# Surf fishing help



## msgraham (Jun 19, 2012)

So we are going to north Carolina in the future and I am taking some catfish poles to try my hand at surf fishing. I heard pyramid weights and frozen raw shrimp work well but don't have any details about how to rig it, what tackle to use or how to fish it. Has anyone done this before and have any tips to help a local GMR fisher out?

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## Semper FIsh (Sep 29, 2012)

Most people use bottom rigs, they are set up with a clip on the bottom for your weight, then a couple inches up a wire standoff you can put whatever snelled hook on then another standoff about 6 to 8 inches above the last one. You can use shrimp, squid, cut mullet or blood worms, in any combination. You just have to see what they are biting on. The good thing is that most tackle shops are glad to give you plenty of info.

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## msgraham (Jun 19, 2012)

Thanks!

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## Jayhat (Aug 3, 2012)

Find the local bait shop. Get a License. Get some good heavy weighted pyramid sinkers pre-rigged for tying on and adding hook. Get some circle hooks and some shrimp from a roadside shrimper. Also get yourself a 3' piece of PVC large enough to hold your pole butt.
It helps to cut one end of PVC at a sharp angle. They sell them in bait stores usually. Sink your PVC into sand at about a 60 degree angle, wade out far enough that you can cast beyond breakers. the with reel on free run walk back to PVC pole holder put in make sure you take off free run. I usually leave drag pretty loose so a fish can run if it takes it. The pyramid sinker buries into the sand and the bait just flops around with the tide. It is difficult to detect hits that's why I leave drag set real low.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

Learn to read the surf. There are places on every beach that have currents going out (rip currents). Fish just on the edges of those currents. The fish you want will be waiting for the current to carry baitfish out to them. Watch the waves come in and go back out and see a current going out. Sometimes it not hard to see, sometimes it is. I learned this on my trips to va beach.


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## Socom (Nov 3, 2005)

Don't know if you already went or not, but the key is to cast right into or just barely beyond where the waves are crashing. Sometimes this can be just 15ft from the beach. The waves crash and stir up the bottom and the fish come in to feed. I used to catch pretty big red drum off of onslow beach this way. Just get a bottom rig from a local bait store. It should have some foam floaters near the hooks to keep it off the bottom. 

Best bait is fresh mullet or shrimp, we used to catch our own with casting nets, but I am sure you can buy some too. 

Also, hit the tides for the best action. Good luck!


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