# Spots in the Surf



## Fireline20 (Oct 2, 2007)

I am not a Pier fisherman and I have never really targeted Spots before. 

I am going to be at the Fort this Sat/Sun looking for Blues and Reds, but I see they are running and just wonder if they can be caught in the Surf from the beach?

If so, how? What rig? What bait? How far out? etc, etc.

Thanks in advance for the info and I will file a report on my weekend:fishing:


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## sehguhll (Sep 12, 2008)

YEP, they can be caught from the surf!

Best place for advice,......
go to the "fishing bible" thingy on the main page, click on that and find the post, "drum 101"
All the best advice from some of the experts.


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## Fireline20 (Oct 2, 2007)

sehguhll said:


> YEP, they can be caught from the surf!
> 
> Best place for advice,......
> go to the "fishing bible" thingy on the main page, click on that and find the post, "drum 101"
> All the best advice from some of the experts.


I mean "SPots" not Spot Tail Bass,,,lol


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## sehguhll (Sep 12, 2008)

What?


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## Fireline20 (Oct 2, 2007)

sehguhll said:


> What?


Spots,,,little small Spot fish,,,,,

Why would I read "Drum 101" when I know how to fish for Drums aka Reds, aka Spot Tail Bass.

I am talking about small Spots, Sea Bream, etc


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## dsurf (Aug 5, 2003)

Fireline20 said:


> I am not a Pier fisherman and I have never really targeted Spots before.
> 
> I am going to be at the Fort this Sat/Sun looking for Blues and Reds, but I see they are running and just wonder if they can be caught in the Surf from the beach?
> If so, how? What rig? What bait? How far out? etc, etc.Thanks in advance for the info and I will file a report on my weekend:fishing:


I'm confused, as I believe sehguhll is.........your title is 'spots'...but you say you're looking for Blues and Reds and ask specifically about them.....sehguhll was simply answering your question.


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

Spots, two hook bottom rig, BWFB or the real blood worms,shrimp,squid and small cuts of mullet work.Toss out at different distances untill you find em and then hit that spot over and over.


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## petefish (Sep 11, 2008)

*spots in surf*

fireline, i've found that bloodworms work best for spots on a high/low rig dont have to cast out too far for them


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## sehguhll (Sep 12, 2008)

Ohhhh, I get it, most poeple don't want to catch "spots"

Not that there is anything wrong with that!


Just use a bottom rig, and flicker snelled hooks # 6.
(gold, the silver don't work)

Bait'em with bloodworms/shrimp.
Fish Bites work, but you will catch fish (spots) 4/1 using real
bloodworms/shrimp. IMHO?????


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## RW_20 (Oct 16, 2007)

I've lived in NC all my 43 years and have always gone to NC and SC beaches. I'm new to this forum and I will show my ignorance and say, I could not figure why so many people reported on and targeted spot. All my years spot where the small pin fish caught from the pier "Sea bream" as fireline called them.

I had recently come to the conclusion y'all were talking about drum.

Thanks for clarifying Got a little chuckle from this post


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## sehguhll (Sep 12, 2008)

opcorn::beer:


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

when ever u see a to peir reeling bream0 size fish in, cast ur lien from the surf about 50 yards from the pier. use 2 hook bottom rig with long shank no. 4 hooks baited with bloodwrosm, squid, or shrimp(i don't think mullet is much use)


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## Mudd (Jan 10, 2004)

racewire20 said:


> I've lived in NC all my 43 years and have always gone to NC and SC beaches. I'm new to this forum and I will show my ignorance and say, I could not figure why so many people reported on and targeted spot. All my years spot where the small pin fish caught from the pier "Sea bream" as fireline called them.
> 
> I had recently come to the conclusion y'all were talking about drum.
> 
> Thanks for clarifying Got a little chuckle from this post


Racewire, you sound like you are still mixed up. When everyone here talks about fishing for Spots, they mean Spots, also called the Norfolk Spot. http://www.ncfisheries.net/fishfind/coastal7.htm

Not the pinfish, spot-tailed pinfish, pig fish, or spot-tails (red drum, channel bass, puppy drum, redfish).


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## Mudd (Jan 10, 2004)

Fireline, 

combine your sea mullet fishing knowledge and your pompano fishing knowledge and BOOM! you're a Spot fisherman.

Use the same baits, sometimes one is better than the other. 1. fresh bloodworms (or FBBW), 2. fresh shrimp, 3. sand crabs, 4. cut bait, 5. any other natural "sea" food.

Use the same two dropper rigs, generally spot hooks could be smaller. Long shank #6 or #4 are very popular.


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## RW_20 (Oct 16, 2007)

Mudd said:


> Racewire, you sound like you are still mixed up. When everyone here talks about fishing for Spots, they mean Spots, also called the Norfolk Spot. http://www.ncfisheries.net/fishfind/coastal7.htm
> 
> Not the pinfish, spot-tailed pinfish, pig fish, or spot-tails (red drum, channel bass, puppy drum, redfish).


Yep! Believe your right


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## Too Busy (Sep 7, 2007)

Mudd said:


> Fireline,
> 
> combine your sea mullet fishing knowledge and your pompano fishing knowledge and BOOM! you're a Spot fisherman.
> 
> ...



Good advice right there.
I usually find spots anywhere in the break zone to the first swell outside the breakers.

If you catch small ones, but them alive on a 6/0 or 8/0 circle hook and toss it into the closest slough. They're like crack to hungry redfish.


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## surfrod (Nov 30, 2005)

quick question on an old thread: what do you do with larger spot (besides cut them for bait)? For that matter, what's the best way to fish them for bait (of course I'm north of you carolina folks...but we had a big influx of spot last year... our late season in southern nj will bring "southern" species up our way).


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## Mark H. (Nov 26, 2005)

Fry'em up!!!!! They're great with hushpuppies and coleslaw.


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

SPOT are delicious eating! :beer:

Spot usually have just one spot on each side, near the gill. 

Spot can be caught with a dropper rig. :fishing:

Spot school up, just like Cdog said. 

And they are Spot, not spots. 

One more thing, they make good drum bait...


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

*Fireline*

You say they are catching spots down there???? Interesting...

They are worth targeting,good eating,pull pretty good for thier size,and decent eating... Go ferit dude...


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## medicdav66 (Sep 27, 2007)

I have fished for spot for lot'sa years with my grandfather. The very best bait is bloodworms. Fishbites works if the fish are plentiful, but bloodworms are waaaayyy better. A size 4-6 hook, though I prefer a 5. Two-hook bottom rig made with clear monofilament line instead of wire. Some people swear by gold hooks, and I must admit I have some in my tacklebox as well, but not really necessary. And oh yeah, you only need a teeny-tiny piece of bloodworm! 1/4" or so will work just fine. Last time I checked, bloodworms were around $9-9.50/bag and it's real easy to go through 2-3bags if the fish are biting, so be prepared!
Lotsa people beat-a-path to the nearest pier when they get the call that spot are biting, and the reason for this behavior is simple. They are absolutely delicious! No size restrictions or bag-limits so you can catch-em by the hundreds (and I have)!! When they hit during the Fall, you can catch them from the breakers out to the end of the piers, so from the beach, just throw as far as you want and if they're thick, you'll know it!!
David H


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## surfrod (Nov 30, 2005)

ok thanks, I'll have to give them a try if they come in thick, especially the bigger ones like we had late last summer! I've only known folks to use them for bait, and for smaller ones I definitely wouldn't waste time, but we did get some good panfish sized spot.

I agree about bloods vs. fishbites... but when fishbites are the only thing ya have.. they'll do, and when thick, guess it doesn't matter too much.


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