How To Read Surf For Fishing

Many of us vacation in places like Ocean City or Virginia Beach, and for the typical beachgoer, there’s sun, sand, and water. The waves are perfect for jumping, windsurfing and beach fun. Where an umbrella is raised and a blanket is spread out makes no difference. For beach anglers, it’s not quite that simple. Sure, we could walk to the beach anywhere, line up in the water, and maybe catch a fish or two. But the difference between a wildly successful outing and a simple relaxing day on the beach lies in where your lines come in. Contrary to what many people might think, beaches aren’t all the same – at least not underwater.Rods and chutes make a huge difference in your success at surf fishing.

Feeding at the trough

The slope of the beach gently changes right after entering the surf. At low tide, sea level drops to within a few feet of the shoreline; This is the first trough. It is located between the beach and the first sandbar. You can’t miss it when wading into the surf, it’s the drop off place where seashells usually gather underfoot as you hit the ocean. During high tide, this trench can be 20 to 50 feet from the edge of the wave, depending on the tidal distance to the beach. Especially at high tide, this first trough often contains schools of fish gobbling up sand fleas, crabs and smaller prey – aka your hook. This trough can also operate during low tide, depending on its depth. Many anglers believe they need to stay away, when in reality, many fish are often just steps away from the beach.Most areas of the beach will have inside and outside bars, the outer trough being another fish gathering area. Both of these troughs tend to be most productive during high and low tides. But depending on the depth, one or the other can spawn in both tidal cycles.

Hit the bars

Read more: how to place a backspin on a swimming pool One of the best locations for fishing is where the line cuts through the rods, especially the outside rod. It can be thought of as a path through which fish move to and from the troughs. These cuts are formed by wave motion. Incoming water pools begin to form height when the water depth is 1.5 times the height of the mudflat or less. When the water depth is about 1.3 times the wave height, the wave breaks. So when an ocean spills over to the shallow sands outside, it forms waves and breaks. The water then continues to move to the shore and pass the outer trough. It is here where the water gets deeper again that another small wave forms and then breaks the sandbar inside or, depending on the tides, water depth and wave height, rolls right in to break the shoreline. sea. As the water flows back, water pressure builds up between the bars and the shoreline. That water has to go somewhere, and when it flows back out, it usually washes the sand out and eats the cuts we’re looking for. Usually, this happens most during storms or big waves.Water flowing out through the troughs will agitate the bait and attract fish. But often this water movement is very subtle, especially in relatively quiet conditions long after the cut has formed. However, by monitoring the wave’s response to holes, depressions, and bottoms, these deeper areas can often be located long after the sea has calmed down. In this case, monitoring how the waves build up and react to the sand outside can reveal the location of the cut. Watch for waves approaching a sand bar and perhaps observe a wave forming and breaking along the length of the sand bar. However, you may notice that the waves do not break in a particular area. If wave after wave doesn’t break at the same point, but breaks everywhere else along the outer rod, you’ve discovered a cut with deeper water. What surf anglers mean: get set here! At low tide, the typical wave will build up and crash into the outer bar. At high tide, the waves usually build without breaking and roll over the outer bar. So you’re better off looking for prime fishing spots at low tide, when breaking waves make cuts easier to spot. Or part of the wave may not rise as high in an area, again meaning water depth increases from a trench, a cut or a large depression in the sand. If you enjoy swimming in the ocean, during low tide walk around between the beach and the bars to identify these holes, depressions or trenches. Be aware of these areas, which are common habitats for fish during the late high tides and when the floodwaters turn. is low on the horizon. Drop in at high tide during this time, and fishing will improve. However, don’t give up at low tide. When the water recedes to the beach, it gives you the best chance to glide past the bar outside without wading far to surf. Just like the fish tank, the fish tank on the far side of the outer dune is another area where the fish wait at high tide to raise the water depth before crossing the outer dunes to feed up close. edge.Note the wave, breaking on the right. To the left there is a trough – a place full of fish. Throw a westerly breeze on my back and I’m clearing this bar a bit, placing a double bottom rig in fish-rich waters. This often results in a decent catch, especially when the kingfish are feeding just after the waves hit the sandy shores outside. The next can present a completely different surf structure. So, on your next trip to surfing and on each trip, take a few minutes to research the water before picking a stream. It can only put a few more fish in the cooler – and it can make the difference between a day of fishing and a day of sunbathing on the beach. -Author John Unkart, “Offshore Pursuit” and ” Saltwater Tales.” extra: how to use zipper