Great Kills Bait & Tackle
                 4044 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, NY  10309 (718) 356-0055      

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SURF FISHING BASICS!

Fish Species in our area

Bluefish (Pomatomidae saltatrix) are native to both the American and European-African coasts of the Atlantic Ocean. Along the western Atlantic they are abundant from Argentina to Cape Cod and are occasionally found as far north as Nova Scotia. The bluefish closely resembles the pompano family with its two dorsal fins and one anal fin. The ventral fins are well forward of the dorsal, located underneath the pectorals. Blues have a broad, forked caudal fin, and the lower jaw protrudes slightly beyond the upper jaw. The upper and lower jaws are lined with a series of stout, conical canine teeth

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) is native to most of the East Coast, ranging from the lower St. Lawrence River in Canada to northern Florida, and along portions of the Gulf of Mexico. The striped bass is a schooling species, moving about in small groups during the first two years of life and thereafter feeding and migrating in large schools. Seven or eight narrow stripes extending lengthwise from back of the head to the base of the tail form the most easily recognized characteristic of this species. Striped bass can live up to 40 years and can reach weights greater than 100 pounds, although individuals larger than 60 pounds are rare.

Weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) occur from Nova Scotia to Florida and are most abundant from North Carolina through Long Island. Adult weakfish are often found near the periphery of eelgrass beds, where they primarily feed on shrimp, larger zooplankton, crabs, other crustaceans and small fish. In the estuary, adult weakfish occur in schools and frequent shallow sandy bottom areas with salinities above 10 percent. Estuaries provide feeding areas and spawning grounds for adult weakfish and are as important as nursery areas are for juveniles.

Sea Bass (Centripristis striatus) have a basic color dark brown or black; dorsal fin has rows and stripes of white on black; large males have iridescent blue and ebony marking sand fatty hump in front of dorsal fin; females may have indistinct vertical barring; topmost ray of caudal fin much elongated in adults; caudal may be tri-lobed; sharp spine near posterior margin of gill cover. Sea bass are structure-loving fish, associated with reefs and rubble OFFSHORE; smaller specimens often found INSHORE finger channels. Common sizes are 1.5 pounds (13 inches).

Fluke (Paralichthyus dentatus) are bottom dwelling creatures which use their flattened shape and ability to change coloration and pattern on the eyed side of their bodies to partially burrow in the sediment, lie in ambush and wait for their prey. Fluke are left-eyed flatfish that has both eyes on the left side of its body when viewed from above with the dorsal, or top fin, up. They are efficient predators with quick movements and well developed teeth allowing them to capture small fish squid, sea worms, shrimp, and other crustaceans

Porgy (Stenotomus versicolor ) are inshore from early April and withdraw from the coast late in October, though some few linger through November, and an occasional fish into December. Porgies usually congregate in schools and they prefer smooth to rocky bottom. They are bottom feeders in the main, seldom rising far above the ground, the adults preying on crustaceans (particularly on amphipods) as well as on annelid worms, hydroids, sand-dollars, young squid, and in fact on whatever invertebrates the particular bottom.

Winter Flounder (Pleuronectes americanus) The most distinguishing attribute is their small mouth does not extend backward to below the eye. Like all flat fish, the winter flounder has both eyes on one side of the head. Unlike most ther bottom dwelling fish that rest by lying on their bellies, a flat fish rests on its side. Having both eyes on one side of its head enables the flat fish to rest on the ocean's floor while directing both eyes upward. The winter flounder is referred to as a right handed flounder because the eyes are located on its upper surface when the fish is pointing to the right.

Tautog (Tautoga onitis) are territorial fish found in hard-bottom reefs and rocky environments from Nova Scotia to South Carolina, most commonly from Cape Cod to Delaware. The species frequents rock piles, bridge pilings, artificial reefs and old wrecks. It feeds on a variety of mollusks and crustaceans such as mussels, barnacles and crabs, which the fish crushes in its strong molars. A cold water fish, tautog migrate seasonally inshore and offshore.

Anglers have a large and various selection of bait to choose ranging from hard shelled baits such as clams and mussels to live baits like killie minnows and menhaden. Here is a quick look as what is available at local bait & tackle shops that you can use:

Clams & Mussels - a hard shelled bait that is shelled, used whole or cut in pieces and used for flounder, striped bass, sea bass, porgy and blackfish

Squid - a member of the mollusk family even though they have no hard shell is common bait used for striped bass, fluke, flounder and sea bass. Squid can be used whole, cut into chunks and strips or pendent shaped pieces.

Menhaden - also known as bunker and pogey and baby menhaden is known as peanut bunker is a commonly used bait for striped bass, bluefish and weakfish. Bunker can be fished as a live bait, dead or cut in chunks. Bunker can also be cut in strips and used for fluke bait.

Marine worms - just about every fish that swims in the ocean will eat sand worms and blood worms.

Mullet, Spearing, Killies, Sandeels, Bay Anchovies - small bait fishes used for striped bass, bluefish, weakfish and fluke.

Herring - used as bait the same way as menhaden.

Generations of anglers have been intrigued with the idea of outsmarting fish with artificial lures. Lures are available in many different types from hard bodied plugs including swimming plugs, minnow lures, metal lures, popping plugs, soft plastics, bucktail jigs and many more. Lures are made in an array of colors, sizes and shapes, floating and nonfloating, shallow swimmers, deep swimmers and surface plugs. Here are some examples of artificial lures: Sand Eels Minnow type lures imitate small, slim bodied baitfish and can be used on the surface and various depths. Bombers and Redfins are very popular minnow type lures for striped bass, bluefish and weakfish.

Popping plugs are used to make a commotion on the surface to imitate injured bait fish. The noise and water they throw attract the striped bass, bluefish and weakfish.

Metal lures such as spoons and jigs imitate small bait fish and attract fish with their shiny finishcand wobbling motion. They cast extremely well into a stiff wind due to their weight.

The versatile bucktail jig is made from a lead head and deer tail hairs for the body. The action can be enhanced by adding a pork rind or curly plastic tail to the hook. Bucktails can be used for striped bass, bluefish, weakfish and fluke.

Soft plastics come in many different shapes to imitate small bait fish. Popular styles now are the minnow type baits such as Berkley’s Power Bait and shad tails that are rigged on jig heads.

Pencil poppers and Zara Spooks are day time top water lures that make a lot of commotion on the surface with their side to side or “walk the dog” motion. Vary the speed on the retrieve of these lures to catch striped bass and bluefish.

Basic Knots

Tying a good fishing knot is your critical connectionto success. If you use the strongest, most durable fishing line, all of that strength and power is meaningless if you have a bad knot. It will break faster than you can shout "Hook up!”

In this section you will find some of the practical knots used in everyday fishing situations. There are a lot more knots than we will instruct you on but what you learn are the most common and useful.

At knot connection points, the line is twisted, crisscrossed and joined with the hard surfaces of hooks, lures, swivels and other terminal tackle. Even with a good knot, this places a great deal of stress on the line. Abrasion can be a problem. Or, under enough pressure, the line may actually cut into itself. This can reduce the effective test strength and durability of your line. For example, though you may be fishing with 10-pound test line, a bad knot may test out at only five pounds - possibly less. The idea of a good knot is to maintain close to 100 percent of the test strength of the line you’re using. The first step in this process is to choose the best knot for the application. The second is to tie the knot properly. The following instructions will help you in both regards, but here are some other tips:

Wet the knot. This is especially critical as you draw the knot tight. A little bit of water or saliva helps lubricate the line, preventing abrasion and making it easier to gather and tighten the knot.

Make sure the knot is tight. A loosely gathered knot can come unraveled - or it may start to slip under pressure. Slippage can lead to rapid knot failure.

Trim the knot carefully. As you trim the loose line after finishing the knot, don’t nick or scrape the actual knot or main line. Even a minor nick seriously weakens the knot.

Check knots frequently. Inspect your line and knots whenever you reel in. If there’s any damage, abrasion or doubt, cut the problem off and re-tie.

Learn a few knots very well. Don’t try to learn every fishing knot ever invented. There are hundreds. It’s better to be proficient with six knots than to be a “fumble-fingers” with twenty.

Practice makes perfect. Spend time at home practicing your knot-tying skills. Inspect and test each knot after you finish. Your goal should be a perfectly tied knot every time.

Line to Terminal Tackle Knots

Line-To-Line Knots

Loop Knots

1)In casting with a spinning surf rod and reel, hold the rod with the right hand at the reel seat with the thumb on the top and other fingers below. Two fingers can be in front of the leg or support of the reel and two behind. Left hand holds the rod butt. With a full bail pick up, turn the reel handle with the left hand until the line roller is on top then pick up the line with the index finger of the right hand. Then back off the reel handle so that the line is freed from the line roller, after which the left hand pushes the wire bail down until it locks in the casting position. Bring the rod up to shoulder height with the reel facing up as shown in the first drawing.

2)Next, with a quick motion, bring the rod tip up and over your head.

3) and 4) The tip will bend in an arc and then start to propel the bait forward, at which time you release the line from your finger and bring the rod down with the tip pointing toward the target. When the bait reaches the spot, bring your finger down to the tip of the spool to stop the cast. Timing is the most important factor in casting, along with the “feel” of the weight

Jetties are rock or concrete barriers, extending into a bay, inlet or ocean as protection against shoaling or erosion. Most were not built with fishermen in mind and navigating across them can be treacherous, especially when carrying an armful of tackle. Always wear shoes designed for wet, slippery surfaces along with waterproof clothing, if possible. You can be sure of one thing - you will get wet. In cool weather, it pays to be dry, if possible. Generally, jetty fishing requires heavier rods in the 7 to 9’ range and reels equipped with 14 to 20 pound line. Cut bait is a preferred method, but casting plugs are also used. The best time to fish a jetty is when the tide is flowing. This force of water drives baitfish in and out of the bay and gamefish will be in hot pursuit.. Position yourself at the tip of the jetty on the far side where gamefish position themselves to avoid the force of the current so they can pick off an easy meal. As stated earlier, jetties can be very slippery. This can be especially true when they are wet and you must climb down rocks to gaff your catch or free a hung up bait. Be careful, and above all, make a value judgment. If the breaking water looks too treacherous, is the fish or bait worth the risk? Saltwater fishing requires a great deal of common sense, not only to catch fish, but to be safe too.

The inlet to a bay is also a good place to fish. Always try to station yourself at the opposite corner of the inlet in relation to the direction the tide is traveling. So, if the inlet is experiencing an incoming tide, try to fish the corners of the inlet within the bay. On an outgoing tide do just the opposite. An outgoing tide almost always produces the best fishing because all the bait fish near the inlet will be washed out into the mouths of fish in wait.

To find the best surf fishing spots, walk the beach until you have identified areas with deep holes or irregularities on the bottom, within casting range. You can do this by studying the action of the waves. Since waves crest and break in shallow water, look for an area where the waves are breaking near the shore while on both sides they are breaking further from the beach. This indicates a trough or slough and is a gather place for fish. A sure sign of feeding fish will be circling sea birds that dive at the surface of the water to pick up pieces of baitfish left by a feeding school. When you see this happening, cast.

Help keep our beaches and waters clean

Most man-made debris can create aesthetic or environmental problems. The qualities that have made plastics so successful – lightweight, strength and durability – make plastic debris a persistent threat in our oceans and waterways. Since most plastic tends to float, currents transport it to shore. Even in remote areas like Antarctica researchers are now finding plastic bottles, bags and sheeting washed ashore. But plastic in our waterways is more than a litter problem…it kills. Marine animals sometimes confuse plastic items for real food – a fatal mistake. Ingested plastics can cause internal injury, intestinal blockage or starvation. Seabirds are known to eat everything from small plastic pieces to plastic lighters and bottle caps. Some birds even feed plastic debris to their young. Sea turtles often mistake bags and sheeting for jellyfish, a favorite prey item. Even the great whales are victims – several have been found dead with plastic bags and sheeting in there stomachs. And ingesting plastic is not the only problem…thousands of marine animals die every year from entanglement in plastic trash. Sometimes an animal accidentally swims into a piece of plastic and becomes ensnared, unable to escape. Curious seal pups are often attracted to floating debris and become entangles. Birds not only become entangled in plastic connector rings and fishing line but also use plastic as nesting materials, which can create death traps for their young. Plastic debris is not just a problem for wildlife. Plastics also can be a floating menace to navigation. Boaters report that plastic rope and line fouls propellers and that plastic bags and sheeting clog seawater intakes and evaporators, causing engine failure, costly repairs and disablement can be life threatening.

The natural beauty of our waters attracts many people to fishing. Yet some fishermen still dump their garbage into the water. Here’s what you can do to help:

♦ Don’t leave your trash behind on the beach. Take it with you to dispose of in garbage cans and recycling bins.

♦ Don’t discard fishing line in the water or on the beach.

♦ Retrieve trash encountered in the water or on shore where possible.

♦ Share your concern with others and encourage them to help.

♦ Participate in local beach and harbor cleanups and leave the beach clean after your visits.

Ultimately, the solution to the plastic debris problem lies with those who care about the future of the aquatic environment and its living resources. Become part of the solution – keep plastics out of our oceans and waterways.

Decomposition Rates for Common Types of Marine Debris

Water pollution continues to deprive coastal economies of millions of dollars that might otherwise be generated by tourism, fishing, and wildlife watching along America's waterways. Wildlife-associated recreation in New York brings in 3.8 billion dollars annually. Sport-fishers alone spent $1.3 billion, ranking New York sixth among coastal states in economic benefits from sport-fishing. In 1997, commercial fishermen in New York landed 60 million pounds of fish valued at $96.8 million at the dock. According to data from the National Shellfish Registry, over 93 thousand acres of potential shellfishing beds were closed in New York in 1995, the most recent year for which data are available. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), polluted runoff contributed to 100 percent of these closures. New York has lost 60 percent of its wetlands since the 1780’s according to EPA. Water quality-based shellfish closures and wetland loss will likely worsen as more people settle in coastal areas. It is projected that New York's already huge coastal population will increase by 7 percent in the 20 years between 1990 and 2010 from 14.9 million to 15.9 million people. In New York, 84 percent of the population lives on the coast. Already, with the current coastal population size, degradation of water quality is undeniable. This situation can only worsen as population increases, unless a new system is put in place.