edhank wrote:
For yinz that hit the beaches in the fall, for the fall migration of stripers, do you explore with spinning tackle and once fish are found, go after them with fly tackle? Or do you strictly fly fish?
I hit IBSP yesterday at the end near Barneget Inlet and fished about two hours. I find fishing the surf very frustrating. Vastness everywhere. I checked out Betty and Nicks web site this morning and discovered fish were caught near area 7. I was at area 23. Does the area make that much of a difference?
I am thinking of exploring with spin surf tackle might be the way to go. Thoughts/advice?
I spent my Saturday helping a bunch of anglers get started with a surf FFing class at IBSP. We stayed in one area for the class and really didn't catch a lot (a few schoolie stripers and sundials) but we all had fun. The wind was fairly light and from the west, making casting a "breeze", if you will.
The surf is vast, but fishing is fishing. I suggest approach surf fishing the same as any other types of fishing; accumulate and use all the knowledge you can.
Think of fishing the surf like fishing a trout stream or river. Read the water, focus on high probability spots, change up techniques, rigs and flies, match the hatch or forage, etc.
Below I embedded a great video on how to read the surf to get you started on reading the water:
During the prime time at the beach with ideal water temps and "the run" happening, it is possible to get into into fish if you work at it, or not...that's fishing. A "slow pick" is not much different in a trout stream working the water nymphing as it is in surf when working prime spots along the beach. The same for when a hatch suddenly erupts on a trout river or a blitz appears at the beach. Be prepared to fish in whatever conditions you find happening at the time.
Fishing is fishing as far as reports go too. Because we now live in a time of instant gratification; if you hear a report about a blitz off the beach, stocking at the bridge hole, or a blizzard hatch on a stream; a flash mob is likely to appear to cash in and slay'um. I read reports for quite the opposite reason; if there's a report of a bliz, or stocking, or blizzard hatch; I know what places to avoid.
As far as spin fishing, I don't own a spin rod, so I may be the wrong person to ask. The one thing I can tell you, if you grab your spin rod every time the wind is up, or down, or the fish are too deep, too shallow, or the water's too cold, too warm, too clear, too muddy, too weedy....blah, blah, blah....you will never really learn how to fly-fish. And more important, at least to me, you will never get the sense of satisfaction of putting together one more piece of the vast and complex puzzle which is our great sport.
If you can get past the idea, the object of the sport is to catch as many fish and biggest fish you can each time out, you will get a lot more satisfaction from your time spent on the water fly-fishing.
Just go with the flow, try to learn something each time out, and be sure to enjoy yourself.
