# Baitcasters for Surf Fishing.



## ihavenoideawhattoput (Aug 23, 2010)

Thought about getting a bait caster for surf fishing on the honeymoon.

I have a Abu 4600 C3 that I just picked up this past weekend for river fishing. I need some Practice.  My old surf kit was a spinner.

Is using a large bait caster for surf fishing just as big of a PITA, is the large learning curve still there or can you just pick it up and sling it out there. Wife will be fishing also. Would like to keep the combo under $100.

Anyone have some surf gear for sale?


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## Brine (Aug 24, 2010)

Well, there are two main distinctions on how you want to fish. If you're looking for distance, I think you would be much happier as a newbie with a spinning reel. If you were moving to the beach and you had lots of practice time, I'd feel different. That said, you can chunk a spinning reel rigged up right a looooooong way. I can cast a 4oz weight on my 11ft Ocean Master Rod with a Daiwa Emcast reel 100 yards fairly easy, and I'm no casting champion. I used to practice field goals on the local football field from end zone to end zone. Of course, there is lots of technique and practice involved with this too. Also quite a bit of safety concerns. When putting that much force into a cast, you have to make sure you're using a shock leader 10x the overall weight of what you're casting. Otherwise, you risk hurling a 3oz lead a 100mph down the beach. 

You can also go buy a walmart combo for 20-40 bucks, catch fish in the first trough, and be done with it. :lol: You also won't feel as bad if one of the reels locks up on you. 

I've caught (landed) a lot more fish 20 yards and less from the surf than out deep. The bites deep are usually better though! No telling what I've hooked and never saw. :twisted: Casting deep really shines when you have a sand bar that the long cast allows you to cast to (or over). If you want a workout, you can also tie on a casting spoon and hurl it 100 yards. I usually have to take a timeout after I reel in one of those things on the surface one time.


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## ihavenoideawhattoput (Aug 24, 2010)

Yea, my old combo was a 11' med/heavy with a spinner. I guess you are right I would enjoy it more with out the stress and I like long cast. There is a deep V that runs right up the coast and the big fish run up and down it all day. This is where I need to be. so I have heard, this will be my first time fishing the Outer Banks, heck i'm not sure I have ever even been there.


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## ihavenoideawhattoput (Aug 24, 2010)

Outer Banks Fishing Report

August 15, 2010

During the past few days, the weather did a real 360 and went from one extreme to the other. The Outer Banks saw some hot, wet and windy times, highlighted by a major thunderstorm on Thursday evening, but the fishing was pretty good for everyone. This morning the water temp from the USACE pier in duck was 79 degrees and it has been hovering in this range for several days.

The warm water accounted for a good showing of cobia, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel and bluefish from the piers. Avalon had kings up to 41 pounds and cobia in the mid-thirties. The piers north of Oregon Inlet also reported bluefish, triggerfish, sea mullet, pompano, croakers and sometimes two-at-a-time spot.

Ocracoke reported bluefish, pompano, plenty of sea mullet, quite a few sea mullets, a few keeper flounder and some very scattered puppy drum.

A brisk northeast wind slowed action along the North Beach for a day or so and made for some strong rip currents, but when conditions moderated the fishing improved with a few nice sized sea mullet and some pompano near Avon on sand fleas and fresh shrimp. Some flounder were caught on strips of squid. Bluefish were caught on cut bait and metal when the water was clear, and a few Spanish macks also fell for lures.

I also heard of a report of some keeper flounder in the Nags Head surf, taken on white Gulp! tails and lead head jigs.

Some keeper puppy drum were caught from the beach near Ramp 23, which re-opened this week.

Cape Point action was off and on. For a few days the bluefish and mackerel did not make an appearance, but when it was on, it was on! There were a few good runs of bluefish up to three pounds, some Spanish mackerel, a few puppy drum and I did hear reports of a massive school of tarpon and some big sharks in the shoals at the Point, but they were not in the range of surfcasters. For those that wanted to tussle with them, blacktip sharks up to five feet long were caught by beach anglers at the Point. Hatteras Inlet offered up some keeper flounder, and some sporadic runs of bluefish and Spanish macks.

Spot and sea mullet are scattered just about everywhere, and some nice sized sea mullet were caught north of Oregon Inlet.


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## Brine (Aug 24, 2010)

That should get you fired up!

Yep, I'd have one rod out deep for cobia and kings, and one shallow for the pomps!


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## ihavenoideawhattoput (Aug 24, 2010)

Brine said:


> That should get you fired up!
> 
> Yep, I'd have one rod out deep for cobia and kings, and one shallow for the pomps!




OH I can't wait. Screw the wedding i'm going fishing, LOL Might even have to have a rod in during the ceremony. Beach wedding, at sunset with torches for light. LOL I can see it now, 5' blacktip landing by the groom during his vowels. :lol: 

From what I have read so for the fishing really gets hot during the first weeks in Oct. Hopefully I get to post some good pics upon my return.


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