bought new Stella 10000 and p/u century soon. little new to sport but plan on fishing the ditch and tributaries and surf. Did tons of research and have lots of recommended lures and rigs for bait fishing. Plan on strippers, blues and some flat fish (and anything else that will take the bait) Asked and got $$ gift certificated to big tackle shops so would like to ask other that rod/reel/lures what would the experts list at say the top 5 other items needed. Items I am considering are:

Boga Grip - they have 15, 30 & 60lb models - is this a good item to have or just a luxury. Have read that gills on strippers and do damage and we know about the Blues. I can afford it just don't know wether I am wasting my money.

night vision head flashlight: I would imagine that I will end up fishing at night/morning and this would be a necessity. Any make/models I should consider. I do not like to by JUNK, looking for real quality. I read that a red light toggle switch is important. Is it and if so why.

Fish hook removal tool: Long needle nose is all I have now ??

Have hand me down waders: not sure if they leak ? Hip waders ?

No boat so far but would imagine that having even a smaller boat would open the gauntlet tremendously. Is my assessment accurate ?

Please elaborate on items you bring that feel are a "must have"

Really looking forward to hearing everyones advise.

Thank you in advance, hope to meet some new friends at the Cape this year and get to know everyone by first name.

Kind Regards,

Bernie

Best bait for strippers is $100 bills. :)

Brass pole...they like that! :uhuh:

Bernie we are a bunch of smart asses......welcome to S-B....you are being initiated!

I like a head light but some don't. I have a Petzl I bought 15 years ago or more. There are many very much less expensive but you'll buy a new one every couple of years.

Boga grip--definitely not needed but one with a scale in it comes in handy if you nail a big girl. I think since you are a beginner you can wait on that.

Fish hook remover--used needle nosed pliers for 35 years. never had a fish hook remover.

IMO waders are a must.

No boat until you been in the game about 5 years.

Must haves... plug bag , knife , spare reel if going far from home , tape measure , all kinds of jigs , plugs , plastic , etc, Strong legs and back! :)

I would reccommend a lipper. Bogas are nice but a Berkely satisfied me for 12 years. Surf belt to hang essentials: pliers, lipper, etc plus keep water out when you fall in. chest waders breathables if not wet wading in spring cold water. Many good off the shelf rods now a day. Don't need to custom when getting feet wet. Bunch of trinkets to personalize your needs. Like saltheart says.

Most important piece of eqipment you can have with you is a good pair of pliers WITH CUTTERS!!! Spare no expense on a good pair of these! Not just for unhooking fish but I have performed first aid/hook removal from several people in a pinch!!!:uhuh:

...and condoms for the strippers:uhuh:

Bernie, Welcome to SB!

Being new to the sport, I would stick to the essentials as far as gear goes. It sounds like you have some "room" in your budget and that's great for someone starting out, but spend you money wisely. Buy decent gear, that will hold up, you don't need top of the line. There will be plenty of time to upgrade as you go along. You will soon learn by attending a couple of the saltwater shows over the winter, that there is much eye candy out there, and your "arsenal" will grow faster than you think.

IMO, essentials should include a good quality rod/reel which you have plenty of.

A good quality pair of waders/ surf top will keep you warm and dry. You'll see how short your trips will be if you're cold/wet. LL bean makes decent waders that wont break the bank, and if get damaged or leak, will replace without question. Buy breathables.
Around the waders you'll need another essential piece, in a surfbelt. Don't skimp here either. These things can save your life. What you choose to wear on your belt is entirely up to you but I would keep it simple. Pliers, Boga/ fish lipper, knife, and maybe a water bottle. They can get filled up and heavy real quick, and your back will pay the price.

A good quality plug bag to hold all your plugs. There are a number of good options, depending on your budget. MAK and Commando are a couple of your best options.

A quality light will go far in helping you avoid falls or accidents maneuvering in the dark, or walking to your spot. The Petzel lights mentioned are good. I like the UK Vizion light, it has a few more options including the red "night vision" option, which you are looking for.
Good luck and hope this helps!

Welcome to SB and surfcasting.

Boga Grip - Not necessary unless a fish's weight is very important to you. The plastic fish grippers are about 14 dollars, light weight and act like visegrips in function. They are the easiest to carry. Carry a cloth tailor's tape measure if you want accurate fish size.

night vision head flashlight: UK vizion costs around 50 dollars, is "waterproof" and has three light settings, one of which is red. Energizer has one that is water resistent for 10-15 dollars with a red light as well. I use white light for moving around and red to change plugs and take fish off. Sometimes both of these operations can do without turning the light on based on moon light. I recommend always carrying a backup light, that is waterproof (dive light), small in size, and either carry around your neck or dedicate a spot in your plug bag for it.

Fish hook removal tool: Like other said a good pair of pliers is very important, and also something that can cut through a hook in emergencies.

Have hand me down waders: LLbean breathable stockingfoot waders, as for boots Simms felt bottoms- headwaters model, or freestones have a great sole that is thick enough to accept Grip Studs 1800 model studs. Do a search on this site for Grip Studs, there were several good discussions on this topic over the last year or so. However if you are fishing sand beaches primarily studs & felt bottoms aren't necessary and would only become heavy.

From personal experience, my favorite pieces of equipment have been:
-Simms boots with Grip studs for fishing in and from rocks. They are excellent boots, very comfortable, and adding enough studs so that my own weight was evenly distributed over the studs so as not to create pressure points. I used 29 studs per boot.
-Commando Surf Belt (not a wading belt, need both in waders) This belt is excellent, it is rigid, 1/4" thick or so, and has a double locking clip made from hard plastic. Everything is attached to it, so it is a critical piece of gear. Pliers, plug bag, etc. stay where I need them to be and the belt doesn't fold over. I also hang a stainless "O" ring from the front of my belt to slide the rod into while unhooking fish, or taking a water break.
-Dive knife, blunt tip, made from Titanium. I've used mine once to dislodge a hooked fish from a bouy rope. But this piece of equipment is for safety. Old line, lobster pot ropes, etc, could entangle our feet while in the surf and it is a critical item to have in my opinion. Dive shops will carry items like this.
-Lanyards & retractors, nothing like saving your investments in good gear. Retractors are nice because you can buy them to suit the weight of the items you wish to tether off. For example a pair of pliers wouldn't require the same retractor as a boga grip. If you wade in the salt odds are your gear will get wet, so make sure the lanyards or retractors have stainless hardware.
-One piece of equipment that is not necessary and a personal choice, but has quickly grown on me is a False Bar Customs harness. This attaches to your surf belt at two point in the front and one point in the rear. It take the load of the surf belt and gear and distributes it between my waist, and both shoulders. It does take up additional room on the surf belt, which is in my opinion its one con. However I can mount other items on it such as a camera case and my dive knife. The biggest plus IMO is the weight distribution.

Again, there is a ton of info on this site. The options a surfcaster has today for gear are nearly unlimited, personally I find myself wanting to carry less and less on every outing. Some guys like to take everything, some guys like to only fish a few plugs or jigs. I carry 40 to 50 pounds of gear around at work each day, so when I hit the surf I don't want to lug around a 4 tube bag filled to the brim. I would suggest buying what is necessary to catch fish safely, then ask yourself do I really need more. Fish with plugs or bait that you are confident in, if you have no where to start, ask a local tackle shop what works in areas you plan to fish and learn those lures or baits. Stick with them, learn what they look like in daylight, learn how deep they dive, or if they'd catch on the bottom. If someone offers you a chance to fish with them, take it, listen and learn. Most important have fun and enjoy each fish, big or small. Good luck and keep asking questions.

Lots of good stuff coming in, will follow up on many of the leads and see what falls in my "cart". Where are the "Saltwater shows" that the Massbassman speaks of. I have never heard of these "surf belts". I will have to look into them.

It's not a full-blown fishing show but on the main forum of this site is Connecticut Surfcasters Association Demo Day. It is a combination of club member based demonstrations of surfcasting related info, club member & commercial sales, good food and company. In general there are many other Surf and/or saltwater based shows throughout the northeast during the winter and spring. Look up specific clubs or state organizations as they might have a show they sponsor. There are several "Surf Day" shows in various states, hosted by clubs or tackle shops. The Fisherman magazine has a list of upcoming events, including shows.

bought new Stella 10000 and p/u century soon. little new to sport but plan on fishing the ditch and tributaries and surf. Did tons of research and have lots of recommended lures and rigs for bait fishing. Plan on strippers, blues and some flat fish (and anything else that will take the bait) Asked and got $$ gift certificated to big tackle shops so would like to ask other that rod/reel/lures what would the experts list at say the top 5 other items needed. Items I am considering are:

Boga Grip - they have 15, 30 & 60lb models - is this a good item to have or just a luxury. Have read that gills on strippers and do damage and we know about the Blues. I can afford it just don't know wether I am wasting my money.

night vision head flashlight: I would imagine that I will end up fishing at night/morning and this would be a necessity. Any make/models I should consider. I do not like to by JUNK, looking for real quality. I read that a red light toggle switch is important. Is it and if so why.

Fish hook removal tool: Long needle nose is all I have now ??

Have hand me down waders: not sure if they leak ? Hip waders ?

No boat so far but would imagine that having even a smaller boat would open the gauntlet tremendously. Is my assessment accurate ?

Please elaborate on items you bring that feel are a "must have"

Really looking forward to hearing everyones advise.

Thank you in advance, hope to meet some new friends at the Cape this year and get to know everyone by first name.

Kind Regards,

Bernie

I wouldn't buy everything up front. I'd buy the necessities and figure out what you like.
Where will you be fishing? Your location says NY, but you mentioned the canal... I assume the majority of your fishing would be closer to home?

Boga grips are nice to have, but a $10 plastic gripper will do the same minus the weighing.

Headlamps- Red is important because it keeps your night vision and white light travels extremely far at night. I have two a cheap energizer and a U.K. The energizer is cheap but is far from junk. I'ts been through years of abuse when I was in the military and only recently got replaced. If I am going to get wet, I use the U.k.
- get pliers with cutters - especially if using braid
-get a wading belt and use it ALWAYS
I'd also suggest a good plug bag.

Try out friends gear and see what works for you before dropping the big bucks on the high quality stuff- that would be some of my advice.

Friends don't let friends fish bait. (unless they are eels). Start off with some swimming plugs like SPs or mambos. I would grab some poppers too uncase you see em on top some day. They work well in the Spring in rivers and the CCC on good moon tides in the morning. I tend to throw the ones at the strippers though. Plugs are expensive these days.

these guys are giving you solid info....take note. Its a great sport, started three seasons ago myself, love it.

I also like the uk vizion light but always carry an extra cause it really sucks when your batteries die or realize you forgot your light and your no where near your car.
I think a good pair of boots with studs is essential for safety sake especially on the rocks.
I would also recommend finding someone to fish with until you know what's up, the ocean and especially the canal the place is no joke when the currents running hard. Safety in numbers
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if I may Bernie, you sound like your very enthusiastic about the sport, as you should be. Most of the people here have acquired their gear over a lifetime of trial and error, so don't let your head spin with the amount of stuff you think you need. Grab a few bucktails and poppers, maybe a needle or 2 and a set of lip grippers. The biggest thing is safety. Know the waters you're gonna be fishing in. There probably isn't one person on this site that doesn't have at least 1 or 2 close-call stories that happened in areas they knew like the back of their hands, and if you're gonna be wadding in the water at night, and you're new to the sport, PLEASE, bring a friend or at the very least have a life vest on. Enjoy, part of the fun is the trial and error.

Well thank you all for pitching in with your thoughts and some very valuable info. I am VERY surprised on the feedback on things like the "Comando Surf belt" and wading belt. I spoke to quite a few gents at the ditch and for the life of me do not remember anyone wearing anything that you spoke about. I also do not even remember seeing such an item listed on the internet tackle shops (ie. Tackledirect & The Saltwater Edge) which I buy from and have xmas gift certificates for. I also am a firm believer in patronizing local tack shops and Im you know why. I have tons of new lures as I have been "listening" to everyone and I believe I have all bases covered there. Things like studded boots I would have never thought of and make great sense, an absolute definite. Might have a couple three that I should have but will wait till someone advised that my box is missing such. Think I will head to that Conn. show so see what I can see. Time to investigate these "surf belts" ?? I live in N.Y. but pop owns a nice little Cape House in Dennis so I can fish inlets & tributaries, Sasuit harbor, and the canal. Any yes, I plan on humbling myself and trying to find several "verterans" to buddy up with to speed up the process, no faster way to become an avid striperer.

It may make sense to return the Stella, buy a shimano Stradic and take the $800 or so dollars and get the rest of the gear mentioned here....just a thought. I would also recommend a book by called "the are of Surfcasting with lures" by Zeno Hromin. It covers lures, but more importantly structure, weather conditions, tides/current and most importantly essential gear for anglers of all levels.
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It may make sense to return the Stella, buy a shimano Stradic and take the $800 or so dollars and get the rest of the gear mentioned here....just a thought. I would also recommend a book by called "the are of Surfcasting with lures" by Zeno Hromin. It covers lures, but more importantly structure, weather conditions, tides/current and most importantly essential gear for anglers of all levels.
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Agreed. Or, if you are going to drop a grand on a reel, it should be able to get wet...Buy a ZX25/27 or a VS250. You can fish all the same places with one of these reels that you would with the Stella but not the other way around...

...regarding the wader belt and studs. These are the 2 most important pieces of safety equipment you can own. I have had my belt save my life several times when I got knocked over in the surf. The studs are a must for climbing rocks unless you enjoy slipping and falling in the dark on a non-forgiving surface like barnacle encrusted boulders.

Agreed. Or, if you are going to drop a grand on a reel, it should be able to get wet...Buy a ZX25/27 or a VS250. You can fish all the same places with one of these reels that you would with the Stella but not the other way around...

X2 Waterproof reel would be a priority on my list. I have always been an advocate of buying the best you can afford. However, if you were getting into guns, I wouldn't start you out with a 50 cal.
VS200 is good all around waterproof reel size and is my go to surf reel. I know doc fishes a 150, and he is a maniac. Don't want you to be undergunned, but don't want to weight you down with heavy gear either. I am just not knowledgeable about the comparable Zeebass sizes.

Had a super big grin when I heard the last few responses to "sell the Stella and by a Stradic".

New the Stella was an awesome reel, silky smooth, tons of drag and of so pretty but then read a report on a big fishing tournement on Long Island and 3 of the 5 "big guns" had something called a Van Stalls....sssoooo did some research and found out that this was the reel of choice for solid Striper fishing, a real work horse and the Stella probably best from the confinments of a boat. O.K. So I made an "oversite" (polite way of admitting a mistake). I'll just have to be real careful with her until I buy my VS "back up" reel that some have posted I should have, then I will have the best of both, refinement and ruggedness, Kind of makes sense anyway. If I break my one and only reel I'm screwed so a 2nd backup is a must.

Your first rogue wave will be fun ...
All your gear surging in the wave :) I don't Think you mention a spare spool :)
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I would also recommend finding someone to fish with until you know what's up, the ocean and especially the canal the place is no joke when the currents running hard. Safety in numbers
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You can buy corkers for you wader boots these are essential for fishing on rocks,I use 5/16" tech screws in the bottom of my boots.
welcome to the site!

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=75036&highlight=safety+gear

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=78074&highlight=%2Aetiquette%2A

Here are a couple of links that are great collections of advice from guys who have seen it all. Safety should be your number one consideration. Most of the places where you will find large bass are also very dangerous, but can be fished safely with the right gear and knowledge.

As others have said, start with the basic gear and add pieces slowly. If you go out in the dark in a dangerous spot loaded with new gear, you're asking for trouble. Every time I add a new piece of gear to my rig, I test it in safer waters. Does it prevent me from reaching any of my safety gear? Can I get to it if I fall in? Can I detach it from my rig and use it with only one hand, etc? I fish in a wet suit so another big consideration for me is, do I still float with the new gear. I also carry a hand held and completely submergible VHF radio. I carry it in a holster that is fixed to my bag strap in the middle of my chest. I also have a lanyard on it so I can't loose it. All I have to do is turn it on (automatically on ch 16) and with one hand, I have direct access to the coast guard in many of the places that I fish. I test it before stepping into the water every time I fish.

The other link about the canal, take it for what it's worth. knowing what to expect will make for a more pleasant trip. I live about a mile from it and don't fish it much anymore (once last year while waiting for a more favorable tide elsewhere) because of the crowds. I have seen people who don't know how the place works get run off by an angry mob. It can be a great place if you approach it correctly.

Welcome to the site! Lots of great guys on here willing to share and help.

Thank "Liv2fish", read both URLs you included. It was VERY informative and interesting. Learned quite a bit from both (Safety & Etiquette).

Already purchased the U.K. headlamp & a PD-35 5 mode small backup flashlight good to 33' below water. The PDF sounds good and the EPRB in certain situations def makes sense. The VHF/GPS combo also a good call. Not sure if I would look like a fisherman or more like "Rambo" when outfitted.
Whistle never entered my mind, already have a good one to carry.
Will be going to the Connecticut Surfcasters Ext., know I will meet up with a couple of S.B. guys there. Thanks everyone.

If you go to the CT surfcasters, feel free to ask questions. Several members have posted here, and they all share info on getting started. Safety should be your greatest concern, catching will come. We all have too many plugs/jigs, etc, just not enough time to fish. Time fishing will get you where you want to go, and keep a log.

[QUOTE=fish raptor;1026779]Well thank you all for pitching in with your thoughts and some very valuable info. I am VERY surprised on the feedback on things like the "Comando Surf belt" and wading belt. I spoke to quite a few gents at the ditch and for the life of me do not remember anyone wearing anything that you spoke about.

Remember that fishing the canal is not exactly surf fishing. A good wading belt is a must. If your fishing the surf it can be a life saver If worn tight over a top when you get smoked by a wave and get dunked. When your fishing the canal its just a damn handy way to carry your essentials. I wear my wading belt when i fish all the time whether its fishing the surf or walking a beach in a pair of shorts.

One thing i would suggest is a pair of felt soled wading boots and screw some wear bars or grip studz into them. Life without korkers strapped to your feet is a real nice thing.

Keep your eyes peeled on the classified section of the site. If you are looking for something in particular say your looking for it, most of us have so much crap hanging around you can score some good deals on a lot of the stuff you need to get started the right way.

I would also suggest getting either a dry top or a good quality rain jacket that has sleeves that will cinch tight. Probably one of each is what you really want. I have a couple tops and a couple rain jackets. I wear the rain coat most of the time, but there are times when you need the surf top. You will know when that time comes, usually about 5 minutes into a trip when you get splashed and the water goes right down your neck.