Advice for newbie Long Island surf fishing

[persan79]

Ok I  need guidance, just moved to Long Island and love fishing. I never realized how much goes into the sport. I have a lot to learn.

 

The last two seasons i’ve Been surf fishing but with not much luck( yes, i’m a bait soaker). I have tried some lures ( buck tails, diamond jig, spoons) out a few times but since I didn’t know what I was doing I kinda gave up. I have yet to catch a fish on a lure. I would like to be able to learn the lures and someday catch a damn fish. I have been to the trusty YouTube watched a few videos in hopes that things would change this year. Watched vids on how to tie different rigs, on how to read the beach which I still don’t know if I’m doing right. 

My gear so far:

10’ st croix mojo surf paired with penn battle 6000

12’ penn rod with penn fierce 2 live liner 8000 

 

the 6000 has 40lb braid I believe 

the 8000 has 50lbs mono

i think both rods are medium to heavy

 

what the hell do I need to do other than “ get out and fish more”? More YouTube I guess

 

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[Nite_Bite_00]

Join a fishing club. Pick up a Fisherman magazine and check out the clubs towards the back of the mag. Or google. John Skinner books or you tube, and "get out and fish more".  

[Stripsettter]

The fishing here on LI is dismal compared to what it was 5-15 years ago. The last few years have been horrendous in # and size of fish. Bluefish are basically gone too. We have fished Striped Bass to the edge with no real hope in sight unless we stop eating bass and practice proper handling and release. 
 

With that said, you can still catch fish, it just takes a lot of time. Your gear is fine. Hit the beach around sunrise, sunset and nighttime and just walk and cast. Cover a lot of water. Take 20 casts and move. Look for bait, structure, swirls, rips, etc and cast around it.
 

Bring some tins, diamond jigs fished slow close to bottom, super strike poppers and some swimmers like Diawa SP minnows, Bombers and mag darter. I recommend crushing all barbs with pliers, keep fish in water while unhooking(if possible) and release. 
 

 

[Tymers112]

9 mins ago, Stripsettter said:

The fishing here on LI is dismal compared to what it was 5-15 years ago. The last few years have been horrendous in # and size of fish. Bluefish are basically gone too. We have fished Striped Bass to the edge with no real hope in sight unless we stop eating bass and practice proper handling and release. 
 

With that said, you can still catch fish, it just takes a lot of time. Your gear is fine. Hit the beach around sunrise, sunset and nighttime and just walk and cast. Cover a lot of water. Take 20 casts and move. Look for bait, structure, swirls, rips, etc and cast around it.
 

Bring some tins, diamond jigs fished slow close to bottom, super strike poppers and some swimmers like Diawa SP minnows, Bombers and mag darter. I recommend crushing all barbs with pliers, keep fish in water while unhooking(if possible) and release. 
 

 

Very useful information here. I second this.

[baldadonis2002]

To summarize, being a weekend warrior and putting in a few hours when its convenient is a death sentence on Long Island.

 

Last year was my best year because I sacrificed so much, I put forth an obscene amount of time fishing, barely slept, somehow maintained a marriage and spending time with the kiddies, taking out the trash and oh yeah.. working.

 

Every hour you spend watching U Toob is an hour you could be fishing.

 

Just fish... drive all around the island.... walk the other way from the crowds,  skunk hard, its all a learning experience.

 

Find your own go to lure, what you love, what you are comfortable with etc.  ( not what someone tells you ).

 

 

 

 

 

[Buckscorider]

Perhaps get smaller / lighter set up and cast SP Minnows. 

 

Inexpensive 8 foot rod rated to 2oz and a 4k reel lets me cast longer because its so light. 

SP Minnows will produce.

Good luck!

[GarbageFish]

Do not follow the crowds, if you see a white bucket you are in the wrong spot.

[Tucker 63]

A lot of sound advise.  Just get out there and put in the effort.

[baldadonis2002]

Garbage.. you are on fire.

 

Any chance you would consider a night gig writing fortune cookie fortunes ?

[SteveZissou]

I agree with a lot of the previous points made. Especially the mentions suggesting a little lighter setup, sp minnows and diamond jigs which are idiot proof and won’t leave you second guessing your lure selection or if your working them properly.  I don’t fish sp’s but I can’t deny their effectiveness. 

Concentrating around moving water near sunrise and sunset and in the middle of the night will double your chances. Make the sacrifice. 
 

Finding structure, understanding how fish use that structure, and finding rips are the crucial skills you should spend your time learning if not mastering. Very very important. It’s a big ocean and 90% of the fish are in 5% of the ocean. 
 

The rest is just getting out consistently, keeping a log and picking up on patterns. Patterns patterns patterns! They allow you to repeat success. Find  a spot, work that one spot to death and learn what turns the bite on at that spot and why. The why is most important because that allows you to apply your knowledge to other beaches, other scenarios, etc. 
 

[persan79]

12 hours ago, SteveZissou said:

I agree with a lot of the previous points made. Especially the mentions suggesting a little lighter setup, sp minnows and diamond jigs which are idiot proof and won’t leave you second guessing your lure selection or if your working them properly.  I don’t fish sp’s but I can’t deny their effectiveness. 

Concentrating around moving water near sunrise and sunset and in the middle of the night will double your chances. Make the sacrifice. 
 

Finding structure, understanding how fish use that structure, and finding rips are the crucial skills you should spend your time learning if not mastering. Very very important. It’s a big ocean and 90% of the fish are in 5% of the ocean. 
 

The rest is just getting out consistently, keeping a log and picking up on patterns. Patterns patterns patterns! They allow you to repeat success. Find  a spot, work that one spot to death and learn what turns the bite on at that spot and why. The why is most important because that allows you to apply your knowledge to other beaches, other scenarios, etc. 
 

Thanks again guys for all the advice. Those white buckets are really frowned upon huh lol. I will take the suggestion that i may need lighter setup since i will be casting a ton. I just have to get out there and cover ground. 

[jason colby]

Use the lighter rod/reel for the start, all of April and the 1st three weeks of May. You did not say where you live but I "grew up" in Long Beach. There you have a jetty every 1/4 mile or so. I used to cast a few times on each side of every jetty for as far as I could/would go in either direction. The hour or so after day break and the hour or so before dusk was best. 

Early on cast a Sassy Shad type paddle tail with a dropper fly (4/0 or 5/0 hook and five white saddle hackle feathers) about 18 inches ahead of the shad on a 6 inch dropper/leader.  Never be ashamed of striking out. You learn something new every time out.

After May 15th-20th, go to the bigger rod and fish an hour before light into an hour after. Change out the shad for a swimming plug such as a 7 inch Bomber, SP Minnow or (my favorite, in "the day") an Atom 54. You will tend to catch more fish on the dropper and the really big stuff can go 50/50 between the dropper and the plug.

For the summer and fall, change out the plug with a live eel on an 8/0 Octopus hook. Fish the same as a plug but instead of hitting the fish right away, drop the tip on first feel of contact and then set hard! Do not wait for or expect to feel anything else. "Take it on faith" that the fish is there...

Good Luck!

[JoeGBreezy]

Lots of good info, but...when doing the morning shift I recommend staring in the dark. For the evening shift stick around into the dark. Either way you will find some success that you might otherwise miss. That's general advice. Local bites and conditions may dictate otherwise.

[baldadonis2002]

I just want to make a very strong point here, as a novice if you plan to surf cast at night on the open beach, please arrive before sunset, scout the area, know the tides, troughs, rips as best you can.

 

Don't start "exploring" in pitch black darkness and step into a dip with your waders over your jacket and no belt.

 

Plenty of great fishing advice here, however make it a point to be safe.

 

And don't even think jettys at night...

[JoeyD62]

1: watch as many John skinner YouTube vids as possible

2: bait is great, try sticking with those lures in the spring

3: instead of fishing all over the place, pick 2 spots near your house and learn them like the back of your hand. Fish them every tide, wind, moon, every different condition there is. Learn a spot and then you’ll know when to fish it and then you can spread out and learn new spots. This takes time and patience but is very rewarding. 
good luck, tight lines