Is surf fishing better/worse in high surf?

Question

I've just started surf fishing and don't know if I should bother fishing during high surf conditions? Is the fishing bad in high surf or is it the same?

Answer 1

It all depends on what you are fishing for (probably when and where, too).

Striped bass and large red drum like the surf torn up a bit (this holds for NC beaches in the fall, for example).

But if you're fishing for ocean panfish (spots, croakers) or other gamefish (spanish, trout), you are generally (but not always) wasting your time when the surf is running hard and/or high.

Answer 2

The best thing to do is go out to an area just passed where the waves break (if the H2O is not too cold). Cast you line, and let it sink, then walk the line in to the shore w/o pulling the line in, so keep the line loose and the reel unlocked. This was your line is out to the max distance and you have a better chance if getting something.

Try to keep a 1 1/2 foot - 2 foot lead between the bait and the sinker, but depth depends on what you are fishing for. Be sure that you check your line(s) every 20-30 minutes and also keep in mind that the little feeder fish are also hungry, so they will eat your bait earlier then the larger fish. Even though is is annoying, keep in an area where there are a lot of feeders, because then the larger fish will soon come, and then the fun starts happening.

Good luck catching the big one, and let me know how is goes...

Corey (paintballranger9's brother)

Answer 3

Worse. The fish go into the deeper troughs further out and the surf beats you up. It pushes your line back in unless you use a heavy surf weight with legs and kills your live shrimp. About the only good bait is squid and about all you will catch are hardhead catfish, at least on the Gulf Coast.

Answer 4

The high tide, you can get the bait into deeper water and it's cooler so tere will be more fish. Also the dirt and debris will have been mostly carried away during low tide. Aslo always use shrimp cut in half for bait, the big ones don't go for the hole shrimp because the little fish will come and eat it without being hooked.

Answer 5

there are several factors that will affect your success, rough surf is not one of them, more important factors include tide, water temp, moon phase, wind direction, bait presentation, using the right equipment is also key, most of the time being in the right place at the right time will put some fish in the cooler.

Answer 6

Didn't say where you are or what you're fishing for. On the Gulf Coast, high surf is excellant for bull redfish but useless for speckled trout.

Answer 7

Need to fish late into the day on the high tide. The best bites will be on incoming and high tide. Need fresh bait.