What’s The Best Bait For Beach Fishing?
Beach fishing is one activity that many would love because it is fun, exciting, and productive. It is done whenever you and your family decide to go to the beach for a short swim or getaway. Beach fishing or also known as surf fishing, is referred to as any sort of fishing, starting from rocky beaches, sandy, rock jetties, and even in fishing piers.
What’s the best bait for beach fishing? In beach fishing, you can use either the artificial or the natural baits. In artificial bait, it includes spinnerbaits as well as the top waters bass fishing baits. While in natural bait, you can use a squid, crab, clams, and a shrimp.
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In this article, I will run down some of the best bait you can use when beach fishing. Plus, I will give you the best fishing equipment that you will be needing on your next beach fishing.
Artificial Baits
If you are beach fishing, you can go for artificial baits like the spinnerbaits.
- Spoon Hards Bait – When we said beach fishing, first comes to mind in the waves, and sometimes these waves are big. If you are looking for artificial baits that can weather the waves, choose Spoon Hards Bait.
Because it won’t get twisted, and it sends a unique zig-zag motion through the water. Plus, it doesn’t weaken your line and can get fish’s attention because it comes with different colors.
- Spoons And Soft Plastic Baits – If you want a beach fishing bait that stood the best of time, Spoons And Soft Plastic Baits is for you. It’s in every surf fisherman’s tackle box.
Plus, it comes in different shapes and sizes. That is why it catches most anything on the shore. It is also a durable bait, which is helpful because it lets you catch more fish.
Natural Baits For Beach Fishing
Squid
We know that squid is one smelly attraction, making it excellent for beach fishing. BeachSurf fishers use squid as bait all over the world because it is effective for attracting fish.
Aside from that, they also use it as bait because it is widely available. You can easily find squid in most supermarkets and you can use it either frozen or fresh. On the other hand, fresh works well with any bait.
To make a squid bait, you should thread the line with a whole squid, from its head to bottom. Then do the piercing with the hook, twist it and then come back through the squid.
Pull the line slowly through and repeat this process until the hook is near to the eyes. Finish it by putting the hook from the other side of the eyes to the other.
Also, remember to take some elasticated cotton and the squid from the shank of the hookup. Then back to the squid, this will help you not to fall out the bait while casting.
Crab
Is the most common and inexpensive beach fishing bait. The Types of crabs that work as bait are the mole, pass, sand, and blue crabs.
But if you are having a difficult time finding them, you can go to some local bait shop near the shoreline. When you have the crab, the next thing to do is to rig them up.
The best place to rig a crab is at the location of their eggs. Knowing fish will go after the crab’s eggs. That is why it’s better if you hook it there. Put the hook on the opposite of the eggs.
Once you have gotten through the shell, twist it back through the crab. The hook should wind up right next to it and make sure that you won’t puncture the egg sack.
Clams
Is a great beach fishing bait to attract fish and is the most popular among beach fishers. To make a clam bait, you need to remove them from the shells, then cut the two muscles.
You can do this by sliding the knife on each side of the clam, but avoid not to cut its body. After cutting those muscles, you can also use what’s in its body as bait.
It means, the two membranes, the body, and its stomach. The stomach has a strong smell that helps attract fish.
Shrimp
It is considered a very easy, and abundant beach fishing bait. It is also every beach fisher’s favorite bait to use because they can use both dead and live shrimp.
Just know that both need to be rigged differently. Rigging the shrimp is one delicate issue, you need to hook the shrimp in a proper place to stay alive.
If you rig the shrimp in front, you need to avoid its brains, which are found behind its eyes, the dark spot. Because if you aren’t careful, they will die instantly.
Carefully hook in between its brain and eyes by putting the hook on the shrimp’s side near its body. Then firmly push it but slowly through the opposite side for the barb to not do extra damage.
Then push the hook through the trail to its last section. Next is to push firmly on the other side to the opposite side through the center of its last tail section.
Lists Of Beach Fishing Gear
Surf Fishing Rod Holders
This gear will help you keep your rod and reels out of the sand. Yes, you can buy it, but you can also make one of these. By using a three-foot length PVC pipe, you now have a DIY rod holder.
Cut at a specific point at one end for driving into the sand using a hacksaw. Then pack a rubber mallet into the sand, if you need it only.
A Beach Cart
Handmade carts can be purchased mostly at tackle shops or beach-area bait. The price will be according to what you specifically need. Just remember that it should be wide and roll freely.
List Of Beach Fishing Tools You Need
- Bait knife
- pliers
- nail clippers
- gloves
- Beach Fishing Sinkers
- Special or Basic Rigs
- Lures
What To Watch For When Beach Fishing
Undercurrents
Since you are wading out on the shore, expect that there are undercurrents from time to time. Sometimes it’s quite strong and can be a drowning hazard too. That’s why it’s better to take precautionary measures as much as possible.
Debris
We can’t remove the fact that the ocean is prone to any debris like the sandals. Even if the shoreline looks clean, still other things can be washed up in our sight.
You should opt to look for dark water, and your cues will be the birds on where to start catching fishes. There are also manmade hazards that you need to look out for, including some lost fishing gear.
It includes the lobster or the longline gear, so it is better to look out for these when beach fishing.
Dangerous Ocean Animals
You should lookout for a jellyfish or any other biting ocean animals, too, when beach fishing. Especially if you’re a type of angler that wants to go fishing barefooted. Stingray is the super dangerous ocean life, so better check first for it before making a step.
License And Permits
Yes, as much as you wanted to go beach fishing, unfortunately, you can’t. License and permits will always depend on the state you’ll be fishing, or you live at.
Also, the requirements for these may differ too. Like in a Florida Atlantic Coast, they need you to submit a free resident shoreline license.
You can only obtain it online from the Florida Fish And Wildlife Commission, and those non-residents should purchase a three day, seven days, or an annual non-resident saltwater fishing license.
But it’s for saltwater fishing from the shore, pier, bridge attached to the shores only. Know that shoreline license is not applicable if you’re fishing from a boat.
However, there are service fees that you still need to settle before you can fish.
Crowd
Beaches are full of tourists, especially during the summer. If this is the case, it’ll be hard for you to beach fishing because you might hit them with your rod.
But you can avoid this kind of peak hours if you go there very early in the morning. Fishes are indeed better at night, and it’s also true that they come in shallow waters.
It is also not safe to cast when there’s a kayak or windsurfer around the area. So better make sure that there’s nothing of this kind insight when you’re beach fishing.
What Is The Best Time To Beach Fish?
Most beach fishing beginners tend not to know first when it’s best to do it. They must be reminded to consider the tide, watch out for ebb, and the flow of currents. Some fishes get trapped in between the beach and sandbars or a reef because of the flow of the water.
Conclusion
Overall, the best baits you can use for beach fishing are the natural baits than the artificial baits. With the natural baits, fishes are more likely to get attracted to its natural smell than that of the artificial.
Aside from that, there are some factors that you need to watch out first before fishing because some states don’t allow beach fishing.
