The Best Surf Fishing Rigs

These three simple rigs will catch any fish in the waves anywhere in the country

By Joe Cermele / Field & Stream

Surf fishing and be a bit intimidating to the uninitiated. It’s you against a vast ocean, and even though some lakes are huge, you still feel like the fish are confined enough that you have a shot. Dialing in the perfect spots on a beach, however, takes some luck in the beginning, but with just a bit of experience, prime cuts and troughs, as well as ideal tides, will emerge. None of it means anything, though, if you can’t present a bait to your surf targets properly. And make no mistake, just casting a bait into the waves and the keeping it in place is more challenging than lobbing out a worm for catfish on the lake.

A bait soaking in the surf is at the mercy of the push and pull of the waves, which means certain rigs and components are necessary to counteract the rough environment. Outlined here are the three most common and effective surf fishing rigs. No matter your target species or where you’re fishing throughout the country, they’ll produce. By altering the style of sinker you use, the size and shape of the hook, and the strength and length of the leader material you incorporate, there is no bait these rig can’t properly deliver and fish effectively. We’ll start by explaining how to build each surf fishing rig, and then break down a few key components to better help you attack your home beach. CONTINUE READING ARTICLE