surfing infiltration etiquette
 

...so fishing one of my usual after work spots during that n'easterly blow we just had...surf is big...fishing conditions were excellent - had a big bass on my first cast...missed an equally sized fish on my second cast...ready for my third and 2 surfers paddle right up onto the reef i was fishing...essentially making it unfishable...i understand that they viewed this as an opportunity given the surf but so did i and there have been several times where i am gonna hit that spot but dont when people are surfing it...wtf!

You need to employ "The Bigfish Defense"...(4oz. hopkins)

you'll get alot of "cast at them" replies here but its really not an option. how it should work is that you get there first, and the spot is yours, they get there first, spot is theirs. But if they're willing to surf around you, and your not willing to fish around them (which I would not be) your only real option is to try talking to them or moving. also, you could fish the edges of the reef. positive is they leave at dusk.

exactly...the edges or leave were my only realistic options...it just pissed me off since i give them the benefit when i see them there and go to a different spot...

that truly sucks, if you are there first they should leave, but in reality you can fish a lot of spots, and they can really only surf there at that specific time. Like Josh said, they leave at dusk and prob won't be back unless we get another blow like this...so it's a temporary problem there.

Yup! Or.....just tell them to get the "F" out of the way....you were there first!:uhuh:

I had three walk to the point from nulmans and paddle out from behind me. I had already cast before I even saw them and one swam into my line and had my plug on the shoulder. I did'nt set up on him, but I was tempted. It was time for me to leave, the fish already had.

Which one? The beach reef, or Tom Moore's reef? At TM's I just fish through them. Tougher to do at Dev. Going tonight?

...was at the reef...the other thing was that they could have been at least good surfers...while standing there figuring out my next move, neither of them could catch a wave...
...will be there tomorrow night...

Just give them one word, only one word, and see if they stick around.

That word?


simple......"SHARK!"

Explain that the fishing has been slow ever since the Great Whites start patrolling that particular shoreline!

Which leads to the "Jailhouse Blues"

If you're are a regular there, try talking to them when they get back to shore when they are finished. It helps if your in a wetsuit as they see you as a "brother" wetsuiter. Start up a convo with them letting them know the situation. I've had guys not have the slightest clue they were annoying you or screwing up the fishing. They apologize and find somewhere else to go when you're there.

I had another situation where I liked to fish a fairly big reef at dusk before night fishing, but only a small section was good for fishing. I talked to those surfers too as they used the whole reef. Once I told them what was going on we both shared the reef, they had 3/4 of it and i had my area. They DEF did not negatively impact the fishing.

It really is worth a shot, I've surfed before and most of the guys arent all that bad. Some are, but thats like everything. Quite a few of them surf fish too, but they often come back at night...

Couple thoughts..

Surfers cant surf anywhere.. Your options are much greater than theirs. Boat fishermen are expected to give shore guys a wide birth out of respect and I do the same for surfers. If they show up, i just move. No point arguing. Besides... surfers do it in the day and we do it at night.. :)

Jeremy - How many times has that happened there though, it's happened there when I fished with you and that was a year ago ... and it has happened more than once ... you either have to speak with them or give it up ... as they probably aren't even paying attention to you ...


... the other thing is you can spend a little $$, make a fake sign stating ... "beached closed to surfing when lifeguards off duty" and just post it at the entrance to the parking lot ... if you can get away with it, may deter a few to go complain to the town and then you can get a few extra days of fishing undisturbed

Can't cost too much, and if you can get away with it ... who cares?

Never had trouble with smurfs after dark. Just go when they can't.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

true

Use to happen at dawn all the time at Deep Hole. We'd just move to Carpenters to fish.

"It was an accident?"......."He surfed right into my cast?" How would you handle such a situation Likwid?

I think it's called involountary manslaughter.

Bump up to #80 braid and reel them in,, Then be super nice and tell them how rotten it is for them to screw up your fishing....

When finished unhook and release.... of course being polite the whole time.

never make it to court.:rotf2:

they have way more right than we do it happen in Narragansett@ the wall Surfer called the cops and those were his true words.assault with intent to commit harm.:uhuh:

I’ve dealt with surfers here in Newport from time to time over turf wars (or should I say surf wars). I’ve found that most surfers are fine AS LONG AS THEY”RE NOT SURFING; actually some are very likable when not surfing. They run shoreline clean-ups, monitor water quality, etc. But once the surf is up many morph into bad seeds with attitudes to match (you know the type - full grown men with the attitude of a teenager). They lose all common sense, ignore local authority and have no regard for others. It’s just an ingrained trait of their makeup and very similar to that of skate boarders where-by they have always been told they can’t do things here or there so they have no choice but to rebel.

A majority of surfers completely ignore local authorities in my neck of the woods (surfing in hurricanes is a biggy with local police) so by no means would they listen to a cop never mind reason with a surf caster.

Look at the surfing problem at Montauk State Park. There are certain areas that are strictly “off limits to surfing”. But once the surf is up the regulation is a joke as surfers routinely ignore it AND to make matters worse think actually they have a right to ignore that law! How can you deal with that kind of mentality? Answer – you can’t. Don’t stoop to their level.

Your best bet is to try and reason with them and if that doesn’t work you can always…., well use your ingenuity.

DZ

That litterally is what happened to me at pt judith. I had cast when the guy(s) walked out behind me and paddled into my line. I suppose it would have been my fault?

So true, they can be real a-holes when the surf is up. You do have to realize that they are as passionate about what they do as we are about what we do, and they are definitely limited in where they can catch good waves. I surfed for 35 years, and have been surfcasting much longer than that, including lots of time at montauk. It's a tough situation! The only saving grace I see is that they can't surf at night.

Steve

Not act like an interwebs tuff guy.

I'm sure telling the police it was an accident will work REAL well.

Take the hooks off a surface lure, pop, pop, pop to scare them off. This way no one gets hurt.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Unfortunately some of the best (banging surf) fishing spots are the best surfing spots .. They don't surf at night .. Or enjoy the never ending battle ..

Yeah thats me....internet tuff guy!:rotf2:

you forgot " In a pink shirt "