Every year my family and I drive the 6 hours from Halifax Nova Scotia to my favorite salt water surf fishing spot in New Brunswick. The fish that I travel to get is the popular sport fish called striped bass.
How I fish for striped bass in this area is from the beach. Surf fishing for striped bass has been an exciting and effective way to catch these large fish. Surf fishing is not a hugely popular sport in Nova Scotia, so I needed to teach myself the techniques needed. I watched how the locals fished for stripers and applied some of their techniques to my own fishing. I would like to share some of these techniques in this article.
How do you surf fish for striped bass? To surf fish for striped bass on the East Coast you need a robust rod at least 9 feet long, a robust surf casting spinning reel or salmon reel, at least 20lb monofilament line, 3-4 oz fishing weights, a medium to large barbless circle hook, and a leader or bait rig set up. My favorite bait to use for striped bass fishing is squid.
Table of Contents
Rod
I was fortunate enough that my step dad is from Australia and surf fishing is apparently common over there. He gave me an older 20 foot telescopic surf casting rod.
I must say that using a rod this length isn’t necessary for catching striped bass but I find that it is great for getting the bait past the breakers where the larger stripers are. It is true that in the area I fish the stripers will chase the bait fish right close to the shore in the surf, however I have had much success catching the larger striped bass casting just beyond where the waves begin to break.
One of the other rods that my wife uses was purchased at Cabellas. Its around 9 feet long and medium action. It is from the Power Plus Trophy Class line. It is a good solid rod for the size of fish we are going for.
Reel
If you starting out surf casting I would recommend using a robust spinning style reel such as a reel specifically made for surf casting. However, you can use other larger reels such as ones used for salmon fishing since we are dealing with a similar sized species.
Line
When it comes to line I personally use 20-25lb monofilament line and it works fine. I have heard that there can be complications with using braided line unless you have more experience. I just haven’t seen the need to switch and the price point of monofilament is the best. It is important to learn how to properly tie your fishing knot and to replace the line if it is showing signs of wear. You would also want to use a leader or a bait rig. Do not tie directly onto the hook particularly if using bait since you will be dragging the bait along the bottom as well as the fish fins are sharp and can damage or cut the line. I order my bait rigs from amazon because I can get a pack for less than what the local shops sell.
Fishing Weights
If fishing with bait you will need to using fishing weights. Using a 3-4 oz weight will be sufficient to hold your bait under most surf conditions. I personally use either a pyramid style weight or a circle weight. The pyramid style I find is best for holding to the bottom. I have run into difficulties where the bottom is soft muck, this weight can be so effective that it becomes virtually stuck to the bottom.
Hooks
I personally use barbless circle hooks. It is law in certain areas but it is true that there is less damage to the fish when catch and releasing it. It requires a little more skill to fish with barbless without the added advantage of a barb you must keep the pressure on the fish not letting the line become slack. I find that using squid bait is the best when fishing barbless hooks because they hold to the hook more effectively. Salted herring is another bait that striped bass like however its lifespan in the water is much shorter than squid. As the fish absorbs the water it becomes softer and more prone to falling off the hook.
Waders
An indispensable part of your surf casting gear are fishing waders. I would purchase a quality pair of waders. They should be relatively light weight (not rubber) since you will be actively fishing with them for long periods of time. Waders allow you to go into the surf and access various areas. Even if you don’t need to wade into the surf they are great if you can partially wade into the surf to land a fish or when the tide is coming in and you want to be able to throw your bait out a little further under windy conditions.
Technique
It takes a bit of practice to surf fish. This is particularly the case when fishing with weight. There are vaious types of casting techniques that you can emply for throwing the bait out, here are a few:
Off The Ground Cast
The off the ground cast can help you get a lot of power quickly. The key to getting this technique right is releasing at the correct time.
The Pendulum Cast
The pendulum cast can be used to get distance on your cast. There is no one way to pendulum cast some keep the line half the length of their pole others employ other lengths and techniques. Best thing is to get out and practice this technique and use what works best.
The Overhead Cast
The overhead cast is your standard fishing cast. This cast works fine if you want to cast just beyond or in the the surf, which most of the time is where the fish are feeding. This cast just takes a lot of practice until you are comfortable. You can begin by casting with light power and then slowly increase your power as you get more comfortable.
Gloves
Striped bass have spiky fins that can cut the skin. If you are landing a fish it is a good idea to protect your hands unless you are using a fish gripper which I haven’t tried. I use a pair of neoprene gloves which give me the added protection and they have a rubber palm that really helps grip the fish.
So the following was an overview of how to surf fish for striped bass. I have had success catching stripers in the surf and I really find this type of fishing very exciting. It combines a beautiful setting with the smell of the sea, I look forward to my striped bass fishing and you will too if you give it a try.
