# Well Im back from my first ever Surf fishing trip



## watermelonseed (Nov 8, 2009)

at the Outer Banks!!!! Drove 10 hours only to find NC 12 closed!!! So we then drove all the way to Carolina Beach. While there caught Whiting, One small Blue, Flounder, Puffer Fish, some fish that I called a "Zebra Fish", Dog Fish, Sea Trout, & some Sting Rays. 
Really wanted to fish the Outer Banks, but after what I saw at Nags Head glad we didnt stick around. Even with over 20 hours of driving I still had a good time, Just wished I had used those hours to drive to Fla to fish instead LOL!!

Thanks to everyone that tried to help me I really appreciate it & I will come back here in the future, Thanks again.


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## Smally (Jan 16, 2009)

Weather was rough, but glad you got out & caught some fish. And those "zebra fish" are Black Drum. Sheepshead will also have black vertical stripes like that too, but I bet what you saw was black drum as it's a 'lil too late in the year for sheepshead to be around i think.


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## NcRon (Dec 15, 2007)

Im glad your trip worked out anyway! Fish were caught. ^5... I Drove down one year and sat 6 hours between oregon inlet and rodanthe.But i have to say i met some really great people in the traffic.So all wasnt lost at all


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## watermelonseed (Nov 8, 2009)

This is a pic of the smaller "zebra Fish" I caught. Is it a black drum?


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## NcRon (Dec 15, 2007)

yep is a black drum


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## watermelonseed (Nov 8, 2009)

How big do they normally get?

Also My buddy & I had a time keeping our baits out in front of us. Sometimes they would but most of the time we would have to reel em in & throw back out every few mins. Because our rigs would go down the surf.

We noticed we were the only ones having to keep reeling in & casting back out over & over. I was working up a sweat. We had 4 oz & 5 oz weights but that did no good. So on one rod a piece we put a 8 oz weight & needless to say our rigs didnt move, but we never could tell when we had a bite.

Any suggestions or tips on how to keep our rigs from washing up on shore would be great, THANKS!


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## Rockfish1 (Apr 8, 2005)

watermelonseed said:


> How big do they normally get?
> 
> Any suggestions or tips on how to keep our rigs from washing up on shore would be great, THANKS!


black drum will get up over 100#...

either a heavy weight or hold on to it and let'em drift... sometimes thats the best method to use... keeps the bait moving in front of more fish...


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## zztopsail (Jul 23, 2009)

watermelonseed said:


> How big do they normally get?
> 
> Also My buddy & I had a time keeping our baits out in front of us. Sometimes they would but most of the time we would have to reel em in & throw back out every few mins. Because our rigs would go down the surf.
> 
> ...


Try a frog tongue or a storm sinker they hold better with less weight.

But I guess I have to ask why you would think that the heavier weight would keep you from telling if you had a bite. If your using a single or double drop bottom rig, the weight is below the hooks and bait and would have no effect on strike indication (ie the quick rat tat tat of the rod tip meaning a bite, as opposed to the slow back and forth movement of the rod tip due to the surf)

. If you were using a Fish Finder bottom rig or for that matter a Carolina Rig, the line would just run through the eye of the weight and again have no effect.

However, if you were using a bottom rig where the weight is tied onto the line between your hook and your rod then yes it would effect that. But then I don't know why you would rig it up that way.


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## HStew (Jan 8, 2009)

Let us in on what rig set-up you are using in the picture!!


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## USEF THE MAG (Jul 7, 2006)

walk down the beach as your rig drifts....


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## watermelonseed (Nov 8, 2009)

zztopsail said:


> Try a frog tongue or a storm sinker they hold better with less weight.
> 
> But I guess I have to ask why you would think that the heavier weight would keep you from telling if you had a bite. If your using a single or double drop bottom rig, the weight is below the hooks and bait and would have no effect on strike indication (ie the quick rat tat tat of the rod tip meaning a bite, as opposed to the slow back and forth movement of the rod tip due to the surf)
> 
> ...


I was using a double drop bottom rig & I see what you're saying about still being able to see a bite when it occurs. As its been noted this was my first time ever surf fishing, I am a bass fishermen & this is all new to me. Once you explained it, it all makes perfect sense. Watching that rod bend back & forth in the surf takes some getting use to. I didnt have a problem detecting bites on the pier, I guess because I never put my rod down. However on the surf I wasnt sure if I was getting bites OR was it the waves crashing into my line. I can only assume after time it will become 2nd nature.



> USEF THE MAG: walk down the beach as your rig drifts....


I couldnt do that because I had other fishermen down below me.
I just couldnt figure out why my buddy & I were the only ones I saw having trouble keeping the bait still & not just going with the flow LOL!!

The guys right below us were doing very well, bringing in nice size fish. They didnt spend a lot of time reeling in & casting it back out unless they had a fish on of course.

Again fellas I appreciate all your help, I will use all your info on my next trip. I would have never known about Carolina Beach had it not been for coming to this site, & reading what you guys were writing. I had never heard of it.

Thanks again!!!


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## zztopsail (Jul 23, 2009)

watermelonseed said:


> I was using a double drop bottom rig & I see what you're saying about still being able to see a bite when it occurs. As its been noted this was my first time ever surf fishing, I am a bass fishermen & this is all new to me. Once you explained it, it all makes perfect sense. Watching that rod bend back & forth in the surf takes some getting use to. I didnt have a problem detecting bites on the pier, I guess because I never put my rod down. However on the surf I wasnt sure if I was getting bites OR was it the waves crashing into my line. I can only assume after time it will become 2nd nature.
> D


That back and forth action of the rod tip can and will drive novice's crazy and also wears them out from reeling in for no reason and then you have to throw it back out again.

I always have a lot of fun laughing at some of my buddies when I take them surf fishing for the first time. They jump up out of their chair and grab the rod everytime a really big wave tries to to pull the rig and the bait back to Spain with it.

And yes it will come to be second nature, just don't let it ruin your bass fishing or cat fishing, 

Welcome to the world of salt and sand and oh yeah, make sure you rinse your rods and reels off with the hose pipe when you get home if you want to keep your equipment working for more than a year


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## kooler (Nov 2, 2006)

these weights might help http://cgi.ebay.com/5-5oz-CLAW-SURF...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item56367f3022


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## watermelonseed (Nov 8, 2009)

kooler said:


> these weights might help http://cgi.ebay.com/5-5oz-CLAW-SURF...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item56367f3022


Those look like they would do the trick. Anyone ever used these types of weights?


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## watermelonseed (Nov 8, 2009)

n/a


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## beachcaster (Nov 8, 2002)

they are similar to the sputnik which also has the prongs, there are notches with beads in the groves that allow you to pull the sinker from its holding place in strong current, they hold really well, the beads allow the prongs to collapse and release their grip in the sand to retreive the line when you need to. It still puts a strain on your drag but they hold your bait in place. Bottom line is a 4/5 ounce sputnik will replace trying to throw 8+ ounces of lead and give you more distance. This is my 2 cents worth of helpful input.:fishing::beer:opcorn:


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## Juan_EZ (Apr 10, 2006)

its funny how juvie black drum look like "mutated" spot.


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