Surf fishing is the sport of catching fish standing on the shoreline or wading in the surf. A general term, surf fishing may or may not include casting a lure or bait, and refers to all types of shore fishing - from sandy and rocky beaches, rock jetties, or even fishing piers. The term surf casting refers more specifically to surf fishing from the beach by casting into the surf at or near the shoreline. With few exceptions, surf fishing is done in salt water.
Equipment. The basic premise of most surf casting is to cast a bait or lure as far out into the water as is necessary to reach holding fish, which may or may not require long casting distances. To facilitate the latter, much basic surf fishing may be done with a 7’-12’ fishing rod with an extended butt section, equipped with a suitably-sized spinning or conventional casting fishing reel.However, it is a rare surf caster that does not possess an assortment of fishing rods and reels in differing lengths and actions to cast differing weights of lures or bait suited to various types of fishing conditions and species. It is important to keep in mind that all gear used in the harsh saltwater environment be constructed so as to resist the corrosive effects of salt air, salt water, and the destructive effects of sand on reels and other equipment.In addition to rod and reel, the surf fisherman requires an assortment of live bait or lures, hooks, swivels, lines, and leaders (“Terminal Tackle”), tailored to the type of rod and reel in use and the size and species of fish targeted.
Beach Casting. In Britain, surfcasting is called beach casting. It is a popular form of fishing which is carried out all around the coast of the British Isles. Beach casters use very long fishing rods, usually between 12 and 16 feet. The beach caster will stand on a beach or shoreline and cast out to sea with either a water filled float, or a lead weight weighing between 120g and 200g
Species. A wide array of species is targetable from surf and shore. Chief among these for most surf fisherman is the Striped Bass. This species is available from shore and can range in weight from a few pounds to the world record of 78.5 lb (35.6 kg). Fish in the 30 to 40 lb (15 kg) range are fairly common, especially on the northeast US coast. Other species targeted include Bluefish, Redfish (Red Drum) Tautog (Blackfish), Flounder (Fluke), Weakfish (Sea Trout), Bonita and Albacore Tuna, Black Drum, Pompano, Spanish mackerel, Snook, Tarpon and numerous others.
