good) with a Penn 5500 SS. Spool with 17lb Berkely Trilene. Fish a double dropper rig with flourocarbon leaders, smaller hooks with cut mullet. A 2-3 oz weight will get u where you need to be. But I fish alot of conventional setups, such as a 12' heaver and a Penn 7000CL. Consequently I have fished the point for 5 years and lived on the OBX most of this year.


here are good beginner rigs for cheap

Spinning
9' Tica Spinning Rod ($50)
Penn 5500 SS ($80)
Spool with 14-17lb Berkeley Trilene

Conventional
12' Two Piece Tica ($100)
Abu Garcia 7000CL ($65)
17lb Berkeley Trilene or Cajun line




[Edited on November 30, 2005 at 10:21 PM. Reason : .]

11/30/2005 10:16:46 PM

Do you really just cast as far as you can, or is there a sweet spot in relation to where the waves are breaking or something?

11/30/2005 10:40:25 PM

The old dogs on Hatteras know the good sloughs and holes far out, but it takes years and some very expensive equipment to get out into their territory. But then again, there isnt shit to do in Buxton but fish and they have plenty of practice. That being said, you can work the closer breaks and can do well close in if you read the beach. Look online for fishing tips by Joe Malat. Hope that helps.

11/30/2005 10:49:15 PM

Go to The Red Drum in Buxton, tell them how much money you want to spend, and what you want to catch. They will outfit you properly.

12/1/2005 8:41:54 AM

I agree with most of the replies on the board. A good 9-10' rod with a decent sized reel will to the trick. If you fishing the outer banks, it would be better to put a little money in the setup, tica rods are very nice, and I would recomment a Penn spinfisher reel, 6500 or 7500. They are quality for the money and can be worked on at any tackle store if something breaks because they are very popular. Having fished the outer banks for the last 15 years, I would put more money in the reel if there is a limited budget, I haven't seen many cheap rods break, but a cheap reel will break in a minute if you happen to hook a big fish, which is very possible on the outer banks. A couple of good websites to post at to get advice or even buy something and have it shipped to you are

http://www.fishtradewinds.com
http://www.reddrumtackle.com

They both have forums and message boards that are posted on by the owners of the tackle shops. They will lead you in the right direction.

12/1/2005 11:02:18 AM

The last time I was on that big ass concrete pier at Wrightsville Beach someone hooked a ~6 foot shark. It just jumped a bunch of times and pulled about 25 yards of line out between each jump. Eventually the line either ran out or broke and the shark was gone. It was stripping off line like there wasn't any drag whatsoever.

The funny part was listening to all the rednecks at the end of the pier say things like "If you don't know how to do it, get off the pier." WTF? Do they have some special redneck secrets to pulling in a 6 foot shark on a rod/reel combo that was meant for flounder? Is there a special way to reel in that would have brough that shark in? Fuck no.

[Edited on December 1, 2005 at 11:17 AM. Reason : s]

12/1/2005 11:16:47 AM

yeah- make sure you get him enough weights... it really sucks to go out there and have the tide bring your line back in for ya because you don't have enough weight on there. also, get him a nice sand pole holder. as for rod and reel combinaitons, i can't think of what I use when i go down there (my dad has like 30 surf fishing poles so it's whatever ones he decides to bring up), but I'm pretty sure majority are shimano

12/1/2005 11:33:16 AM

so how do you actually surf fish??

do you just cast it out there and check the line every now and then, or is there a good way to look at the pole and see if you have a fish on there?

when I surf fished a couple of weeks ago, the waves moving the line and the weight dragging on the bottom were messing me..

so what should i be doing??

12/5/2005 6:05:21 PM

Go do some reading, and learn where you should be casting, rigs, baits etc. Try google. as for distinguishing between bites and wave action, that comes with experience, and varies with the action of the rod. If you are a rich lazy beginner, fish with two rods, and watch both in the same line of vision. When you get a bite, one will do something that the other doesnt. If you dont have the extra rod, spend a few hours holding your rod and watching, eventually you will figure it out.

12/5/2005 7:19:20 PM

toemoss - -

the wave action is hard to get used to at first. but watch the line to get the rythm of the waves. when the line jerks suddenly grab the rod (if you put it in a holder) and place you pointer and middle fingers on the line. you should feel the jerking - - set the hook and BAM. You've got youself a fish.

When reeling let the end come down and then stop reeling and pull the end back up. Repeat.

Restricted: All of the bait shops in hatteras have excellent fisherpeoples manning the store. Pelican's Roost was wonderful, but Izzy blew right thru her. Red Drum is great, that's where my dad and I go now. Get a fishing report before you head out as well. They usually use radios to relay where the bites are for the day.

The point is beautiful and it's where I caught my first flounder and blue fish. The inlet may be closed still because some bird layed eggs near the access and the park rangers won't let you 4x4 out there. Once again, check with the locals. Also, I reccommend picking up a tide chart and a list of the sizes of fish you can catch. Park rangers love checking in your cooler for illegal fish. Be careful

And usually any person out there will be kind enough to help you out for a beer or two. If you see a big hippie looking guy and a half-korean lady out there in a white ford pickup, that's my family. They will be glad to help you. And more than likely offer you a beer or two.[i]

12/5/2005 10:09:25 PM

looks up books on amazon


[Edited on December 5, 2005 at 10:16 PM. Reason : i hate technology]

12/5/2005 10:10:19 PM

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna settle on this combo from BPS...

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=46391&hvarDept=151&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=3&hvarSubCode=4&hvarTarget=browse

Then if he doesn't use it that much I will have a nice Offshore reel to fight Mahi on

12/6/2005 11:27:50 AM

I personally think you would be better off with this combo

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=41446&hvarDept=151&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=3&hvarSubCode=2&hvarTarget=browse

It has the Penn reel we have mentioned many times. As said before, the reel is much more important that the rod. Just my .02 though.

12/6/2005 5:19:58 PM

If he's going to be really into fishing for drum, cobia, or big blues from the surf, you're gonna want a 10-12ft rod with a good backbone(probably med-heavy or better depending on the type of rod). http://www.castawaylakes.com/UEHA.html Those are the tica rods, a little pricey but well worth it. They are very light and it's a dream to use. And a sturdy real with a couple 200yds+ of line. I always buy the rod for the situation first and and buy a reel that fits that combo. A $500 reel is useless if you don't have a rod sturdy enough to get the job done. Personally it's line>rod>reel for me. If you're going the Bass Pro Shops route, I'd recommend going down to Charlotte or Myrtle Beach and look at it there. If you can, take him with you and find something that he is comfortable with. Nothing is worse than having a rod that is too big or heave and a reel that you don't like.

Feeling a bite from the surf is something that comes with time. If you watch close enough, you will see a rhythm in the way the tip of the rod moves with the way action. Sometimes you will know that a fish has hit by the bow in the line or screeching of the drag, othertimes you'll only notice that the line has become slack.

[Edited on December 6, 2005 at 7:36 PM. Reason : ]

12/6/2005 7:19:18 PM

^ generally casual beginners do not fish for these, and a 12 foot rod is over kill and half for an 8" spot.

12/6/2005 7:48:17 PM

^^yeah 10' to 12' rod is best.

houston apparently surf-fishes like a pussy

[Edited on December 6, 2005 at 7:52 PM. Reason : .]

12/6/2005 7:52:06 PM

^obviously has compensation issues, when was the last time you caught fish, and what did you catch?? the thread was asking for a beginners set up. I havent seen to many beginners that can cast with a 12 foot rod, much less catch a fish with one.

12/6/2005 7:57:26 PM

My bro isn't really a novice to fishing at all (probably 5 Years)....just surf fishing in general. I plan on maybe using this on days when the weather gets snotty and I'm a pretty hardcore catcher so I can handle anything. I'm going back up to D.C. for a week here shortly so I may head up to BassPro.

12/6/2005 8:18:24 PM

get the rod and reel according to what your fishing for. For striper, drum and cobia of the surf, you'll need a decent medium reel with 17 to 20 lb line. A 10' -12' rod with medium to heavy action is most preferred for these fish off the surf. You'll need it for casting 6-10 oz of weight plus bait. The surf at hatteras is rough. You never know how the currents are and you can't cast anywhere with a wimpy outfit.

If your fishing for blues, puppies or smaller game fish, a smaller outfit is needed. Hatteras Jacks on highway 12 near Salvo can set you up.

Ocean striper are biting this time of year off the surf at the point and along the beaches. You'll need a decent rig to haul em in.

12/6/2005 8:37:21 PM

I also said that those recommendations were if he was into bigger fish. yes, 12' may be overkill but it's not that he needs a bass fishing rod either. That's why I said something lightweight. The tica is perfect for that and I also remember saying to go get something that he was comfortable with. If he's fishing the outerbanks he's going to want something sturdy. If you're gonna be traveling, a 2 piece 8-10' rod would probably be best. How many people do you see up at hatteras with 6-7' lightweight spinning outfits surf fishing?

The whole point is that it is impossible to predict what you will hook. Hell I've been using a gotcha for blues a couple times and hooked 20-30lb cobia. And that was with Abu Garcia 6500C4 on an 8 foot rod since I'm more of a conventional reel person but they take a while to get used to(backlashes are a bitch). I've caught just about everything with that rig. I normally surf/pier fish around the wilmington/oak island area so that's a good combo for me, something I like and can cast the hell out of.

12/6/2005 9:45:18 PM