Surf Fishing In The Gulf of Mexico

[MrGeezer]

In the near future I will have a 300+ foot wide stretch of pristine beach to myself for a week.  It's on an island in the Gulf.  There is a shallow beach break out to about 150'...then there is a sand bar that is partially above water, more so at low tide.  I am tricked out with two salt water specific rods and reels, 40 lb test line, same for the titanium 18" leaders and heavy duty 2" hooks.  I have some highly recommended top water lures, mid-water as well as bottom baits.

I used to go salt water fishing on the Outer Banks of North Carolina but I almost think this Gulf trip to be a different ballgame.

It's not reeling in a 12 pound Red Snapper that I am worried about -- I am worried about getting something on the line that could badly injure or even kill me. 

If I get a shark, sting ray, etc. on the line...that's nothing I want to reel in and say hello to.  I'm wondering do I just keep a pocket knife in my pocket and cut the line -- as well as cut the losses of line & rig?

When I was a youngin' the thought of reeling in a nurse shark, small hammerhead, or manta ray would have been an inticing and exciting prospect.  Being old, disabled and retired, I tend to be more cautious.

What would you do?

What rigs and lures would you recommend for fish that are good eating?  Since I'm house sitting for a friend LIVE BAIT is out of the question (per their requests...stinks up the fridge) I have some GULP shrimp/crab/etc, and the beach is well known for PLENTY of sand fleas--and I know many decent meal fish love sand fleas, but what else do you recommend?  Think...sometime in the next couple of months and on an island 5 miles off the coast.

I also plan to do some crabbin' for Blues and Florida Stone Crabs.  KFC will be on the last list to hit before the boat leaves.

Thank you in advance for your input.

[Curval]

Lemon sharks are what you need to watch out for...they troll the edges of the sand bars as the tide goes out looking for bonefish coming off the flats.  Be careful how far you wade out.

I assume they are in the Gulf as I have seen them (up close and personal) in the Caribbean Sea.

Definately have some clippers or a knife on hand to cut the line if necessary.

Can't help with rigs and lines, sorry.

[Randy1]

Just to make sure.  You can swim ?  Sand bars kill more non or poor swimmers than sharks.  People get caught on them at high tide.  Ask the locals.

[-ammo-]

Bull sharks are the indiscriminate biters down there. Very aggressive.  As the previous poster states, be careful of the riptides.

I used to fish a lot in Destin and PC beach but we used live or cut bait.  GL man!  I envy you having this opportunity.

[MrGeezer]

Just to make sure.  You can swim ?  Sand bars kill more non or poor swimmers than sharks.  People get caught on them at high tide.  Ask the locals.

Yes, I can swim and swim well.  I also plan to have some extra bouyancy on me.

When I worked radio in Raleigh/Durham it was a gift to go to the beach at least 1 or 2 weekends a month in good weather so I am hip to riptides and what to do if caught in one.   I DO NOT plan on going more than calf deep anyway and do the "Stingray Shuffle" in and out.  The 7" saltwater rod will help me get it "out there". 

I am not, by any stretch of the imagination in the same league as gwurzel.  THAT GUY is my surf fishing HERO.   

[mbailey]

I do alot of surf fishing off LBI in NJ...Fluke, Strippers, sharks etc etc.........talk to a local bait shop and see whats being pulled from the surf...and on what...Most bait shops will not so much give you an area to go...but they will let you see whats being pulled from the water. Also, most bait shops have a website...see if they post a fishing report...should help alot.

Another bit of advice...see if you can find any fishing forums that discuss that area.....If ya need a hand finding one let me know, ill help ya search.

Now, the most important thing about surf fishing is "reading the sand, and reading the waves" You want to try and find rips, and eddys in the water, these are highways for smaller baitfish heading out to deeper water and as such, areas where the bigger fish go for a meal.... A friend of mine posted an artical on a fishing forum i belong to ......Ive posted it below

Reading The Sand
http://njsaltwaterfisherman.com/forums/index.php?topic=3964.0

If you pull up a stingray....i usually will throw a wet beach towel over the tail..A large saturated towel is heavy enough so that the ray cant lift his tail (depending on the size of course...if u pull up one the size of n end table...just cut the line)..and then procede with unhooking him, flipping him over to get at his mouth....Most sharks, unless your fishing with wire will break your line...if not cut it, not worth tangeling with something if you dont feel comfortable doing it. Me i unhook them if i can, or cut the line...but i also make sure to use a hook that will dissolve after time.

Bait
Leave that up to the baitshop...see whats running at the time.....we get alot of Peanuts and Bunker and use them alot...I like cut bait as well....I like to cover mine with salt....also a nice long strip of squid, and some cutbait makes a nice presentation....problem is with recommending bait is that the species your fishing for down there are different from up here....but the one thing ive learned is that big fish like small fish  

Regarding the stink of live bait...just buy it in the morning and dump what u dont use..dont take it home..or in the evening  same thing

The GULP products are absolutly amazing....i use them all the time....and nothing beats a good Hi/lo rig...again depends on what your fishing for as to your choice of rig.....let me know what your looking at catching and ill see what i can find for ya.....
A bunch of us have a thread here been going a few years.....stop in and say hello, bet you will like it  

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,292918.0.html

Happy Catching!!

The real reason i Surf Fish.....Ive never seen a better painting than the one Mother Nature paints at Sunrise

My boy vs. striper

[MrGeezer]

thank you for the replies so far!

mbailey -- I owe you a few ice cold beers...those pics are AWESOME.

I know it's kind of an anomoly in fresh water, but stripers (not to be confused with exotic dancers/aka "strippers") come up out of the Gulf, up the Mississippi, then up the Ouichita River right here to Hot Springs National Park, AR.  There is a dam they can't get over (Remmel Dam) so they spawn all over that area.  50, 55, 60 lb stripers are not uncommon.  There is no way on the planet I could ever bring one in.

Oh, one of the things about this Island is that there are no bars, no convienience stores, no bait shops, no Caribu Coffee, no Mc Donalds, no causeway, no bridge, no internet, nada...zilch.  Just a handful of beach houses.  There are only two ways to get there, by boat or by air.  That complicates things a bit and rules out live bait, but I don't see that as a major handicap.  I do not mind raking for sand fleas and the beach is covered with them.  As I understand it from experienced guys, GULP is reallt the liquid and the live bait doppelganger is simply the "sure looks like it" after the fish sense and "smell" the attractant.

I am not afraid to wholeheartedly admit that saltwater surf fishing is something I know almost nothing about, but REALLY appreciate the wisdom of those who are experienced at it....so thank you all for posting (I appreciate it Curval...I was totally unaware of the perils of sandbars & lemon sharks)...and please kepp the pearls of wisdom coming -- I can use all the help I can get.

I would be VERY happy to catch something and eat it and NOT have it be the other way around.

[MrGeezer]

mbailey --  the thing the pole is resting in on the top pic.  I used to see those all the time on the Outer Banks.  Is that a piece of thick PVC?

[smoe]

mbailey --  the thing the pole is resting in on the top pic.  I used to see those all the time on the Outer Banks.  Is that a piece of thick PVC?

Yea, PCV is the most common and can be found in most shops.

I loved fishing the Outer Banks. The best thing about it is using the Sand Fleas for bait. Just grab a handful of sand in the surf and bingo, instant free bait.

Also, when using the PVC stands make sure your drag is set light enough so you don't lose your set to a large one.

[mbailey]

mbailey --  the thing the pole is resting in on the top pic.  I used to see those all the time on the Outer Banks.  Is that a piece of thick PVC?

No need for the beers....just post a pic of what u catch and we will call it even     

I made those....picked up some PVC at Lowes and cut them myself..angle cut one end and leave the other end straight across...I like to make mine 2ft long as my surf poles have a really long handle (they are 10ft poles)..it was really really cheap to do....buying one is just nuts

They make everything GULP.....if you go on line and google it there are lots of choices...I love Bucktailing from shore....bucktails are a lead head jig...and you can put a strip of Gulp Squid, or Gulp minnows (4")...cast and bounce

I bet if u do a Hi/lo rig with a bunch of sand fleas on the hooks...it would be worth a shot....


https://www.google.com/search?q=hi+lo+rig&biw=1127&bih=530&tbm=isch&imgil=b4u8p6rpHXtlvM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcQBqrpj7IGednbcz7RxvvCzzdhSSND8QI5aU44dl8c9tztG50iIsA%253B640%253B492%253B3jfs8lKrmnj7FM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.thefisherman.com%25252Findex.cfm%25253Ffuseaction%2525253Dpage.display%25252526page_id%2525253D66&source=iu&usg=__t8ZiEvMz8_S5QfUpt1lz0lqS7C8%3D&sa=X&ei=maQ9U-nuN8mp7Qa26YHwCA&sqi=2&ved=0CCoQ9QEwAQ#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=b4u8p6rpHXtlvM%253A%3B3jfs8lKrmnj7FM%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.thefisherman.com%252Fimages%252Fknots%252Fhighlow_bass.jpg%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.thefisherman.com%252Findex.cfm%253Ffuseaction%253Dpage.display%2526page_id%253D66%3B640%3B492

https://www.google.com/#q=Hi+lo+rig

https://www.google.com/#q=Hi+lo+rigBucktails
https://www.google.com/#q=Bucktails
Gulp Squid
http://www.iboats.com/Berkley-Gulp-Saltwater-Cut-Bait-Color-Squid/dm/view_id.907866?cm_mmc=Google_Main-_-Mall+Product+Listings%3AGoogle-_-+%3AMall+Product+Listings%3AGoogle-_-Gulp!&kw={keyword}&gclid=CMHsz4T1xL0CFW1nOgodZH0AFA
Gulp Minnows... I use Pink, chartruse and White
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Berkley-Gulp-Minnow-Grubs/703710.uts?productVariantId=1290230&WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=02422460&rid=40&channel=GoogleBaseUSA&mr:trackingCode=10208CCA-958E-DF11-A0C8-002219318F67&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla&mr:ad=30640524191&mr:keyword&mr:match&mr:filter=57965257871&gclid=CIOn15n1xL0CFUNqOgodLmQAWg&gclsrc=aw.ds

Found this on the web....will keep looking
http://www.saltwater-fishing-texas.com/surf-fishing.html

[Groth]

 When I was teenager(yes chillin's..loooong ago) I raced off-road motorcycles in and around San Felipe', Baja, California, Mexico in winter. Would swim in bay by that town, when tide went out was 1 mile or more of tidal-flats exposed..IE:was very shallow for very far from shore.
 Then the day came when watching local fishing boat(65+ft long..looked like trawler, cabin, booms etc) that was contracted by UCSB to cut tails off Sting-rays to make anti-venom..and they hauled one aboard that was soooo big it almost swamped their boat...
 NEVER swam, waded there again..went down 2 more years...
 And YES, I know they want nothing to do with humans....mant-ray shuffle?? Not this boy!
                          JGroth

[DaveBB]

The Gulf is teaming with stingrays and bull sharks.  Also lots of poisonous butterfly fish that like to sit on the bottom in very shallow water.

Just my experience from scuba diving in the Gulf.

[MrGeezer]

The Gulf is teaming with stingrays and bull sharks.  Also lots of poisonous butterfly fish that like to sit on the bottom in very shallow water.

Just my experience from scuba diving in the Gulf.

WOW     I had no idea Butterfltfish were poisionous.

[DaveBB]

I was using the wrong name.  Most people call them "sea robins".  Here is a picture of one, just don't step on it.