The 3 Rigs You Need for Surf Fishing

August 10, 2013 10:00 AM Text Size: A . A . A Summertime, and with surf fishing the dining can be as easy as tossing hooks and a sinker into the saltwater a few feet from your towel. "Chunk a hunk of shrimp into the waves and you never know what's going to bite?that's what people love about it," says Ryan White, owner of fishing outfitter Hatteras Jack in Rodanthe, N.C. "Kick back on the beach and catch a few rays while you catch dinner. Now, that's living."

You don't have to fish deep to fill a cooler. Flounder, redfish, and blues feed in three key spots: next to sandbar breaks, where wave action scoops out the beach profile, and in ?channels bordering sandbars. But having the right rig is important. Here's how to put together three: a pair that target brawny fish such as striped bass and blues, plus the basic double-drop bottom rig that catches nearly every pan-size fish found under the breakers.

1. Fishfinder Rig

The bait line slides up and down the main line, allowing live bait to swim freely. That's crucial for fish that carry their prize some distance before swallowing. Use a circle hook?a hook with the barb bent back toward the shank?and the fish will hook themselves. An added bonus: Fish rarely swallow circle hooks, making it easier to release fish and let them live to fight another day.
Targets: Redfish, striped bass

2. Fireball Rig

Brightly colored floats on the dropper lines lift the bait off the sea bottom so it can't be picked apart by tiny fish and marauding crabs. The fireball rig attracts fish that hunt by sight.
Targets: Bluefish, striped bass

3. Double-Drop Bottom Rig

Extend two dropper lines, each tipped with a hook, from the main line. A sinker anchors the rig in place. Some bottom rigs use colored beads, which make them more visible in rough, roily waters. Bait with fresh shrimp or live mole crabs. This is the go-to rig, White says, "if you just want to catch whatever's out there."
Targets: Atlantic croaker, flounder, spot, whiting, speckled trout

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/recreation/fishing/the-3-rigs-you-need-for-surf-fishing-15789075?src=rss

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