You may be surprised how many fish species can be found foraging and feeding just off the ocean’s shore lines. While most people want to charter a boat to take them out to where the fish are, the reality is that surf fishing can be every bit as productive as deep-sea fishing if you have the property equipment and technique.
Several of the same fish species that can be caught offshore can also be caught surf fishing from the beach. In fact, some of the best surf fishing is areas that aren’t even accessible by boat. When surf fishing their are several things to consider, such as tide, wave height and current. Another important element to consider is the presentation of your bait. Certain presentations work better for surf fishing than others.
The following surf fishing rigs will ensure that you present your bait in a way that will attract and hook many of the popular saltwater game fish species including Redfish, Black Drum, Bluefish, Spotted Sea Trout, Mackerel, Halibut and Shark.
A surf fishing rig used to catch a large variety of fishing including stripers and redfish
Used for casting and dragging across a target area where fish may be located
A two hook sea fishing rigs ideal for middle-range casts and multiple fish species
Dropped vertically down the water column and used for still fishing
Designed to minimize snaps and lose of fishing when fishing over rough ground
Uses a float to keep the hook off the bottom and prevent bait from being stolen
Versatile saltwater fishing rig used to catch everything from giant grouper to panfish
Effective rig that provokes an agressive strick from flounder and other sea fish
Presents two baited hooks at once doubling an angler odds of a catching a fish
A 15-25′ sea fishing rig ideal for fishing snappers that are relucantant to bite
Effective for catching bluefish and other predatory fish that attck from the tail
Fish Finder Rig
The fish finder rig is considered by many anglers the quintessential surf fishing rig. It offers good surf stability – even in rough conditions. When fishing deeper water or current a heavier 3-4oz pyramid sinker helps hold the presentation on the bottom and in place. It allows for distance casting so you can get your bait out beyond the surf where many fish are foraging, and allows free movement of bait that provides a natural presentation and high hookset rate.
The fish finder rig is ideal for targeting most saltwater species that venture into the surf to feed, including red drum, bluefish, stripers, sea trout, snook and surf perch. We have found that most anglers do fine with a setup that includes a 2/0 to 5/0 circle or J hook, a heavy duty fluorocarbon or steel leader in the #40 lb range, with a 30 to 40 lb braided line. If you start targeting larger specimens, in the 40″+ range, say like tarpon, cobia, or sharkes, you’ll want adjust up the size of your rig and tackle.
Carolina Rig
The Carolina is a versatile general-purpose surf fishing rig. For many surf anglers, the Carolina rig is the go-to surf fishing presentation. It’s ideal for presenting a variety of natural and artificial baits for targeting fluke, tarpon, drum, croaker, ladyfish, pompano – and even shark. The only time a fisher finder rig is better than a Carolina rig for surf fishing is when you’re dealing with significantly strong winds and current.
Where the fish finder rig uses a pyramid weight as the sinker, the Carolina rig traditionally uses a barrel weight. A barrel weight works great for surf fishing, but it’s not going to provide the same level of stability as a pyramid. With the barrel sinker, your rig is going to move around on the bottom a little bit more and kick up the sand. This can be a great attractant for fish in the vecinity, but not be ideal when current is strong and you want to keep your presentation in one spot. We recommend a 3/4 to 1 1/2 ounce sinker for fishing a Carolina rig in the surf. 1 1/2 once if current is stronger, 3/4 ounce when conditions are on the mild side.
Flapper Rig
The flapper rig is a popular line setup for surf fishing. Its design allows casting and fishing multiple hooks at once, offering the ability to cover a wider area in the surf and produce a higher bite per cast ratio. Fishing more baits also releases more scent into the water and draws in more fish. This rig allows you to test different baits at different depths at the same time.
The biggest drawback of the flapper rig is it limited casting distance. And it’s relatively difficult to setup. A lot of anglers will use the flapper when conditions are condusive, but will opt for the fish finder or Carolina when distance casting and stability are a must.
Pulley Rig
The biggest advantage of the pulley rig for surf fishing is its ability to cast long distances. Its aerodynamic design allows it to fly through the air without the leader line tangling with the sinker line – a problem all too common with other surf fishing rigs. When you want more control of your cast, and need to get your bait into deeper water beyond the surf where big fish are holding, the pulley rig is the ideal setup.
Fireball Rig
The fireball is a simple bottom fishing rig used for surf fishing. Anglers employ this rig primarily for targeting bluefish, hence, it’s sometimes referred to as the bluefish rig. It’s very similar in design and function to the flapper rig. What makes this rig unique are the floats located just above the hooks on the dropper lines. The floats keep the bait up off the bottom away from crabs and in view of foraging fish.
High Low Rig
The two baited hooks of the high low rig present twice the opportunity of a hook-up, and in some instances even double hook-ups. It is particularly effective for targeting schooling fish that are actively feeding and is an excellent rig for casting distances when getting bait further out is essential. Since bait doesn’t float freely as with a fish finder rig, fish feel resistance as soon as they bite and it requires a bit of skill to get a solid hookset quickly.
Double Drop Bottom Rig
The double drop bottom rig is a simple two-hook bottom rig similar in design and performance to the high low rig. This rig allows for a two bait presentation as well as the opportunity for simultaneous hook ups. Additional hooks can be added to produce a higher bite per cast ratio. The downside of this rig is having a fixed weight which requires the hook to be set quickly before fish notice the unnatural tension from the line and release the hook.
Bucktail Rig
The bucktail rig is a great surf fishing setup for targeting fish at various depths throughout the water column. For bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and the like, a fast retrieve just below the surface will produce strikes. For targeting fluke, speckled trout, striped bass and other fish that forage near the ocean floor, a slow retrieve along the bottom is best. When local forage is small, plain bucktail jigs – without the addition of bait – work best.
Dropper Loop Rig
The dropper loop rig is identical to the high low rig with one difference – it only has one hook on the trace line. It’s an ideal surf rig to employ when the surf is strong and wind and weather are rough. It casts well and holds to the bottom. The dropper loop rig will catch just about every surf dwelling species but excels at targeting larger fish and for fishing a heavier line class.
Whole Mullet Rig
The whole mullet rig is the go-to surf fishing rig for targeting predatory fish, like bluefish, redfish, striped bass, and shark, that are notorious for ambushing baitfish from behind. A float positioned on the line just above the hook keeps the bait up off the bottom where it’s easy for fish to find, and hard for bottom-dwelling crabs reach. The rig is designed for targeting predatory fish that attack their prey from behind.
