Any surf fishermem out there?

[Irish]

Hey guys, just scored myself a surf rod. Wondering if anyone here surf fishes.

Any tips for a beginner?

[MEGOMONSTER]

Don't fish the surf that much but when we go for salmon and other bycatch, we go to Joanna blue beach, great surf good gutters. Terrible walk with all your shit.

Biggest tip for surf fishing is know your tides and most of all, learn how to read the surf to find the gutters on the beach.
Not the easiest thing to learn.
Also try to look at the sand above the water, if it slops quickly than the water may be deeper closer to shore or if it tapers slowly then it's likely to be too shallow where your sinkers land.

Oh, and make a bucket of berley and throw in the sand in the wash.

I think it's portsea back beach has a great gutter right near the end of the car park.

But tides, gutters, berley, early-early starts and company, cos sometimes it can be slow going.

Also the biggest gutters are not always at high tide, some beaches have better gutter when the tide is low.

A good little whiting spot off the beach is I think Torquay, anyway on the Great Ocean road, there is a wooden arch at the beginning, park there straight away and walk straight down to the beach and there is always a gutter near there.

[Alitis007]

Find an old back pack to put your gear in to carry like sinker, hooks ect ect, how big is the rod ?? I use 12' rods i use rod holders that i made but i stole the design from ones you can buy at the shops but we used to use PVC pipes with the bottom cut on an angle to wedge into the sand. Is there anything specific you want to know ?? 25456 thats what i use

[MEGOMONSTER]

Perfect beach fishing above. High rod angle in the holders.

[Alitis007]

Maybe we should try black rock off the surf saturday afternoon?? But its gona be a bit windy tho, and it would be easier to show you out set ups2545925460

[DX grunt]

Shame you're in Melbourne.

My first salmon
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af279/DXgrunt/DX%20grunt/Holiday%20pics/MyfirstSalmon003.jpg

Rossco

[jack]

Good salmon fishing at Wild Dog Creek at Apollo Bay and Marengo beach about 5ks further down. And for those after something a little bigger try the 100kg plus Tuna around Easter also good fishing from the Pier for Squid and just about everything else. For those taking a boat out you'll need to be experienced, conditions can be tricky. Plenty of crays and abalone for divers, just need to know where to look.
All round nice area and surrounded by the Otways for a bit of 4WDing.

[macca86]

Fresh dart skinned and bled caught on light gear for breakfast with fresh pipis dug from the beach. A breakfast treat

[threedogs]

Stinky beach Kilcunda for an easy drive from melb or Bemm river for long weekend.
Bemm caters for fisherman. Powlett river just past Kilcunda also worth trying
You'll need a licence to fish any victorian waters salt and/or fresh

[gaddy]

Spot on macca best camping breaky, Depends on where your fishing keep it light no need for big leads as no natural bait sits still in the surf nothing more relaxing than pullin worms and fishing a nice gutter, make sure the gutter has a entry and exit

Gaddy

[Cuppa]

Have only surf fished once. Seemed the golden rule was ...... have a rod long enough to get out to where the fish are!
I was at a very popular fishing beach in north west WA, 80 Mile Beach, & was having to wade out almost to chest deep with my piddly 7' rod! Didn't catch a damn thing, but others were puling in metre+ Threadfin Salmon. Was later given a 16' 3 piece surf rod for Xmas, but decided it was too long & unwieldy for me, so exchanged it for a 3 piece 13 footer. Haven't had the oportunity to use it yet.

Photos - Yours truly in the foreground - surf fishers as far as the eye can see.
Threadfin salmon - were getting pulled in left right & centre - 80 were caiught that day. A bloke in the caravan park was filleting them for $5 a time (money to the RFDS).

[Alitis007]

I always wanted to fish off the west coast, all the fish look like they are on steroids!!! Must be something in the water lol

[threedogs]

Mates old man was best caster I've ever seen using a 17 ft surf rod, walks down to water dragging rod tip in the sand.
waits for wave to recede and follows then POW lets rip and in one action its out past the last row of waves and in the gutter.
pretty to watch thats for sure. QLD favour the side caster I think
Anywhere tropical just a shiny hook will get rewarded. lol

[Irish]

Thanks for the tips guys:-)

[wouldnot]

Tip for surf fishing is to check the beach at low tide so you can see where the gutters are.

Fish for a specific species, not just whatevers biting. When you go for a species you will get the right bait and rig setup.

[Waza]

Learn how to catch beach worms and it's all downhill from there !

[gmoneeeee]

www.tides4fishing.com I track the ol' Solunar chart. Its good to know when and where the tide is and plan for a good day if you can. Dusk and dawn have always treated me well for an increase in the bite.

[threedogs]

Full moon will keep sea lice at bay. 90 mile beach in Vic good for Gummy and school shark,
as well as Portsea back beach. Been years since I've been we used
to use fuse wire to tie Pillies or whitebait on hook. 2oz star sinker