Surf Fishing How-To For Beginners: A Quick Comprehensive Guide

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to get started surf fishing in Southern California—rod and reel recommendations, line and terminal tackle advice, rig builds, bait and lure selections, casting techniques, beach-reading strategies, target species profiles, tide timing, and essential safety protocols. Whether you’re stepping onto the sand for the first time or refining your approach, this article will empower you to fish smarter and catch more.

Getting Started: Gear & Tackle Essentials

Rods & Reels

Begin with an 8–9 ft medium-heavy spinning rod paired with a 3000–4000 series reel for maximum versatility, balance and casting distance. For those looking for the best budget surf fishing rod and reel combo, the Okuma Celilo 8’6″ MA paired with a 4000 Penn Pursuit or Kast King Sharky delivers performance without breaking the bank.

For the exact gear and tackle that I use for each style of surf fishing, see the drop down chart below.

Line & Terminal Tackle

Spool your reel with 15 lb monofilament for bait fishing for corbina, surfperch and croaker with a Carolina rig, or 20–30 lb braided line for surf fishing with lures for halibut, calico and white seabass.

Rigs

The Carolina rig – an egg sinker, bead, swivel, leader, and hook – is the workhorse for targeting corbina, surfperch, croaker and more.

The Texas rig – a swimbait hook, swimbait and a bullet weight – is the workhorse for lure fishing for halibut, calico and white seabass. Simply surf fishing with jerkbaits tied straight to your mainline is great as well for halibut and surfperch.

Additionally, if you’re looking for more options, these are the 7 best rigs for surf fishing.

Baits & Lures

Natural baits: Sand crabs, mussel meat, clam meat and lugworms are proven attractants for surfperch and corbina.

Cut baits: Surfperch and croaker chunks work well for leopard sharks, soupfin sharks, large bat rays and guitarfish and even sevengill sharks.

Hard lures: Lucky Craft FM 110 and Shimano WM 115​ SP suspending jerkbaits excel for halibut and surf perch.

Soft lures: Weedless swimbaits work well in reefy locations for halibut, white seabass and calico bass.

For more info on the best baits for surf fishing, read the linked article.

Techniques & Beach-Reading

How To Go Surf Fishing: General Overview

Everyone starting out surf fishing in So Cal should start on this article: How To Go Surf Fishing. This should set you up for success. Reach out if you have any questions or drop a comment.

Hooking Bait

Thread sand crabs through the shell and belly to present the roe. Surf fishing with mussel meat and clam meat can be tricky to keep on the hook, but read the linked articles for help.

Retrieval & Presentation

Let your Carolina rig rest/bounce along the bottom – maintain tension while resisting the urge to pull to hard or reel in too much to keep your tension. Utilize your rod as the ocean gives and takes. Again, this article (crucial to read) goes over the concept of keeping tension in detail.

For jerkbaits and swimbaits, use a slow and steady retrieve and every now and then try a few casts with a stop-and-go cadence: two hard snaps, let it suspend/swim toward you, then repeat.

Reading the Beach

Identify troughs, sandbars, and rips by looking for:

• Rip currents: narrower, darker water bands moving seaward.
• Troughs: deeper channels parallel to shore where fish ambush prey.
• Sandbars: whitish lines of breaking waves—cast just beyond them for prime strike zones Surf Fishing In So Cal.

Watch the video above and read this article on reading the beach for surf fishing to learn more.

Target Species for Beginners

Common Species	Peak Season	General Season
California Corbina	Jun-Aug	May-Oct
Spotfin Croaker	Jun-Aug	May-Oct
Yellowfin Croaker	May-Aug	May-Oct
Barred Surfperch	Nov-Apr	Year-Round
Walleye Surfperch	Nov-Apr	Year-Round
Shovelnose Guitarfish	Jun-Aug	May-Oct
Sting Ray (Round Ray)	Jun-Aug	Year-Round
Bat Ray	Jun-Aug	Year-Round
Leopard Shark	May-Aug	Apr-Oct
California Halibut	Jan-May	Year-Round
Soupfin Shark	Mar-Jul	Year-Round

Surfperch

Active year-round, surfperch feed well on sand crabs, mussel meat, gulp sand worms, jerkbaits and other baits. Read more about surfperch fishing.

Croaker

Spotfin croaker and yellowfin croaker feed well during the summertime and their favorite baits are sand crabs, mussel and clam meat and some other natural baits. Read more about spotfin croaker and yellowfin croaker.

Corbina

Sight-cast corbina in ultra-shallow water using live sand crabs on a single hook is one of the most prized method of targeting these guys but you can typically catch more by sticking to reading the surf and fishing the structure in the summertime. Read more about California corbina fishing.

Halibut

Best during spring spawn, target them with suspending jerkbaits (FM 110) or weedless swimbaits. Read more about halibut fishing from the beach.

Leopard Sharks and Soupfin Sharks

Caught in the Spring through late-summer, leopard sharks and soupfin sharks are best caught on cutbait like surfperch and yellowfin croaker.

For a better, more complete list of the common species you can target while surf fishing in so cal, head over to the common species of surf fish list. This list includes white seabass, calicos, other sharks and rays etc.

Tide Timing & Best Sessions

The best times and tides for surf fishing change depending on your target, time of year, and the beach you’re fishing. Generally speaking, the best time to fish is typically sunrise or sunset. Learn more about the best times and tides for surf fishing.

Local SoCal Tips

• Best Beaches: I’ve taken the time to compile a list of the best beaches for surf fishing in San Diego and I’ve provided info like what tides to fish them at, where to park, what structure you can expect to find and what species you can expect to catch – best beaches for surf fishing in San Diego

Conclusion

Equipped with the right gear, rig setups, and local knowledge, any beginner can confidently step into Southern California’s surf zone and start landing fish. Focus on mastering a single rig, understanding tide rhythms, and reading the beach. Over time, you’ll develop your own preferences—and perhaps move from “beginner” to “regular” on your favorite patch of sand. Tight lines and clear water to all!