Surf fishing: a beginner's guide!

The immensity of the sea holds an incomparable variety of life. Some of the tastiest and most appreciated fish in the world are certainly marine, in addition to true giants, which guarantee a lot of adrenaline and fight when reeling them in.

Beach fishing offers a taste of saltwater fishing without requiring much. It's an interesting activity for those who want to enhance their vacation activities and start getting to know sea fishing.

To start practicing beach fishing properly, how about we talk about the ideal conditions first? Check it out:

Ideal conditions for beach fishing

Fishing from the beach or rocky shores, you need to secure the ideal spots, as in the sea, there are many areas sparsely populated by fish, which have itinerant habits especially in search of warmth.

The breaking of waves often creates small channels, known as "lagamares," where fish that like to approach the sand for warmth or food prefer to rest.

Choosing the ideal spot for casting will make all the difference. Although it's not an easy task even for many veterans, one way to identify a lagamar is to observe where there is the best volume of foam in the breaking wave.

If you're fishing from rocky shores, it gets a bit easier, as the rocks accumulate moss, which feeds the fish's prey, as well as small shipwrecks.

The ideal time for your fishing trip is in the early morning, with the sun rising. Fish that come to the Brazilian coast prefer warmer temperatures, and with the calmer waves at dawn, your fishing will be much more productive.

But beware, sunscreen, a hat, and arm sleeves are mandatory at any time of day!

You should certainly choose areas less frequented by bathers, as crowds scare fish away, and you also shouldn't risk hitting someone with lead or a hook while fishing, right?

Choosing equipment for beach fishing!

This is certainly the point that most concerns freshwater anglers. Fishing rod and reel are the same everywhere, right? Well, yes, but there are two important arguments when choosing a longer rod, around 3 meters:

• With a longer fishing rod and a larger capacity reel, you will have longer and more accurate casts;
• With a long fishing rod, when supported, it will be much easier to identify what is a fish pull and what is just the movement of the waves;
• The rod holder will be essential for peaceful fishing from the sand; a simple PVC stand is already a great help on your fishing day.

Baits:

Now, when choosing baits, it's important to vary. Have a set of artificial baits, but don't overdo the size: the most giant fish are in the open sea. Remember: with a large bait, you only catch large fish; with a small bait, large and small fish.

Very large baits will be easily stolen by small fish. And speaking of baits, natural ones are very successful. Among them, shrimp is usually the most popular, and you can use it live or dead, preferably from the same sea where you will be fishing.

Squid is another excellent bait, easy to find and with good hook retention.

The "corrupto" (a type of marine worm) is also excellent and practical to find. Most beach fishermen carry a PVC tube with a suction pump to pull sand where the wave breaks and catch their bait on the spot. As it is softer, it's worth having a rubberized line to attach it to the hook.

Line:

Have some variety in line gauges. To form the leader knot of the rod and the reel line, light and medium lines facilitate casting and also tire out the fish; from 18mm to 30mm you will have the ideal comfort rate.

For the line's leader, medium gauges, around 50mm, will make the bait's movement more natural, preventing it from sinking too much.

To deal with the variety of gauges, tying knots, cutting bait, and releasing fish, a multi-functional pointed pocket knife, preferably in carbon or damascus steel, is essential.

What saltwater fish will I find?

This is quite relative to the time of year and region of Brazil. On the rocky shores, you can find pufferfish, amberjack, and other schooling fish, such as bluefish.

Fishing from the beach, the tendency is to find fish that appreciate the crustaceans that bury themselves in the sand. "Papa-terra" (whiting) are very common in shallower areas. Croakers provide good fun during the fight. During spring and summer, snook will be easy to find along almost the entire Brazilian coast.

Flounder is a highly sought-after fish, which despite its strange appearance, has incredibly tasty flesh and provides good excitement, as does the pompano, which is one of the great icons of beach fishing.

After fishing, to get it right at the barbecue, count on a professional knife for cutting and be sure to check out our special guides for cleaning fish and grilled fish! Beach fishing is captivating for those who enjoy the sand, and as you get the hang of it, you will certainly want to come back to visit the sea again and again!

Here on the Cutelaria CIMO blog, you'll find a series of publications on fishing and other outdoor sports; keep following us to read everything firsthand!