Brand New to Surf fishing, need some help please

[bsites9]

Hey everybody. just found and registered with this website. Looks awesome. I love fishin, and in August I'll be on Emerald Isle and planning on doing a good bit of surf fishing, and some pier fishing. Hoping I could get some help and info. Remember, I've basically never done it, so any info would help. I'll be looking for eating type fish i guess, not going there to try to hook jaws or anything. So types of fish i could catch, bait to use, when to fish, and how far out would be cool. thanks a lot.

[bsites9]

ttt - need some help please

[derf]

Originally Posted by bsites9

ttt - need some help please

hang in there
most of us are more familiar with the hatteras area , but there are some posters who fish that area and i'm sure they will chime in soon

[Tall Paul]

Like every where else, a lot depends on the weather. But in august, there should be bluefish, spanish macks, croaker, flounder, spots, red & black drum along with some others. Your basic two drop bottom rig will be a good starting point. A 7-8 ft. spinning rod spooled with 14-17# test, no need for a heaver. Cast out just behind the break. This is just some general information but should get you started.

[bsites9]

yeah, that helps, thanks a lot. i pretty much have all the gear. how about bait? anything to suggest over another thing?

[Tall Paul]

Most everything eat shrimp. Cut mullet is a good stand-by as is squid. For the spanish, Got-cha plugs off the pier, Stingsilvers or Glass minnow lures from the surf. Flounder would be live minnows, stripes of squid or stripes of mullet fished in the drag and wait fashion. As long as you have the basic equipment, your best bet is to go to the local B&T shop in the area, ie; Reel Outdoors in EI and ask what seems to be the hot ticket in the last couple of days. Example: for the last couple of days there has been big bait balls of thread fin herring (shad) in the surf, so most people are taking sabiki rigs and jigging up some live shad and putting them out a a live bait rig catching bigger spanish. Because there is so much bait in the water, the people who are throwing metal are not having as much luck as those using live bait. Two weeks ago, it was the G106GH Got-cha plug (green head/white body)

[bsites9]

sounds good, thanks a lot.

[bsites9]

ttt

[derf]

Originally Posted by bsites9

ttt

ttt ??
hummm how many active posts are here in this forum ??

[bsites9]

looks like about 10 in the last week. i'm just trying to keep it active for people to see.

[derf]

i'm just trying to keep it active for people to see.

it's active .. there is no reason to ttt it ...

[bsites9]

yes sir

[Sweetbrair]

My family has been going to Emerald every year for 5 or 6 yrs. In August its mainly the normal summertime fare -smaller blues,spanish macks, flounder,pompano etc. I mainly throw glass minnows or sting silvers early (by early I mean be on the beach BEFORE the first light of day) in the morning for Spanish. Once the sun starts getting over the horizon the bite will start to slow down and by 7:30am its over. Then go in the house and eat breakfast. During the day I usually don't fish although you can pick up a few pompano in the surf on sand fleas. I'll then go back out and fish the evening until dark. If you have access to a boat the sound holds lots of fish although I have only fished it very little. Enjoy your trip. You will like the area.

[bsites9]

Originally Posted by Sweetbrair

My family has been going to Emerald every year for 5 or 6 yrs. In August its mainly the normal summertime fare -smaller blues,spanish macks, flounder,pompano etc. I mainly throw glass minnows or sting silvers early (by early I mean be on the beach BEFORE the first light of day) in the morning for Spanish. Once the sun starts getting over the horizon the bite will start to slow down and by 7:30am its over. Then go in the house and eat breakfast. During the day I usually don't fish although you can pick up a few pompano in the surf on sand fleas. I'll then go back out and fish the evening until dark. If you have access to a boat the sound holds lots of fish although I have only fished it very little. Enjoy your trip. You will like the area.

thanks for the help. yeah, i've been going to emerald Isle for about 20 years, just never did much fishing. but i'm going to this year. i've been checking out the bogue inlet pier website, they show the daily catch that people bring in, so thats kinda cool.