"I am a beginner surf fisherman.  I have a tackle box all set up for
the bay and now I want to make up a separate tackle box for the surf.
What should I put in my new surf box?"


 First of all, make sure you get a tackle box big enough to put all
your gear in. I would suggest a three-tray tackle box if you plan to
become a serious surf fisherman, mainly because the surf tackle tends
to take up more room then the bay tackle. The sinkers are bigger and
the rigs are larger.


 Surf fishing is fairly simple and anglers rarely get snagged in the
surf.  One can make due with a couple sinkers, two or three rigs, and
a 5-gallon bucket.  But if you want to be prepared and make up a
quality surf box,  there are a number of things that you should have
in your box.


 I would start with sinkers. If you are a bay fisherman you probably
have plenty of bank, egg, and bass cast sinkers.  In the surf, you
need sinkers shaped to hold in the sand. These are pyramid, hurricane,
and sputnik sinkers. The most popular sinkers in our area are the
irregularly shaped hurricane sinkers, also called "storm" sinkers,
because they hold better per ounce then the traditional pyramid
sinkers. The sizes you will use the most are 3, 4 and 5-ounce
hurricane weights. On rough days, you may need some 6's and 8's if you
have a rod that will handle this much weight. On a calm day, if you
have a light plugging rod, you may want to have some 2-ounce hurricane
sinkers as well.


 "Why would I want pyramid sinkers if the hurricane sinkers hold
better?"


 If you only fish once in a while, you probably don't need to have
both. But if you fish often, you will find that some days, you want
the wave to pick up your sinker just a little and move it slowly
towards shore as you hold the rod and wind in the slack. Anglers that
fish for kingfish (whiting) often use this tactic.  Sea trout
(weakfish) also like a slightly moving target.  The hurricane sinkers
dig in so good, that this tactic is harder to do with them.  I like to
keep a few 3 and 4-ounce pyramid sinkers in the box. One or two bank
sinkers in the 3 to 4 ounce range can also be used when the surf is
incredibly calm and you want to bounce your rig back in or cast and
retrieve for flounder.


 "What is a sputnik sinker?"


 Sputnik sinkers have retractable wires held in place with plastic
beads. They come in 2, 4, and 6-ounce sizes.   The wires dig way into
the sand keeping them in place when regular sinkers will not hold.
When you reel back in, the wires will come out of their slots and
disengage, so you can get your sinker back in without breaking your
line.  These sinkers are really wonderful when the surf is so rough
nothing else will hold. When I fish with my light 8 1/2 foot St. Croix
surf rod I opt to use a two-ounce sputnik rather than throwing a
4-ounce hurricane sinker.  On rough days, when I am using my slightly
heavier surf rod, I opt to use a four-ounce sputnik rather than
throwing a 6 or 8-ounce hurricane sinker.  Anglers with tennis elbow
or bad shoulders should always have a couple sputniks in their boxes.


 "If the sputnik sinkers hold so good, why don't you use them all the
time?"


 Their only disadvantage is that they dig in so good, that it is
harder to feel a bite because when the fish nibbles, the sinker stays
dug in the sand. Only a big firm grab will disengage the sinker.





 The next most important items for your tackle box are surf rigs. It's
good to have a variety with different hook sizes for different
occasions and times of year.  Sea Striker fireball rigs are a definite
must. They are called "bluefish rigs" but can be used for almost any
fish that swims by. The rigs are high/low rigs with one red round
float and one yellow round float. They come in two different sizes and
in either wire or monofilament. The monofilament ones are labeled on
the back of the rig- DT-1 and DT34. The wire ones are DT-1S and DT34S.
The smaller monofilament one, DT34, is one of my favorite rigs. I like
monofilament rigs over wire because the leader does not get kinked up
as quickly. Trout and stripers can be leader-shy and prefer the
monofilament leader.  But- if you are targeting bluefish, opt for the
wire.







 Mullet rigs are important surf rigs in the spring and fall. You
should always have a couple of these in your box.  These rigs are used
to insert a whole finger mullet on a hook  without having to cut the
bait.




Deluxe finger mullet rigs have a split, two-hook treble hook that can
be removed allowing you to push a wire rod through the mouth of a
finger mullet and out the anus. It has a 3-way way swivel with a
Duo-lock snap to attach the sinker. It also has a big pear-shaped
float so the finger mullet stays off the bottom away from crabs.





Another kind of finger mullet rig is a local custom rig "mullet rig"
made out of a #9418 hook. The same principle applies to these rigs.
You detach the hook, insert the point of the hook into the anal canal
of the mullet and bring it out its mouth. Then you re-attach the hook.
In both instances with both of these rigs, a double hook is situated
at the anal canal which is near the tail of the mullet.  When the
predator fish comes up to take a bite out of the mullet's back end, it
winds up with your hook!  (Hopefully.)


 


Mullet rigs have detachable hooks that can be replaced. So the next
obvious things you would want in your box, along with mullet rigs are
extra mullet hooks, in case your hooks gets lost, bent, or rusty.


 Another very popular rig every surf tackle box should have is a
kingfish rig.  These rigs are made out of size #6 or #8 hooks and have
smaller surf floats. These are the rigs you want to be using when you
are using bloodworms for bait when fishing for spot, kingfish
(whiting), blowfish, or small trout. In the middle of the summer, when
the water is warm, these rigs catch fish.

To order surf rigs visit our stores or Order Online. 


 Next, be sure to have some snap swivels in your new tackle box. One
should always attach a snap swivel to the end of your line and then
attach the rig. Snap swivels will help keep your line from twisting. I
would choose a size #3 or #1 for all around surf fishing.


 Some people like to surf fish with fish finder rigs. If you like
these, always make sure you have some in your tackle box. A fish
finder rig is a very simple, inexpensive rig that allows your sinker
to swing free so you can totally eliminate line twist. It also allows
the fish to pick up a bait without feeling the weight of the sinker.
Thus, they are called "fish finder" rigs.  To use a fish finder rig,
feed your line, directly from your rod and reel, through the plastic
sleeve of the fishing finder rig. Then you attach a snap swivel to the
very end of your line and attach a single leadered hook or single
leadered surf floater hook to the swivel. Many people like to use the
fish finder rig when fishing for stripers.





 The next important thing you want to have in your tackle box is some
monofilament or Fluorocarbon leader material in the 30 to 50 pound
test range. You may also want to have some steel leaders or the new
knottable leader wire in case you get into some toothy critters. If
you like to tie your own hooks be sure to have a selection of loose
hooks, preferably extra sharp hooks. Most striper anglers like to use
circle hooks in the #3/0 to #8/0 range. If you don't tie your own
hooks, a couple packs of leadered hooks along with some top and bottom
rigs are always nice to have.


 Your surf tackle box wouldn't be complete without something to cut
your line with such as scissors or clippers. A pair of needle nosed
pliers is a must when dealing with blues, sharks, and skates. A knife
is also a very good idea. If you are using the new Spectra Lines such
as Power Pro finger guards are almost a necessity as the thin diameter
lines can cut your finger. Even regular monofilament on a windy day
throwing heavy weight can be murder on your index finger. I always
make sure I have a couple in my box.


 I like to have a little stone or hook file to sharpen up the hooks on
my rig if the hooks get dull.  A tape measure to make sure your fish
are legal if you don't have a ruler on your cooler is another good
idea. A tool to cut thru wire is nice if you want to disassemble a
wire rig and use the parts to tie up another. A couple plastic zip
lock bags to put your used rigs back in, helps your tackle box stay
neater.


 "What about lures?"

 


 Always have some lures in your box in case you see the fish breaking.
Hopkins Lures, Gator Spoons, Krocodile Spoons, Stingsilvers,
MirrOlures, Storm Lures, and Windcheaters are a few suggestions.


 Good fishing.