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NY, NJ, CT, RI Edition
September 01, 2009
Volume 20 � Number 9
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Nor'east Saltwater Online Magazine powered by:
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Reaching the Outer Bar: Long Distance Surf Fishing
by Leonard White
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This article is timely, as the South shore beaches have had huge pods of bunker roaming off them for several weeks now. This is a blessing and a curse at the same time. There are some days when bass and blues will push the bunker into the troughs and fishing on the beach can yield some great catches especially for those that fish the night tides. Other days, the main body of fish stay outside the outer bar with big bass riding herd on the numerous bunker pods. With so much bait outside the outer bar it gives little reason for the predators to come close to shore. They are more than happy to stay in the safety of the deeper water with a big supply of bait to satisfy them. This scene can play out during the daytime and make a grown man cry. Seeing bunker being harassed by bass with birds diving just out of reach of the beach fisherman can leave the surf crowd pulling their hair out. We just can’t reach them and they just never seem to come closer to shore. If only we could put a chunk within close range to them. Does that mean you can’t catch some impressive cows close to shore during late night tides on certain conditions when these bunker pods are off the beach? Of course not. Certain factors like wind direction can urge them closer. However, this article details a niche fishing technique for when you need to tweak some extra distance on your cast and close the gap to where the fish are feeding. No one is probably better at this fishing than the boys at OBX. They use these techniques on a regular basis to land drum of impressive sizes. Certainly larger than most bass you will see caught in our waters.
Rods
Big stout rods capable of heaving 8 ounces and bait are required. Hence the moniker 8 and bait. Serious South shore chunkers love the Lamiglas GSB 1361 MH. It’s a classic 8 and bait rod capable of launching 8, 10 even 12 ounces and half a bunker. If you don’t believe me just try it out and see for your self. This is the rod of choice for many South shore diehard chunkers. Hatteras Heaver rods in the 11 and a half-foot range like the Outcast 1625, Breakaway 1509 or Rainshadow equivalent will also do the job. The extra length will aid in casting range, as the casting arc of these bigger rods is larger. The larger the casting arc the more force transmitted through the rod and equating to a longer cast. Just be careful with the Outcast where 8 and bait is probably the limit. The Lamiglas 1361 and Breakaway 1509 or Rainshadow equivalent are big fish beaters and are known to be able to cast big weight with ease.
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Reels
One of the keys to this type of fishing is becoming proficient in using a conventional reel. These reels will aid in longer casts especially when using big sinkers, not to mention give you the power to control large fish in big currents. If you are worried about using a conventional reel, don’t be, many reels can be magged and tricked out. I am not talking about what you buy from the manufacturer. Again the guys down South have this down. A quick Google search will land you multiple bait and tackle shops down South that can make custom magged reels out of your favorite reels. They build custom side plates, add better drag washers, bearings and grease. You name it and they could do it. Reels like the Penn 525 and many of the Abu’s can all be tricked out in this way. The rare earth magnets they add to the reels make them very user friendly. They are worth the cost. The levers or knobs they put on these custom side plates allows you to change the mag setting even during mid cast. By carefully adjusting the tension you can eliminate the need to thumb the spool and slow down the reel, which can ultimately lose casting distance. They will all but eliminate bird’s nest forever.
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Tricked up bearings can add a lot of distance to your cast!
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Fishing Montauk: A Surfcaster’s Dream |
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Surf Fishing on a Budget |
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Up to Features |
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