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Spot
Rigs: 2 hook
bottom
Hook: #6 - #2
Bait: Shrimp, Bloodworm
pieces, Squid
Weight: <1 lb Length: 7 – 10”
Where: Anywhere, incoming tide
When: Anytime
Table fare: 4
Atlantic Croaker
Rigs: 2 hook
bottom
Hook: #4 - 1/0
Bait: Fresh/Frozen
Shrimp, Squid, Cut baits esp. mullet/spot
Weight: .5 - 2 lbs Length: 9”
Where: Anywhere
When: Spring - Fall
Table fare: 3
Pompano
Rigs: Flounder, 2
hook bottom
Hook: #4 - 1/0 Gold
Bait: Sand fleas, Fresh/Frozen
Shrimp
Gear: Mono leaders
Weight: 1-3 lbs Length: 11”
Where: Sloughs close to shore, In surf zone
When: Late Summer - Warm, clear water
Table fare: 5
Weakfish/Gray Trout
Rigs: 2 hook
bottom
Hook: 1/0 - 4/0
Longshank
Bait: Fresh/Frozen Shrimp, Squid strips
Lures:, Hopkins
Weight: 1-3 lbs Length: 10 - 16”
Where: Inlets, Narrow sloughs, jetties,
bridges
When: Spring – Fall
Table fare: 5
Speckled Trout
Rigs: 2 hook
bottom
Hook: 1/0 - 4/0
Bait: Fresh/Frozen Shrimp, Squid strips
Lures: Leadhead plastics, small bucktails,
Mirrolures
Weight: 2-4 lbs Length: 15 - 25”
Where: Sounds, inlets
When: Spring – Fall, early morning low
tide, calm surf
Table fare: 5
Spanish Mackerel
Rigs: None
Hook: #1—1/0
Bait: Live finger
mullet
Lures: Stingsilvers (chrome, gold, pink; <2oz
Hopkins; Colored Jiggers; fast retrieve
Gear: 10-20lb mono leader, small black swiv-
els, no wire leaders
Weight: 1 - 4 lbs Length: 14 – 18”
Where: Clear water, esp. pier
When: Summer – Early Fall, Dawn/Dusk,
Incoming tide
Table fare: 4
Red (Puppy) Drum
Rigs: Fishfinder, 3
way swivel
Hook: 2/0 – 5/0
Bait: Cut mullet, Fresh shrimp
Lures: Leadhead plastics, bucktails, mirrolures
Weight: Any Length: Any
Where: Sloughs, Rough water near inlets
When: Spring – Fall
Table fare: 5
Striped Bass
Rigs: Fishfinder
Hook: 3/0 - 7/0
Circle
Bait: Menhaden, Live eels
Lures: Swimming plugs, Lg Hopkins
Weight: 4 - 15 lbs Length: 18 - 40”
Where: NC – New England, points, rips,
jetties, bridges
When: Spring – Fall, Night
Table fare: 5
Big Blues
Rigs: Fishfinder w/Fireball, 3 way
swivel w/Fireball
Hook: 6/0 - 9/0
Bait: Cut fresh mullet
Lures: Lg Hopkins, Diamond jigs
Gear: Heavy Tackle, hvy mono or cable
leaders
Weight: 8-20 lbs Length: up to 34”
Where: Rips, jetties, holes
When: Spring – Fall, 2hrs before high tide
and little while after
Table fare: 2
Common Surf Fish from Virginia to South Carolina and How to Catch Them
Beginner’s Surf Fishing Guide Spring 2009
Virginia North Carolina South Carolina
Keeper Size Possession Limit Keeper Size Possession Limit Keeper Size Possession Limit
Atlantic Croaker None None None None None None
Bluefish None 10 None 15; Only 5 > 24” None 15
Flounder 19” 5 14” 8 > 14” 20
Kingfish/Whiting None None None None None None
Pompano None None None None None None
Red (Puppy) Drum 18” - 26” Only 3 18” - 27” Only 1 15” - 23” Only 3
Spanish Mackerel 14” 15 12” 15 12” 15
Speckled Trout 14” 10 12” 10 14” 10
Spot None None None None None None
Striped Bass ** 28” 2 28” 2 None 10
Weakfish/Gray Trout 12” 6 12” 6 12” 10
** Striped Bass numbers are Ocean Coast only; numerous special restrictions apply to other areas
High Tide: _________ Low Tide: _________ High Tide: _________ Low Tide: _________
Snapper/Tailor Blues
Rigs: Fireball, 2 hook
bottom
Hook: 1/0 - 4/0 Long-
shank
Bait: Cut baits esp. mullet/menhaden/squid
Lures: Shiny metal Hopkins/Stingsilver
under 1oz
Gear: Black swivels & leaders, wire leaders
Weight: up to 3 lbs Length:
Where: Rips, jetties, holes, diving gulls
When: Year-round, high tide
Table fare: 2
Flounder/Fluke
Rigs: Flounder, 2
hook bottom w/
light bank sinker
(2-3oz)
Hook: #2 - 3/0 Circle
Bait: Fresh/Frozen Shrimp, Squid, Mullet,
Minnows
Lures: Small bucktails
Weight: 1-3+ lbs Length: 10-16”
Where: Break in bars, jetties, edge of rips,
shallows of incoming tide
When: Late Spring - Late Fall
Table fare: 5
Snelling a Hook
Palomar Knot
Line to Leader/Hook/Swivel
Nail Knot
Line to Leader/Swivel or Snell a Hook
Imp. Clinch Knot
Line to Leader/Hook/Swivel
Alberto’s Knot
Braid Line to Mono Shock Leader
Dropper Loop
Make a Mid-line Loop
No Name Knot
Line to Doubled Line
Double Uni-Knot
Mono line to Mono shock leader
Surgeon’s Loop
Make an End-line
Uni-Knot
Line to Leader/Hook/Swivel
Kingfish/Whiting
Rigs: 2 hook
bottom
Hook: #6 - #2
Bait: Bloodworms, Fresh/Frozen Shrimp, Cut
baits
Weight: .75 - 3 lbs Length: 11”
Where: Shallow water, Narrow Sloughs,
Rips
When: Spring - Fall
Table fare: 5
Spring 2009 Beginner’s Surf Fishing Guide
Fireball Rig
Gear, Rigs, Lures, Rigging Bait, & Reading the Surf
MirroLures - Speckled Trout, Red Drum, Weakfish, Striped Bass Cast, let it sit for a couple seconds, to sink a couple feet, then re-trieve very slowly with a twitch every few seconds.
Lead Head Jigs - Speckled Trout, Weakfish, Red Drum, Flounder Cast and allow to sink to the bottom or close to it. Retrieve slowly w/erratic, up and down jigging motion. Use mono leader or tie right to line.
Bucktails - Weakfish, Speckled Trout, Striped Bass, Flounder Sweeten w/piece of squid, shrimp, or mullet. Cast and allow to sink a bit. Jerk the rod tip every 3rd crank of the reel as retrieving.
Gotchas - Spanish Mackerel, Bluefish, Speckled Trout, Weakfish Retrieve quickly using short, sharp jerks of the rod.
Swimming Plugs - Striped Bass, Weakfish, Bluefish Dark colors at night, light colors during the day. For Stripers, use at night w/slow retrieve and tip it with eel skins. Retrieve at varying speeds, usually slowly.
Top Water Plugs Use when fish are feeding on the surface. Cast, let it sit for a couple seconds. Retrieve quickly, popping the rod tip to create commotion.
Hopkins & Stingsilvers - Blues w/wire leader, Spanish Mackerel w/no leader or heavy mono leader, Striped Bass Cast & retrieve at varying speeds. E.g. Fast for Blues/SpanMacks, Slow for Stripers
2 Hook Bottom Rig
Flounder Rig
3-way Swivel Rig
Fishfinder Rig
Live Sand Fleas
Between the diggers
Bloodworms
Careful; will bite
Live Shrimp
Whole Squid
Squid Strip
Bucktail tipped w/
Squid Strip Live Minnows/Baitfish
Cut Bait Fresh/Frozen Shrimp
Live Crab
Low Tide - Walk the beach, notice the terrain, look for sloughs and sandbars, look for anything unusual that will give you an idea of what will be beneath the water at High Tide Soft Structures – Sloughs, Rips, Points, Bowls Sloughs – Between the sandbar and the beach or be-tween two sandbars Rips – Break in the bar where water rushes back out. Look for fast moving, rippling, discolored water, or foam moving out to sea. Points – Where the beach is sculpted to a point by winds and current, fish the deeper side of the point Bowls – A rip where there are 2 sandbars and therefore 2 sloughs; larger volume of water from 2 sloughs funneling into a small space; often hear waves clapping or water coming up much further on the beach Hard Structures - Piers, jetties, bridges, inlets Edges – Edges/ends of sandbars (shoulders), High & Low tides, Sunrise/Sunset, water depth, currents, weather fronts, rough to calm water, etc. Feeding – Watch for birds diving, oil on top of the water, or baitfish jump-ing Other – Anything different, water coloration, foam, shells on the beach, sand flea colonies, rocks, wood, underwater structures, beach formations, seaweed, etc. 1. If most of the water is calm, fish where is isn't. 2. If most of the water is rough, fish where it is not. 3. Always keep a bait at the transition from calm to rough. 4. Always keep a bait up close.
• Rod/Reel
• Tackle Box
• Rigs
• Sinkers
• Lures
• Extra Shock line
• Hooks
• Folding Chair
• Binoculars
• Cast net
• Camera
• Fanny/Lumbar Pack
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Swivels
• Leaders
• Pliers
• Sand Spike
• Bait
• Bait Box
• 5 gal Bucket
• Bug Repellant
• Hat (Wide brim)
• Cooler
• Drinks
• Food
• Ice
• Headlamp or Hat light
• Flashlight
• Sandals, Flip flops, Water
shoes/boots
• Waders
• Swimsuit
• Jacket
• First aid kit
• Fishing License
• Pocket Knife
• Filet Knife
• Measuring tool
• Fish ID Chart
• Tide Chart
• Beg. Surf Fishing Guide
