5 Tips For Surf Fishing with Sand Crabs

[@kevinp2656]

Thanks for showing me all the things I'm doing wrong. Great video

[@surffishinginsocal]

There’s certainly more than one way to do it right. These are just the ways I do things🤙

[@HKSmr2rbo]

Learned a lot from this video. Everything you said about a transitional bass fisher was spot on lol. Every time I'd get a bite, I would try to set the hook right away.

[@surffishinginsocal]

Thanks! Yah patience pays!

[@davidg105]

I really like your calculated fishing skills. Been fishing for 55 years and I thought I was using my brain, boy was I wrong. Thanks for teaching your knowlege!!!

[@surffishinginsocal]

Thanks! Always helps do bounce ideas and experience off other anglers.

[@Twolegit2quit27]

Appreciate it good knowledge as a new fisherman! I was always reeling in to relieve slack

[@surffishinginsocal]

@@Twolegit2quit27 happy to help!

[@FrankS13]

I was wondering if I should be constantly retrieving or not. Thanks Nick. Your blog is the bible for socal surf fishing, I read those posts like its my religion. Appreciate all the hard work and free knowledge you put out there.

[@surffishinginsocal]

For sure man! Yah keep it out there and don’t retrieve if using sand crabs.

[@adventureyoga2833]

Great Step by step tips! Can't wait to get back out there this summer and hook some more fish!

[@surffishinginsocal]

You’re gunna kill it!

[@darrendoskocil8650]

Great info, just started surf fishing, got a couple, but I was probably using too big a hook and sand crabs. Thanks

[@surffishinginsocal]

Goodluck!

[@glenfishing]

Thanks for all your help.

[@titanosauruswhat]

Love the vids! Can’t wait to see the SD series again!

[@surffishinginsocal]

It’s coming back I promise!

[@titanosauruswhat]

@@surffishinginsocal Take your time dude! Loving the current content! Just keep it up!

[@glenfishing]

Thanks! Caught my first surf perch and a undersized halibut today. All thanks to your videos and site. Thanks nick.

[@josephksung]

Go Nick!

[@gino55yo]

Hello sir, thank you for your beautiful videos. I have an ultra ligth rod 5-30g what weight for lead you advise me? Thanks

[@surffishinginsocal]

Personally I’d up the rod to what’s mentioned in my gear and tackle link but if you’re sticking with the rod, you might wanna go 1/2iz to 3/4oz

[@gino55yo]

🙋‍♂️👍🙂

[@erth2ingrid]

....interesting casting technique..

[@surffishinginsocal]

Yessir. All about efficiency. Don’t need to wind up to get distance.

[@sandog]

Great video bro

[@surffishinginsocal]

🤙🤙🤙

[@matthewnazaroff9537]

Nice video! What size weight did you use for your Carolina Rig?

[@surffishinginsocal]

I use 1 oz. Common weights are between 1/4-1

[@djrv3n423]

yes, every time i watch one of your videos, i feel like i am back home. SDSU '93 Zura Zooo 4EVA =D .

[@surffishinginsocal]

Gotta get back here!

[@djrv3n423]

@@surffishinginsocal bruh, i'll look for you this summer along s. jetty, my old surfing haunt.. namaste'

[@naptime540]

thanks for this!

[@surffishinginsocal]

👌

[@gregdrozdowski7845]

Thx. Great video, is that reasent ?

[@surffishinginsocal]

Thanks! This was in November I believe.

[@extrastout1111]

@@surffishinginsocal nice upload! Was wondering if there's still fishing at this time of the year / when should I start?

[@chazzman8206]

Ahhhh November? I hit the north county beaches lately and there’s no sand! All stones and pebbles. 😢

[@surffishinginsocal]

@@chazzman8206 yah that can be good for lures but definitely sand is better for these species

[@surffishinginsocal]

@@extrastout1111 now! Fishing will get better and peak in June/July and then fade in September through February kind of. Take a look at this page: surffishingsocalsd.com It’s a good start and it has a chart near the bottom of the peak seasons per species.

[@ronpassmore7053]

How long will the crabs stay vibrant in the plastic bottle? No water or sand in bottle?

[@surffishinginsocal]

@@ronpassmore7053 as long as it’s not too hot, all day. I like to run some water through them every hour or so to give them a cool down and some added oxygen

[@nigeldecoster1391]

What size sinker are you using?

[@surffishinginsocal]

1 oz

[@Jacob-zp2yj]

Is using smaller hooks and only one small sand crab a viable option? Or is using the mosquito hooks with 3 crabs better?

[@surffishinginsocal]

There are many ways that will work. This is just what I use

[@glenfishing]

Are there sand crabs this time of year? I can’t find squat. Maybe I’m not looking hard enough.

[@surffishinginsocal]

Yessir! They’re here and they’re thick right now until September.

[@theoldsurffisher1943]

Casting distance is relative to where you are in the surf. If you've waded out to your thighs; it's a short cast. If your in knee highs barely in a roll up wave ; it's along cast. If one is in water thigh deep surf perch may be swimming around you.

[@JackCCG]

Would it be alright if I did this exact rig and just put it in a rod holder? or do you have to stay on it?

[@surffishinginsocal]

You’ll still catch fish depending on the conditions but you’ll typically catch less fish, your like will get swept around, and when you do catch you’ll gut hook more often. I’d recommend the fish finder rig in this article if you were using a rod holder… surffishingsocalsd.com/6-best-surf-fishing-rigs-when-to-use-which/

[@JackCCG]

@@surffishinginsocal The only issue I have had with the fishfinder is the line after the weight become tangled around the mainline, possibly because I didn't use a swivel. Could I use light line leader and catch corbina on it?

[@surffishinginsocal]

@@JackCCG yup

[@SDPBALLCOACH]

Where is this?? Also, why keep bigger sand crabs if u don't use them??

[@surffishinginsocal]

@@SDPBALLCOACH if you watch the vid you’ll see I say don’t use anything 1.5x the size of the biggest one I had. I use all the crabs I keep or release them at the end of the day. This was in so cal.

[@kevinbacon7514]

@@surffishinginsocal Right.... I was just thinking you MIGHT just narrow it down to 1 Mile of the 300 miles of So. Cal. coastline...??? Just Sayin.....

[@edcastillo4456]

I use circle hooks and just lift the rod up. No need to set the hook.

[@otxtoolie]

Looks like I've been messing up going to the bay. It's surf season huh? Been seeing dozens of videos of people killing it rn

[@surffishinginsocal]

I avoid the bay always haha. I just like the surf better but fish can certainly be caught in the bays. Often more fish… usually smaller though.

[@ronmexico4350]

Why do you cast that way? Don't you want to keep a hand on the bottom of the rod to get a bend in the rod as you cast to maximize distance and accuracy?

[@surffishinginsocal]

I was purposely casting short so distance wasn’t necessary. I have a “unique” casting technique in general though. It started when I was throwing lucky crafts on a shorter rod. In order to get max distance, I would start with a twirl to make sure: 1) that the weights were balanced 2) that there was no accidental chance for slack to occur 3) for a little added momentum And then I really focus on bend in the vs arm movement. I found that I could cast just as far as most who use their whole body when I would just use my wrists. Played a lot of hockey so it made sense to me. Might not be the easiest thing to understand or pick up but that’s how I cast a lot of the time now🤷‍♂️

[@MisterMLT]

😘

[@nigelmemery9011]

Dude thats what a reel is for No need to walk and move back . Its simple reel the😂😂😂slack

[@surffishinginsocal]

🤦‍♂️you clearly missed the purpose of that. By reeling in, you move your bait in closer and closer to shore. By moving your rod tip up when you feel slack and dipping it down when you feel pulling current, you’re able to maintain proper tension the entire time and not reel a single time, keeping your bait where you want it. It’s something you pick up as you gain experience🤙