Lure types/styles for surf fishing?

[SMn]

G'day,

I would like to add a couple of lures to the tackle box when I fish the surf and rocks, to replace bait on the occasions that I haven't got any or it isn't convenient to use. I've used a surf popper on a paternoster rig to good effect in the surf, but looking for lures that require a fast retrieve.

I will be sticking with my regular beach/rock setup in terms of rods and reel, hoping to just rig a lure and cast when required. Rods: 13-14ft medium to fast taper 2 glass and 1 carbon-fibre; reel: Alvey 650grbc which is geared 2:1.

A new setup is out of the question, at this stage. Any advice on types and styles (targeting whiting/flatties/bream up to sambos/tailor and anything else!!!), casting anywhere from 10m-100m...

Cheers!

[jimpee]

I too am interested in different lures effective for surf fishing. So far Ive only tried the silver halco twisy lure in 40g. Casts a mile and has gotten me salmon and tailor so far.

[aidanhoh]

Metals (Halco Slices, Spanyid Raiders, Surecatch Knights, or any of the many baitfish profiles) probably best for distance and Pelagics. Also had success with poppers (Halco Roosters) and stick baits (Sebile Stick Shads, Daiwa Sliders) which don't require fast retrieves but don't cast as far. And if you're specifically targeting kingies from the rocks and have the wind to your back, then big plastic stick baits work well (9in Sluggos especially). You can also cast the larger paddle tail soft plastics (Storm Shads for example) and get flatties and jewies from the beach.

As for bream/trevally, have heard that you can get them from the rocks with little wriggler type soft plastics but haven't tried it myself.

Almost any lure can probably work on their day and if the fish are about but being land based, choice is normally limited by casting distance.

Aidan

[SMn]

I too am interested in different lures effective for surf fishing. So far Ive only tried the silver halco twisy lure in 40g. Casts a mile and has gotten me salmon and tailor so far.

Cheers mate! Much appreciated! Will definitely give the twisty a ago... Thanks!

[SMn]

Metals (Halco Slices, Spanyid Raiders, Surecatch Knights, or any of the many baitfish profiles) probably best for distance and Pelagics. Also had success with poppers (Halco Roosters) and stick baits (Sebile Stick Shads, Daiwa Sliders) which don't require fast retrieves but don't cast as far. And if you're specifically targeting kingies from the rocks and have the wind to your back, then big plastic stick baits work well (9in Sluggos especially). You can also cast the larger paddle tail soft plastics (Storm Shads for example) and get flatties and jewies from the beach.

As for bream/trevally, have heard that you can get them from the rocks with little wriggler type soft plastics but haven't tried it myself.

Almost any lure can probably work on their day and if the fish are about but being land based, choice is normally limited by casting distance.

Aidan

Aidan your a deadset champion! Will be using this advice to good effect hopefully this arvo if the weather holds up!!! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!!!

[aidanhoh]

No worries. Hope you get a few on lures. Good luck!

[SMn]

Thanks guys! Just picked up a Halco Streaker 40g and a Surecatch Knight 65g lure, am absolutely busting to try them out but the weather is against me here on the Central Coast! On a side note, I needed to respool a few of Alveys which can be a task using the old pen through spool and then between the toes (the kids no longer jump at the chance to hold it after the 1st time winding on 600m of line!), so I've been watching a few contraptions selling on ebay for staggering prices... Any how I came across the Berkley Mini Spooler and thought I'd give it a go for $10. Works brilliantly, put nearly 2000m of line on 4 of Alvey 650's without any dramas at all took about 90mins. Anyway thanks for the tips can't wait to going fishing!

Cheers,

Phil.

[abecedarian]

The 30 g halco twistie does the most damage for me with salmon, tailor and bonito. Over the years I've probably caught at least 3 of those species with that lure to every 1 caught with another weight lure or other lure altogether.

It also depends on where you fish and the local bait. I fish mainly Sydney and south coast. If you head a bit north around Stockton beach a longer lure more like a garfish seems to work better. Don't have a lot of experience with that though.

[SMn]

Awesome mate! I'm on the Central Coast, tried the 40g halco streaker this morning in the rain. After a few casts I thought a slightly smaller one would be spot on, each cast brought on a frenzied baitfish bust up but no hook ups, I think 40g slightly to big. Next time I think I will try a 20g and 30g. Thanks for the advice!

[bluefin]

Don't forget Vibe lures, they can be worked with an alvey, twitched along the bottom or slow rolled!!! Very versitile!!!

[SMn]

Great! I'll check them out as well... Really opens a whole otherside to options when beach and rock fishing! I can see myself getting carried away... Hahaha. Cheers mate.

[I'm_Away]

For my first post on this forum I'd like to present a case study that is relevant to this topic: Yesterday I was surf fishing just south of Ballina, NSW. I was using a 30g Streaker and my mate tried a plethora of other metal slice-type lures. I was getting a Tailor hook-up on nearly every cast (gave up counting after 15 fish) and my mate went scoreless for the day - fishing the same gutter, nearly side-by-side. I eventually got "sharked", losing the Tailor, lure and all and never caught another Tailor after that, when using other lure types. I am absolutely sold on Streaker lures! By the way, all but one Tailor were released.

Cheers