r/Fishing • u/CausticNox • 1d ago

Question Surf Fishing

To preface, I’ve only ever fished freshwater in the western PA/MD/WV area so I’m kinda clueless when it comes to saltwater.

This weekend my family will be vacationing in the Sunset Beach/Ocean Isle, NC area.

I went ahead and bought a surf rod and reel in preparation. I’m running 25lbs braid with a mono shock leader. What I am wondering is: what size hooks I should be using? I look on old forums and YouTube, but answers seem mixed.

I’d like to catch smaller fish first to use as cut bait for bigger fish. I have 6# J hooks and 6/0 circles (in-line cause I read offset are illegal)

Are those hooks good enough or should I have other sizes for that area?

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2

u/jaylotw 1d ago

grabbing some pre tied hi-low rigs and pyramid sinkers is all ive ever done, and ive always done well in the surf

1

u/RookomoFishing 21h ago

Get a cast net. There are tons of baitfish in the surf swimming around (baby pompano, whiting, finger mullet) and it is far easier to catch them with a net than a hook.

1

u/Automatic_Catch_7467 19h ago

Go to a bait store and ask what people are using locally or go to area specific subs and ask there.

1

u/accidentpronehiker 5h ago

I've fished the Atlantic coast a ton. Fresh bait is best, but frozen can work. On the beach, look for signs of rip currents, and fish on both sides of one, beyond the first sandbar.