# I must not be holdin' my mouth right...



## MarkDido (Jul 6, 2003)

I think that one of the reasons I don't get to the beach often enough is that I think I'm overdoing what I'm carrying, and consequently, don't want to schlep a lot of gear down to the beach.

When you hit the surf alone, what do you take with you? 

What type of rigs do you find give you the most success in the surf?

Thanks

Mark


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## Kozlow (Oct 25, 2002)

Mark I live across the street on A1A and I hate lugging all that crap. I have 1 tackle bag which I have desired lures, rigs , sinkers 
knife , rag . Two rods one for slinging lures or spoons and one 15 footer to use to catch what ever has been put on the menu for that day. Small cooler for the suds and baits . And a couple plastic garbage bags for the pigs at the beach . Alot depends on what your going to target and how long you might be staying there. I have gone to the beach with a couple of pompano rigs and sinkers in my pocket a surf rod with spike and a sandflea rake .


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## sandcasting (Jan 25, 2003)

i have one tackle box that holds all my surf gear: various sizes and types of hooks and swivels, high-low rigs with and without floats, weights, metal lures, bucktails, leader materials, rag, knife, head lamp and pliers. the box isn't huge, it fits in my backpack along with a towel. the backpack has straps to hold two sandspikes. i carry two rods in one hand and a bag-type cooler in the other. i prefer to hold one rod almost always, rather than leave both in the spikes, just for better detection of bites. the second spike is really for holding the pole while i cut bait or change rigs. sometimes i try to take a folding chair also, but other people take a bag chair because it has a shoulder strap. i either cut bait on the tackle box, or ideally find a piece of wood somewhere. if i find a good board, i'll stash it in the dunes if i intend to return to the area. i've also got another bag, a camel-bak, that holds all the stuff i need for a day of wading the flats. no matter where i am, i like to make only one trip to and from the car. unless i need a second trip to carry all the fish, which doesn't happen too often. occasionally, i'll carry the box in a bucket rather than take the backpack. food and drinks go in the bag cooler with the ice for the fish. one thing that i've found, is that buying ice ahead of time almost always insures that i won't catch any keepers, just little guys, today was yet another example of this.


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## angelfish (Mar 18, 2004)

My Cast Net in my backpack along with my filet knife, My extra tackle in a little box in the front pocket of the back pack, 2 surf spikes and 2 10' rods each with Penn 7500SS's. It will leave my hands full for the walk but its very comfortable.


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## MarkDido (Jul 6, 2003)

I think my problem is that I need to sit down with all my gear and decide what I really, REALLY need to carry with me.

I have one of those nice Shimano tackle bags w/5 plastic trays and lots and lots of zippers. It is stuffed with just about everything imaginable that I think I "might" need"

I upgraded to the Shimano from a small Wally-World backpack, but I now see that I may need to go "retro" and go back to the backpack.

I can still keep the Shimano in the truck "in case" I really need something.

I like the idea of a small, soft-side cooler for drinks/snacks. I'm using a small rigid one now, but thay ties up one of my hands. If I can sling it over my shoulder along with the backpack, that should free up my hands for poles/sandspikes.

I have one of those "bag" chairs, but recently picked up a small aluminum beach chair. The bag chair is nice but it weighs a ton.

I had the bright idea last year of taking the wife and grand-daughter fishing at the beach. I loaded up my hand truck with cooler, rods, spikes, umberellas, beach toys, kitchen sink, etc. Guess how far the hand truck rolled once it hit that nice soft sand!  

Didn't want to spoil the day, so I wound up dragging the hand truck through the soft sand for about 1/10 of a mile down the beach. The wife thought I was going to have "the big one" once we got to a nice spot on the beach.

I'm planning on going out Thursday morning early. Guess I'll sit down before then and sort out my stuff!


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## Beachbms (Jan 10, 2003)

This weekend I didn't use my cart due to fishing lot 1 playlinda. tried to take only "my" list of essentials. 

Backpack .....loaded with all needed tackle
bag chair
umbrella ..... cant take allot of sun
cooler ...... 16quart for bait, ice and catch
6 quart drink cooler filled with Gatorade
3 surf spikes
3 12' rods ....2 for dropper rigs and one for slinging

I pray I dint have to walk far.....lol, but its a one trip affair.


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## driftin' (Mar 24, 2004)

Finding the right backpack was the key for me. Found one at Wallyworld that fit the ticket. One inside compartment (huge...about 7 gal.) with waterproof liner and a simple drawstring top that opens to about 22". 2 outer compartments, one with a zipper seal and one with a velcro flap. Paid $7 for it. Everything you need to take to and from the beach (besides your poles or spikes) will fit...including your catch (usually). I use a 6 compartment plastic Plano insert to store whatever tackle I'll need for the day. A 25' stringer works great on piers, jetties or tied off to a spike in the surf. Some drinks in a 1 gal. ziploc with some ice is fine for me. Throw in a garbage bag or even better, a Ziploc BIG BAG for your catch at the end of the day. Outer compartments are great for things you want to access easilly. Just throw your fish into the BIG BAG at the end of the day and drop them in your pack. Even with a stringer of 8 or 10 decent sized fish it's easy to cary out when the weight is distributed accross your back. I don't even pull a cart on the pier anymore. I keep the cooler in the truck. I even cary my live shrimp in a brown paper sack (in the backpack) and keep them alive all day without water or aeration. (If anyone is interested in this method, respond to this post and I'll share it with you)

SO...BIG backpack, chair with shoulder strap, 2 poles in one hand and 2 spikes in the other (if pier or jetty fishing, lose the spikes...and you still have a hand free to shake with). Spend an extra 5 minutes at the truck to make sure you haven't overlooked something you might want while on the beach. Worst case...you'll have to make a trip back up.

Don't overlook: 1)Sunscreen (I put it on before leaving the truck) 2)pliers 3)knife 4)measuring tape (I have my poles marked for convenience) 5)stringer 6)extra leader line / wire.

The thought of lugging a cooler (big or small) makes me sick. Just keep the fish on a stringer until ready to go, put them in the pack until you get to your vehicle. When you get home, rinse the backpack out and hang it up to dry.

Good luck. These methods have made my trips MUCH more enjoyable.


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## Billfish (Sep 11, 2003)

*This guy has it figured out*

backpack


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## Beachbms (Jan 10, 2003)

sounds great only I like to keep my fish on ice...... when the water is cool as it is now or was last summer in the ocean works great, but in the summer when water temps are above 80 ...... no way for me got to have them on ice. Other than that sounds like a great setup!!


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## Romans14Eleven (Feb 29, 2004)

I used to carry all my stuff down to the beach....and no matter how I set it up....I always had to much of what I "might" need. So I ended up getting a cart. Now I drive an old Toyota 4 Runner, so it would have been a tight fit with one of those big wagon carts, big wheels and all. I found Everymans' products on the web at www.h2opipesports.com
They have a PVC cart, that breaks into three sections. The wheels are pneumatic and work great in all types of sand. As a matter of fact I scaled those stairs at Playalinda lot 1 with ease. The cart climbs stairs great. It breaks down, which is great if you own a car or smaller truck. And now I bring all that stuffI "might" need. I carry a 48 quart cooler, tackle box, bag chairs, five rods, pvc rod holders, and if I want there is room for a five gallon bucket and a cast net inside that. I love the thing, and is such a relief from carrying all that stuff down to the beach. But on the other hand I did have that disease of bringing too much. Now I can easily bring too much. But I have to warn you though, it has not guaranteed that I catch fish. It just allows me to be ready for every fish that swims.


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## angelfish (Mar 18, 2004)

You all have nice carts and all but, when your a sandbar fisherman like me off the st. simon island's bars you cant use a cart unless it can go through about 4 feet of water!
Thats why i use my backpack!


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## MarkDido (Jul 6, 2003)

Concerning http://www.h2opipesports.com/

I pass this on the way down south to the Shark Pit, Bonsteel, and Sebastian Inlet.

The last few times I've gone by, the place looked like it was locked up tight.

Anybody else see any activity here lately?

Mark


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## MarkDido (Jul 6, 2003)

Speaking of carts, I was sorely tempted to buy one of those Fish-n-Mate carts a while back but I was put off by the price.

I was at Sebastian Inlet one day and saw a gentlemen there with a 4 wheeled cart that he picked up at Lowes. It's actually a garden cart and can be hand pulled or hooked up to a riding lawnmower to haul around dirt, mulch, potted plants, the dog, etc.

I was sold when he told me it cost $59.00 - Had one that same afternoon.

Probably wayyyy to heavy for the beach (haven't run an operational trial on it yet) but it's great for the likes of the jetty at Sebastian or Jetty Park. 

It will even fit through the little "obstacle course" that you have to go through to get onto Cocoa Beach Pier, but it is a tight fit.

Haven't figured out how to post a picture in the body of the message yet, so the photo is in the Photo Gallery section on the main P&S page.


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## AL_N_VB (Apr 3, 2002)

*My .02 cents*

Chest2head can vouch fer this...the Fish-N-Mate sr,pays it's weight in gold......When I am lure fishin,an addidas backpack,with 3 plastic cases that carry my lures and tackle is a ll I take.

I also carry a small 6 ft castnet,just in case I run across finger mullet or peanut bunker....fresh bait when I do not have my bottom fishing out fit.


When I decide to make a day of fishin,or when I carry my 2ticas and OM bottom fishin rods,with 2 plastic/metal casting rods,I will bring my cart.
I have had my cart now fer almost 4 seasons...as many places I fish that is 4X4 restricted,that cart has saved my young back!

I usually carry a small cooler with plastic ice packs to keep bait cool(fat back or cob mullet)...my 2 tackle bags,lures and bottom fishing gear...lead,heavy leaders...bottom fishin terminal tackle,fillet knife,cutting board,gas latern..ect.....

Yeah it sounds like over kill,but when you start saying 'what if' on the beach.....especially if it was a fish of a lifetime,I think bringing everything to give ya a chance is worth it....


My .02 cents.....


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## MarkDido (Jul 6, 2003)

Thanks Nserch4Drum!

I lived in the Beach for 15 years when I was stationed in Norfolk.

Is Meyera Obendorf still the mayor?


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