[kbullick]

Hey all,
I am planning on hitting Atlantic Beach in a little less than a month and want to do some surf fishing. I usually fish for bass, mostly in small water.
My biggest rod a 7ft mid heavy ugly stick, I am assuming that is to small. Anyone have some advice on where I can get a cheap surf combo? Unfortunately money is a definite limiting factor right now.
Also, any advice on bait? or anything else?
Thanks!

 

[Fish_Fiend]

Hey all,
I am planning on hitting Atlantic Beach in a little less than a month and want to do some surf fishing. I usually fish for bass, mostly in small water.
My biggest rod a 7ft mid heavy ugly stick, I am assuming that is to small. Anyone have some advice on where I can get a cheap surf combo? Unfortunately money is a definite limiting factor right now.
Also, any advice on bait? or anything else?
Thanks!

Bay River Meet and Greet! Read the thread join the madne...I mean FUN!

Gene - Red》X《 - Asheboro

 

[catmaster]

Thatal be fine...People always use tackle way too big for what their pursuing...going lite is way more fun...especially if u want some drag pullage.

 

[sundrop]

Don't buy some cheap combo you will seldom use. What reels do you already have? A decent reel spooled with some braid that can cast past the breakers (I say this because casting past them means you can fish in them easily) is all you need for some fun time at the beach. A 1oz gold spoon, diamond jigs, bucktails, gotcha plugs can be all you need and a 2 hook basic bottom rig is fine for soaking bait but you might need more weight 2-3oz and that will require more rod to toss. A cheap surf rod like an Ugly stik is fine but if you want to buy a cheap combo this one is decent for the money. Be sure to rinse it off after EVERY use. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Okuma-Tundra-Spinning-Combo/13228687#Product+Reviews

 

[kbullick]

Don't buy some cheap combo you will seldom use. What reels do you already have? A decent reel spooled with some braid that can cast past the breakers (I say this because casting past them means you can fish in them easily) is all you need for some fun time at the beach. A 1oz gold spoon, diamond jigs, bucktails, gotcha plugs can be all you need and a 2 hook basic bottom rig is fine for soaking bait but you might need more weight 2-3oz and that will require more rod to toss. A cheap surf rod like an Ugly stik is fine but if you want to buy a cheap combo this one is decent for the money. Be sure to rinse it off after EVERY use. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Okuma-Tundra-Spinning-Combo/13228687#Product+Reviews

The reel i have on my ugly stick is a shimano sienna spinning with 30lb braid on there. With the right weight on the end, it casts a country mile it seems like. I will have to get me a 1oz spoon or two. I may grab a that surf combo to be able to throw some live bait rigs. I will hopefully be going to surf fish a few times a year, so i dont mind picking up a combo like the one you suggested. Thanks for the link and the info!

Thanks for the info!

 

[sundrop]

I love Shimano's. Spray a little Reel Magic on the spool of braid and it will really soar! I use it on all my reels braid and mono, wiping the reel with it helps block the salt too. I have one sienna and several sedonas, saharas, and finally now a stradic fj.

 

[Jay]

I also use a 7 ft Ugly Stik with a Shimano sienna, when surf fishing. I also use it out of my friend's boat in the salt for mullets, flounder and trout, never have hooked into any reds in any of those trips. The sienna has held up very well the past 4 years I have had it, and I rinsed it off every day. I don't use it to heave bait past all the breakers, usually just past the first sandbar. That works in the summer - I haven't surf fished in the fall though, don't know how things change except I hear the fishin is better.

 

[sundrop]

well the good thing about being on a beach with a smaller reel is that you can chase the fish as long as they go up and down the beach rather than out. Most Reds will only go so far then go up or down the beach.

 

[kbullick]

awesome, thanks for the info guys. i feel better about heading out to surf with what i have now. i will look into that reel magic, i never really looked at that stuff twice!
hopefully i can get into some red action!

 

[Jay]

I also use a 7 ft Ugly Stik with a Shimano sienna, when surf fishing. I also use it out of my friend's boat in the salt for mullets, flounder and trout, never have hooked into any reds in any of those trips. The sienna has held up very well the past 4 years I have had it, and I rinsed it off every day. I don't use it to heave bait past all the breakers, usually just past the first sandbar. That works in the summer - I haven't surf fished in the fall though, don't know how things change except I hear the fishin is better.

I'd also like to point out that I got the siennas for a trip to alaska 4 years ago, for salmon. I got the ugly stik up there. The sienna held up very well against the pink salmon. Yes, those are the small species for up there, but they still run like you wouldn't believe. I originally had a different rod, that was stouter than the ugly stik - I hooked into either a silver or king salmon (just barely saw it), and it took off down the river like a train. The drag was screaming. Eventually I decided to fight back which was a mistake, and I don't know what I did, high sticked it or some other type of noob move, and the rod snapped. Later on in the trip I got the ugly stik, mainly because the bigger rod was getting tiring both retrieving spoons and fighting the fish. They told me you'd get tired from fishing - not just the act of fishing, but the catching. I didn't believe them until I experienced it myself. Anyway, my point is, the sienna and the ugly stik, if it can handle the salmon I was catching, then it can handle all the surf fishing I ever did, which admittedly isn't frequent.

 

[Fish_Fiend]

If it will handle a King I have to assume it will handle a Drum.

Gene - Red >X< - Asheboro

 

[Drum Runner]

Thatal be fine...People always use tackle way too big for what their pursuing...going lite is way more fun...especially if u want some drag pullage.

You haven't been surf fishing with me. I get drag pullage on heavier reels.
Thought a ABU 7000 was going to explode a few weeks ago with so much drag pullage so quick.

People don't always use tackle too big.
Some people actually know what they are targeting whether it's bull drum, shark, tarpon, mullet, etc.

Hook up with a 40 or 50 pound drum on that freshwater ultralight. It won't live halfway through the first run. It'll smoke it.

No need to limit yourself on the surf.
If you are going to surf fish you need to be very versatile if you are serious about catching fish. You have to have the ability to go long. It has saved a many a day. Several weeks ago it saved an entire week of 14-16 hour days on the surf. You have to be able to hit the holes and the backside of the bars.

 

[sundrop]

I think this person is basing their needs on the occasional "fun trip" to surf fish. Not becoming a surf fisherman. Yes their might be that big hook up and get spooled but it's not as likely and no need to break the bank for a "fun run". And definitely no need in ruining a rare trip trying to learn to chunk a big baitcaster or how to store/transport a big "heaver" rod. Grow into it as/if the opportunity arises to do it more often.

 

[h2ohhh]

Put a 1 ounce spoon on that rig and cast for blues, they should be around. Spanish too. You can spend $7 for a Hopkins, but Bass Pro and Academy sell a knockoff for half that. Buy 2 in case you get cut off. You can lob a 2 ounce bottom rig with that as well and catch spot, mullet, flounder or pompano. You don't have to throw far out at all for these species. 2 ounces should hold bottom in 1-2 ft. Seas. Bigger than that and you will need heavier equipment. Enjoy your trip!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[sundrop]

Remember to surf fish you have to have a saltwater license also. On a pier they usually have a blanket license. But ask!

 

[kbullick]

Well my parents have recently moved to Atlantic Beach, so hopefully this is the start of at least a couple regular fishing trips to the beach a year. But mainly right now I want to try it out and have a good time doing it. Bringing the wife with me, so I will likely only have a few quiet hours around sunup to fish this time around.
Sounds like the fishing is pretty decent on the section of beach where they live, my mother sends me regular updates. "Some guys caught a blue fish today, also a white one with yellow, and some other white one"
Definitely going to step up my license

 

[kbullick]

Don't buy some cheap combo you will seldom use. What reels do you already have? A decent reel spooled with some braid that can cast past the breakers (I say this because casting past them means you can fish in them easily) is all you need for some fun time at the beach. A 1oz gold spoon, diamond jigs, bucktails, gotcha plugs can be all you need and a 2 hook basic bottom rig is fine for soaking bait but you might need more weight 2-3oz and that will require more rod to toss. A cheap surf rod like an Ugly stik is fine but if you want to buy a cheap combo this one is decent for the money. Be sure to rinse it off after EVERY use. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Okuma-Tundra-Spinning-Combo/13228687#Product+Reviews

Thanks for the info. I ended up going with this combo. Im going to taking down my uglystick setup and this okuma combo. got a few spoons for throwing with my uglystick and will use the okuma for some live bait.
Less than two weeks now! my first vacation in two years. wish me luck