Test your hand at surf fishing. It is one of the most enjoyable and scenic ways to go fishing!

Here in Beaufort, SC we are blessed to have some wonderful opportunities to surf fish!

The benefits of surf fishing

Surf fishing is an art unto itself. It can be as simple or complex as you want to make it. One of the best things about it is that it requires very few items. I often take one rod and a handheld cooler to the beach. Sometimes, I bring my fly rod and a box of flies instead. For longer days, a surf cart with a few rods, and a larger cooler make for a nice trip. Sometimes, I ride my bike on the beach with one rod in my hand. This allows me to cover a huge distance quickly in search of good spots. Every year, the beaches change, and scouting it at low tide can help you determine where to fish.

You can bring as many or as few people as you want. Often times I will go surf fishing with my family. Surf fishing is a great activity for the entire family. Kids love the ocean. Adults, if they are not into fishing, can bring a beach chair and enjoy the day.

Types of fish you can catch in the surf in Beaufort, South Carolina.

While not an exhaustive list, here are some of the types of fish you encounter at the beach here:

• Red drum
• Black drum
• Speckled trout
• Whiting
• Sting rays
• Sharks – lemon’s, black tips, bulls, sandbars, sharp-nosed, etc.
• Pompano
• Small jack crevalle
• Tarpon

Best times of year to surf fish here.

Surf fishing is a spring, summer, fall affair here in Beaufort, SC. Once the water gets too cold in January and February, the fish are going to move off to more stable water temperatures. That means you have 9-10 months of surf fishing. My favorite months for surf fishing are April through the end of November with an emphasis on summer and fall.

Surf fishing techniques for Beaufort, South Carolina.

There are many ways to surf fish. The scope of this article is light tackle surf fishing with spinning gear and fly fishing. Several local specialists target the surf for very large sharks and tarpon. They use more sophisticated means to target those fish with continual success not covered in this article.

Fly fishing gear for surf fishing.

The best all-around setup for fly fishing the surf here is an 8wt rod with an intermediate line. The intermediate line has two major advantages for the surf. It gets down into the strike zone, and it is easier to cast into the wind than a floating line.

Fly selection is personal preference, but I like clousers and deceivers. Other gear that helps in the surf is a stripping basket, waders and boots for when it is colder.

Light tackle spinning gear for surf fishing.

From 7′ to 12′ rods rigged with 4000 – 8000 spinning reels in line weights from 20-40. This selection covers everything from whiting to smaller sharks.

In light tackle fishing, the rod and reel selection is determined by the types of bait and weight used. For example, if the surf is rough it may be required to throw a 5 oz weight to get a shrimp to hold the bottom. I bring rods that can comfortably throw 2-6 oz pyramids.

Typical baits include fresh shrimp and mullet. The key to the bait is that it should be fresh. You either catch it yourself or buy it from someone who has recently caught it. For general surf fishing, you can’t beat fresh shrimp; you will catch a variety of different fish using it. If you are specifically targeting sharks, bull reds, or tarpon, you can use mullet.

I keep my rigs for surf fishing simple. I tie up a high low for shrimp. I use a sliding surf rig for fishing a live mullet or cut mullet. For shrimp, I usually use a 1/0 circle. For mullet, I size the hook to the size of the mullet, ranging from 3/0 to 8/0. I fish primarily in the breakers and sometimes just beyond the first breaking wave.

If you are visiting the area or live here, give surf fishing a try. It is one of the most fun ways to get outside and enjoy fishing!

Tight Lines, Captain Randy

Check out some of our surf fishing catches from Beaufort County, South Carolina!