# A day at the beach



## Kozlow (Oct 25, 2002)

SURF FISHING


By JOE JULAVITS, The Times-Union


Take a deep breath, and savor the salt air. There are few things more pleasing to the senses -- not to mention the palate -- than fall surf fishing. 


It's the squish of cool sand between bare toes, the tumble of waves against beach, shorebirds scurrying for a morsel of shrimp, the mad dash to grab a suddenly bent rod from its holder. 

Surf fishing clears the mind and catches the groceries. 

I broke away for a couple of hours the other day to test the surf off A1A between Guana State Park and Vilano Beach. That's another nice thing about surf fishing -- you can fish for as long or as short as you wish. With no launch ramps, cranking batteries or boat trailers to contend with, it's essentially worry-free. 

And it's relatively easy, though by no means a gimme when it comes to catching fish. 

Fishing with shrimp on a high, incoming tide, I tallied eight respectable whiting, including two that were bragging size; a bluefish; a catfish and the table catch of the day, a 2 1/2-pound pompano. All in all, a relaxing, productive interlude, and I was back home cleaning fish before noon. 

For all of the above reasons and more, the appeal of surf fishing is universal. 

Surf-casters come in all forms, from the clueless tourist using pink shrimp for bait to the beach specialist with his 13-foot rods and tuned reels. After years of fishing the surf, I've made several observations related to why some people catch and some don't.


Fresh shrimp, colored gray and with no foul smell, is the bait you want for most applications. Bait shops near the beach usually carry it. Some anglers purchase live shrimp and place them immediately on ice. Frozen shrimp, the pink stuff, is a poor alternative. 
For pompano, live sand fleas are a primo bait, though pomps will also eat clams and shrimp. Live fleas can be captured where the surf meets the sand with a store-bought sand flea rake. The synthetic bait called Fishbites can be effective on most surf species. 


Just because you own a long rod doesn't mean you must make a long cast. Along many of Northeast Florida's beaches, especially those south of Ponte Vedra Beach, wave action carves relatively deep troughs or sloughs parallel to the shore. In some places, those troughs are only a short pitch away. The troughs are readily visible at low tide, and on the higher stages of the tides, they often hold fish. 
I always try to keep at least one bait in such a trough when it's covered by the tide. On my trip the other day, all the fish, including the pompano, were caught in a trough right next to the beach. 


Those who have observed and memorized the bottom structure at a particular beach will catch more fish than those who haven't. Again, low tide is the best time to analyze a beach. Look for runouts and the breaks they form in sandbars. Those breaks will act as highways for fish moving in and out of the surf. Also, any depressions or similar irregularities in the contour of the bottom can produce fish. 

Don't fall in love with one spot. If you make a cast and your bait sits untouched for 15 minutes, reel in and relocate the bait, either closer in or farther out. If there's still nothing happening, move 100 feet down the beach. 

Watch what the other fishermen are doing. If one is consistently catching fish, follow his next cast and see at what distance from the beach it lands. Then try to duplicate that distance from your spot. 

The proper surf fishing gear depends on your level of passion and pocketbook. You can buy at Wal-Mart or through a British catalog. On many occasions, you will need a rod capable of throwing a minimum of 3 ounces of lead. If a strong current is running along the beach, it may require 4 or 5 ounces to hold bottom. The longer the rod, the longer the possible casts. Rods 10 feet and longer also help keep your line above the breakers. Spinning and baitcasting reels both work fine in the surf. 
Short rods, 7- to 8-footers, also have their place when fish are holding close to shore. Plus, they're not as unwieldy as the long-distance tackle. Ideally, I like to fish one long rod, an 11-footer, for reaching out and a 7-footer for mining the bottom in close. 


Surf-casters generally use from 17- to 25-pound test line, which is strong enough to handle the sudden snap of heaving heavy weights. For a simple rig, thread a sinker slide (available at tackle shops) onto the line above a swivel. Tie a 2-foot leader to the other end of the swivel. To the terminal end of the leader, tie on the hook -- a No.4 circle is a popular choice. 

Finally, learn the difference between a pompano and a jack crevalle, two species somewhat similar in looks but miles apart in taste. Pompano are among the most highly rated of food fish. Jacks are edible but forgettable. Some surf veterans have been known to feign ignorance when a nearby newbie catches what he believes is a jack and is about to throw it back. "I'll take that jack off your hands," the sly devil says.


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## mblanken (Nov 4, 2003)

That last part about learning the difference between Pomps and jacks is about the truest thing I've read in a while. I've seen guys take home buckets of "pompano" that were actually jacks and just kinda laughed it off. You don't want to tell them, but you feel bad for the guys. The worst case happened to me about two years ago. I begged a guy to take home the pompano he kept giving me while I was jigging for flounder around the pilings at the Cocoa Beach pier, but he said he "didn't like the taste" of pompano...I thought he was nuts. After he helped me catch my limit and I was driving home, I realized he'd probably eaten jacks in the past. I don't thingk the poor guy knew what he was giving away. Glad I did...no flounder, but 6 pomps for free.


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## Bennie (Apr 10, 2004)

I've had a lot of 3 to 7 lb drum given to me cause they say there nasty with worms all in then. I say thank you very much please.


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## mblanken (Nov 4, 2003)

That's a good one Bennie! I'd forgotten about that one, but I've seen those "wormy drum" given away a dozen times, too.


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