Surf Fishing Gear and Tackle: A Complete Guide

In this article, I’ll be showing you and explaining to you the gear and tackle that I use for surf fishing. This includes my rod and reel, as well as the rig I use with all of the terminal tackle. When it comes down to it, finding the right surf fishing tackle and gear depends on your preferences, but I’ll explain my preferences and why I use what I use.

Can you imagine how long it would take you to try and figure out what the best surf fishing rod is? Or the best surf fishing reel? Heck, it’d be nice if someone had already figured all this out and just showed you exactly what rig you need for surf fishing and all the surf fishing tackle that goes along with it. It would be nice… So I went ahead and did all of that for you.

There are 4 main styles of surf fishing that I regularly do. Each type of surf fishing requires it’s own set of gear and tackle, so I went ahead and broke this article into four very organized and detailed sections to leave little room for questions and uncertainties. Follow the links and you’ll have the best surf fishing gear and tackle in no time!

Table of Contents

• Light Tackle (Carolina Rig)
• Swimbait Set-Up
• Jerkbait Set-Up
• Shark Fishing

Light Tackle Surf Fishing Gear and Tackle

This set-up will be used to catch corbina, croaker, guitarfish, surfperch, and other light tackle species using a C-rig. While you can use the same set-up to throw lures for targeting halibut and other game fish, I recommend upping the action/rating for a lure throwing set-up. For example, I use a rod with a medium rating for light tackle surf fishing. For lures, I like a medium-heavy or heavy rating.

• Rod: Okuma Celilo (8’6″ MA) or the Okuma SST (8’6″ MA)
• Reel: Penn Battle II or III 4000 series
• Mainline: 15-pound monofilament
• For Bait: Carolina Rig:
  • Leader Line: 15-pound fluorocarbon
  • Swivels: 15-19mm barrel swivels
  • Hooks: size #2 or #4 owner mosquito hooks
  • Weights: 1-oz egg weight
  • Beads: 8mm fishing beads
• For Lures: Lucky Craft FM 110 and Shimano WM 115 SP
• Other best surf fishing rods and best surf fishing reels

The Reel

So let’s start with the reel. The Penn Battle 4000 (II or III) is one of the best fishing reels out there and I simply love Penn as their saltwater products are super high quality. So whether for shark fishing or light tackle surf fishing, I like the Battle. If you want a higher quality and sealed spinning reel, go with the Spinfisher VI in the corresponding size/series.

The Rod

Let’s talk about this because the rod is something that I think becomes the most personalized aspect of your set-up. The Okuma Celilo 8’6″ MA is a fantastic rod with amazing sensitivity and a very responsive bend for mid-fight but it still offers great responsiveness for hook sets. The SST is a near identical rod but actually a step-up in Okuma’s line-up so it’s slightly higher quality. You can take your choice there. I absolutely love the feel of both of them for fighting fish and throwing the C-rig with a 1-ounce weight.

Main Line

You’ll start with your 15-pound mono for your main line. I use 15-pound mono and I’ll explain why. With a 4000 series reel, you can fit approximately 135-140-yards of 15-pound line on your spool. I always like to have at least 125-yards of line on my spool and I’ll never use anything less than 10-pound test.

Big spotfin, guitars, bat rays and leopard sharks can all easily snap 8-10-pound test either on that initial run, the set, or even the beaching process. I’ve hooked into 5-foot leopards on 10-pound test on sand crabs, so, in my mind, you want to be ready for those guys.

You want that balance between a heavier pound-test and a good amount of line on your reel. Usually, with spotfin, corbina, and all other light tackle species, you’re spool capacity won’t be tested, but it certainly might be if you get a big guitar, bat ray, or leopard shark. That 15-pound test mark is the perfect balance of enough line and a heavy enough pound-test. With a cast of about 20 to 30-yards, this should leave you with at least 80-yards to work with and that’s perfect.

Leader Line

So first off, here’s a video on how I tie my Carolina rig. It’s one thing to have the best surf fishing tackle and best surf fishing gear, but it’s another to know the proper rigs and techniques to use.

While we’re on the topic of lines, let’s talk about my 15-pound fluoro leader. Yes, For all the reasons listed above… that’s why I use 15-pound test. I’ve run into many anglers who insisted that 4 to 8-pound test was the way to go. It’s one thing to finesse a fish with proper techniques, but it’s another to actually experience and understand the hows and the whys.

Corbina are NOT line shy! I hear this one all the time. The simple truth is, they aren’t. They aren’t any more line shy than the next fish out there. Here’s my article on my explanation of why corbina are NOT line shy. However, I do use fluorocarbon for my leader line. Fluorocarbon is said to be virtually invisible in the water as its refraction is extremely similar to that of the water. Whether it matters or not, I see no reason not to use fluorocarbon as it’s cost effective when you’re only using 2-3 feet at a time.

Lighter Tackle With Sight Casting

What leads anglers to believe that corbina are so line shy is the actual method of fishing. Many anglers who target corbina partake in a method called “sight-casting”. This is where the angler spots the fish, times a cast in front of the fish and hopes for a bite. I have to admit, this is one of the most thrilling styles of surf fishing, but this method, if executed incorrectly, will result in a spooked fish. For a detailed overview on sight casting, read my Sight Casting How To article.

With sight-casting, the best tackle and gear for surf fishing may vary. Going lighter on the weight might help. Long story short (as this post was supposed to simply outline my gear and tackle), the reason the corbina will spook is not due to the line, but due to either the fish seeing/sensing the angler, or the fish sensing the angler’s weight striking the sand. In my experience, sight casting is most successful when you spot the fish from a distance and when you lead the fish by more than 10-15 feet with a timed cast that enters through the white water.

Terminal Tackle

Alright, so the rest of it is fairly simple. I’ll thread my 1-ounce weight onto my main line, then my protective bead, and then I’ll tie a barrel swivel on. Then, from the other end, I’ll tie my 15-pound fluorocarbon line (about 2 to 2.5-feet worth), followed by my mosquito hook. Depending on my target as well as what I think is biting, I’ll either do a #2 or #4 hook.

When all is said and done, your rig should look like the image below.

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Best Set-up for Surf Fishing with Swimbaits

• Rod: Okuma SST-S-902HA – 1/2-2oz | 10-30lb | 9ft | H | MF
• Reel: Penn Spinfisher VI (3500 or 4500)
• Main Line: 30-pound braid
• Leader Line: 30-pound mono
• Lure Options:
  • Lucky Craft FM 110 (jerkbait)
  • Keitech Fat Swing Impact (4.8″) | Warbaits 0.5-ounce Weedless Jighead
  • BioSpawn ExoSwim (4.75″) | Mustad KVD Grip Pin Swimbait Hook (5/0 | 1/8oz)

This is the setup I use for halibut fishing, white seabass fishing, calico fishing and more. For more on this style of surf fishing check out my article on surf fishing with swimbaits.

How to Rig Up

Spool your 30-pound braided line onto your Spinfisher VI 3500 and then add your leader line (about 3-4 feet) by using an FG knot or a Double Uni knot. Attach your rod to your reel.

Rigging for Jerkbaits

If you’re using a jerkbait like the LC FM 110, you can use either the rod mentioned in this section or the next (SST 9HA or SST MHA). Bottom line though, you’ll simply tie the lure to your line and call it good. It’s that simple. Refer to the photo above.

Rigging for the Texas Rig

(Biopsawn or Keitech swimbait with a Mustad KVD hook or Gamakatsu Superline hook… or something similar)

Sometimes pictures are easier to understand than words. So, take a look at the image above for what your finished Texas rig should look like and the image below for how to get there.

For more information on how to use a Texas rig for surf fishing, check out my article.

Rigging for Warbaits Weedless Jighead

I’m not going to talk much more about surf fishing with swimbaits in this article. The image above shows you exactly how to rig the Warbaits weedless jighead with a swimbait.

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Gear and Tackle for Surf Fishing with Jerkbaits

• Rod: Okuma SST (8’6″ MHA)
• Reel: Penn Battle II or III 4000 series
• Main Line:
  • 15-pound monofilament
  • or 30-pound braid
• Leader Line: 15-pound fluorocarbon
• Lures: Lucky Craft FM 110 and Shimano WM 115 SP

You might be wondering why I use a different setup for surf fishing with jerkbaits vs surf fishing with swimbaits. The answer is because when I fish swimbaits, I’m fishing more rocky reef-like terrain where I need heavier line. I also need braid for swimbaits because swimbaits require a quick and firm hook set whereas jerkbaits do not.

Jerkbaits can be fished in more of a sandy structure with some nearby boulders, piers, or other structure that isn’t too crazy to the point of losing your lure every other cast. After years of trial and error, these are the two lure throwing setups I use and trust.

Rigging for Jerkbaits

If you’re using a jerkbait like the LC FM 110, you can get away with the rod mentioned in this section or the above section (SST 9HA or SST MHA). Bottom line though, you’ll simply tie the lure to your line and call it good. It’s that simple. Refer to the photo above.

As for using the braid vs the mono, that’s personal preference. To this day, I still use both for jerkbaits.

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Shark Surf Fishing Gear and Tackle

• Rod: Fiblink Moonsniper (12 or 13 feet)
• Reel: Penn Battle 8000 (II or III)
• Main Line: 50-pound braid
• Topshot: 100-pound nylon coated mono
• Leaders: Shark Leaders
• Weights: 8-ounce pyramid or 6-ounce sputnik

This will be the same set-up for Leopard Sharks, Soupfin Sharks, Bat Rays, big Guitar Fish and even 7-Gill Sharks if you’re fortunate enough.

Specifications:

Rod and Reel for Shark Fishing

My go-to shark fishing rod for catching sharks from the surf in So Cal is the Fiblink Moonsniper (12 or 13 foot) spinning fishing rod. It’s sleek, strong, and provides great action for solid casts.

The Penn Battle II and III 6000 is an awesome reel! I’ve recently purchased a Penn Battle III 8000 series spinning reel and I think I’d lean toward that over the 6000s, but either one will do. I have zero complaints and highly recommend this reel to anyone looking to start surf fishing. The Daiwa BG is probably the most comparable reel to the Penn Battle and I’ve heard great things about both. You can always go with higher quality, more expensive set-ups, but this article is strictly about what I use as for now, this is the best surf fishing gear and tackle for me. I love the Battle and have no complaints.

Fishing Line for Shark Fishing

I use Power Pro (50-pound-test) braided fishing line for shark fishing in the surf. Spider Wire and a couple of other brands are solid too, and in all honestly, I’ve never had a bad experience with any braid, but Power Pro feels the best and seems to hold up the best for me.

After the braided line, you’ll want to put on a “top-shot” of 100-pound monofilament line. This just means that you’ll tie a line-to-line knot between your braid and mono. You should add about 20-30 yards of 100-pound mono (or fill until reel capacity is full). Don’t get intimidated by the line-to-line! It’s not difficult. If you’re too scared of tying a line-to-line knot, straight braid to your leader is okay (but not ideal) too, just make sure you tie your knot with a Palomar knot if you’re going from braid to leader. The line-to-line knot that I like to tie is called an FG knot (video) and it will provide a nice thin profile that can handle going through your rod guides with ease and no snags.

Top Shot

The reason we use mono for the “top-shot” is that mono can supposedly handle abrasion better than braid can. The closest line to the fish (other than the leader) will be mono and when the shark rolls or the skin rubs the line, your mono will be there to withstand it.

Braided line, while strong, is supposedly prone to snaps when confronted with abrasion. This is due to the nature of its engineering. Once a single strand is broken (in say, a 6-strand braid) it’s strength is lessened by 1/6. If two strands are broken, that 50-pound line will now be weakened by at least 33% bringing it down to say 33ish pound-test.

Once we’ve got the right rod and the right reel, and we’re all spooled up, we can get into the shark rig.

Shark Leader

For these, you’re more than welcome to make your own, but I do sell these and my shark rigs are available in double-hook and single-hook rigs.

If you’d rather make your own, here’s a list of materials in which you can make similar rigs.

• AFW 90 lb Nylon Coated Wire Leader Line
• 7/0 – 9/0 Circle Hook
• Three-way Barrel Swivel
• AFW .082-in Crimps
• 8-ounce Pyramid (or sputniks if conditions are bad)

Regardless, let’s go over the specifics on how to set yourself up with the best surf fishing tackle and gear to make a shark leader.

We’ve got a 3-way swivel which is attached to 90-pound AFW wire leader-line via (2) single-barrel crimps. From there, you have two options (which are displayed on the page where you can purchase my shark rigs: single-hooked rigs, or double-hooked rigs.

These hooks are hand-sharpened, 8/0 circle hooks. I typically use the single-hooked rigs, but some people like the doubles.

From the empty loop on the 3-way swivel, you’ll attach about 18 inches of monofilament line (25-50lb test) to your 6-ounce sputnik weight. I prefer my weight to be the same distance from the swivel as my bait – it makes for easier casting.

That’s your finished shark set-up and if you have any questions, leave them in the comments section at the bottom of this post.

Obviously, there really isn’t a correct way vs incorrect way to rig up your set-ups for surf fishing. This is simply what I’ve come to use and trust.

Any Questions? Let Me Know!

Please, if you have any questions or you’re unclear on something listed (or not listed), post it in the comments section at the bottom of the post. I’m always open to improving and modifying my set-up as well.

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