Daytime surf fishing for large......why bother?

[Back Beach]

Its well established if you want to catch large fish from the surf that it can only be done at night, right? Only a fool would go it by day.
Surprising or not, many large shore fish are taken by day every year. I have a couple well over the 40# mark taken under blue bird conditions from the daytime surf.

Lets define large fish as well as daytime conditions before the question is posed.

Daytime=if there is any natural light present.This time of year it would be 4:30 am to 9:30 pm and would adjust accordingly as daylight increases or decreases.
Large fish=Don't want to insult anyone, so lets call a large 20# or better.

Question:
If you decide to go it by day from the surf for large fish, what types of conditons need to be present for you to fish with confidence? Do your day versus night methods differ at all, and if so,how?

[Striperhound]

When I used to fish Long Island and I did this on Nantucket as well. I would fish whole clams on the bottom as a family day at the beach. Mid day, full sun, swimmers in the water splashing around. My two biggest fish caught this way were caught under these condition. 38lbs. Lots of tourists and swimmers did not get back in the water after seeing me land these fish. I remember a 64 lb fish caught on Long Island the same way noon with full sun and swimmers around.

[numbskull]

Anyone who has sightfished for striped bass can attest to the numbers of quality fish that are available in less than 3 feet of water, within 50 feet (and often 10 feet) of shore, in the middle of the day. They are not easy to take, however. Find sand flats near rocks and they will be there.

[Pete_G]

Good topic. My biggest fish last year from shore was during the day, with bluebird skies and I've had some other nice catches over the years too.

I do like some whitewater and really I'd prefer some cloud cover. Big spooks, Pencils, sometimes Dannys. Needlefish. It all still works. White and yellow over white are my usual daytime colors. Herring too.

I do think your spot choices need to be looked at, some spots I fish are reliably capable of giving up a big fish during the day but others, at least so far never have. I think having adjacent deep water is always a good thing, night or day, but especially during the day.

I regularly fish in the wetsuit during the day as well to make sure I'm getting out as far as possible to deeper water. Since the fish aren't necessarily roaming about I like to make really accurate casts at structure and lots of them as opposed to just fan casting. Often it seems fish just don't have as big a "strike zone" during the day and if what you offer isn't in range you don't even get a look. There's a bunch of spots I know of that prove shore anglers can catch large during the day. You just have to know where to throw.

I've always been big on the concept that fish don't move far during the day from where they feed at night. Fishing my home waters in Newport by boat prove it, those fish are there, if you can reach where they lay up during the day. Often you can.

[striprman]

If the tide and current are optimal (good current/rip,bait present,birds) during daylight hours, there's a good chance something will be feeding. Or, maybe a rogue or wayward fish or 3 might be there.
The tide brings the fish and takes the fish, day and night.

[BigFish]

Why climb the mountain? Because it is there....same for fishing!

[Diggin Jiggin]

I rarely fish into the daylight hours. I only have a few spots that fish consistantly well and I don't want to give them up by fishing into the daylight hours so I'm gone from those spots at first light, even if there's still fish..

I do think the first few hours of daylight can fish as well as the night, but I think it takes certain situation where maybe you have an outflow or a rip or whitewater or a dropoff to deepwater that will hold an occasional fish. My biggest fish of the year so far was a solo fish that hit a popper around 7am.

It also seems like all the blitzes you hear about occur during the daytime, when fish are able to really isolate and hammer a school of baitfish.

[GonnaCatchABig1]

i even actually bothered to try. but many times i have been swimming in about 4ft of water, have something catch my attention, and realize it's a school of 30+ inch stripers. i had fish as big as almost 4ft brush up against my leg. my first thought is always "where the heck are these when i have a rod handy?" i might get out and try it this year though.

[Rockport24]

I just think your chances are better at night. Sure, there are situations when you can catch monsters during the day, especially at a place like say, the canal with all that deep water, but I just think overall night time is the right time

[likwid]

Originally Posted by Rockport24

I just think your chances are better at night. Sure, there are situations when you can catch monsters during the day, especially at a place like say, the canal with all that deep water, but I just think overall night time is the right time

Its a crap shoot.
Just as many big fish have been caught during the day as at night.

The canal isn't exclusive to big daytime fish.
Its not surprising to see big big keepers up on the flats feeding during the day.
Same with the boulders in random places.
They hold fish day AND night.

[Nebe]

some people just can not fish the prime times.. work, family, etc.....

my thoughts are that if i cant get out at night when i want to, i can at least try for something in the not-so-prime times..

bait helps.

[ThrowingTimber]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Question:
If you decide to go it by day from the surf for large fish, what types of conditons need to be present for you to fish with confidence? Do your day versus night methods differ at all, and if so,how?

To fish with confidence during the day I would have to say seeing large bait would be a good sign. Seeing the large bait getting destroyed would definitely make it better. Day versus night methods do vary for me I think I'm more likely to try harder at night (try more stuff dif methods etc longer) vs daytime.

[chris L]

Im ascared of the nightness

[EarnedStripes44]

Think shark infested waters, where shark attacks occur, places like Hawaii or Florida. They always say don't swim in shark infested waters at night because that is when foraging, larger sharks venture into shallow water. Sharks are fish, just like those linesiders, so think of that splashing plug as that lone swimmer in the middle of night and that lurking 9 foot tiger shark in waist deep water, now imagine that element of surprise. Thats why I fish at night.

[Rockport24]

so you do guys think that if some of the better surfcasters out there like DZ and McKenna and the Iron Mike, etc, decided to just fish days would they do just as well? (hopefully DZ will weigh in)

[JLH]

Everytime I go spear fishing for blacks near shore I am amazed at the numbers and size of stripers I see cruizing in shallow water during the day. I dont' fish the day due mainly to other reasons, trying to keep spots secret, fluke/black fishing in the boat, and spending time with family and GF, its a lot easier to sneak out when everyone is sleeping.

[fishbones]

The big fish are definitely out there during the day. I have a friend who surfs (and fishes) and he say's that he's seen plenty of very large bass while paddling out at beaches in MA and RI during the day. Problem is, you are not going to be casting into a bunch of surfers or swimmers. I was once on my friends boat and we pulled up to a very popular beach on the south shore in MA one day during the middle of the day in summer. The beach was packed and we had the boat in 6-8 feet of water, when I saw a big shadow in the water. I looked over and it was a 30#+ bass cruising all by itself. Of course, we had no gear on the boat. Also, I think more of the experienced anglers just fish at night for whatever reason. How many times have you seen a guy (probably a tourist) fishing from a beach or bridge with the wrong gear during the middle of the day? I know when I see it, I think to myself that there is no chance that he's gonna catch a fish. Now, if I saw a guy who looked like he knew what he was doing, I would probably stop and talk to him. I know that big fish are caught during the day, but I think it's tougher to catch them because they feed more actively during the night.

[Flaptail]

Several things come to mind here. I have taken a lot of big fish in the day surfcasting and wading certain flats while flyfishing. Surfcasting was always with a big swimming plug and the Danny plug is the number one choice, especially in the spring of the year and late fall which are your best chance for this type of sport but.....therehave been occasions on mid summer days in clear weather and high heat where fish have shown.

Bigger fish can be suckers for flies thrown into the curl on sunny days and your chances increase when fishing locales where they are not shore shy due to bathers/boaters etc. South beach in Chatham, Monomoy, the Elizabeths, Wood End and Long Point would fit such place descriptions. It always amazes me how a ruly large fish can be fooled into eating a three inch long fly.

Wading deserted outer Cape beaches with a white or yellow pencil popper on sunny days can be effective too, low tide when you can wade out to bars and cast the cut edges between them.

Daylight of course has better periods such as dusk and false dawn to just as the sun peaks out of the eastern horizon but you can catch fish all day if you are willing to put in some miles.

Some of the best surface swimming plug action can be had in daylight.

Numbskull and I and a few others have experienced this many times, though I prefer the dead of night for a lot of reasons daylight plugging can be very good at times.

[likwid]

Originally Posted by EarnedStripes44

Think shark infested waters, where shark attacks occur, places like Hawaii or Florida. They always say don't swim in shark infested waters at night because that is when foraging, larger sharks venture into shallow water. Sharks are fish, just like those linesiders, so think of that splashing plug as that lone swimmer in the middle of night and that lurking 9 foot tiger shark in waist deep water, now imagine that element of surprise. Thats why I fish at night.

And Tautog sleep at night.
There goes that theory!

[doc]

great topic...love being into fish at first light or as the sun is setting...even better and more surprising to be into large during mid-day...

[steve]

If you want to catch big bass CONSISTENTLY from the surf, nighttime is the right time-- end of story!

[Skitterpop]

more fish markets tend to be open then....


Good Thread !

I really believe night fishing is overrated.... have swum around a lot with a dive mask in the full daylight and seen many Stripers moving about, even near bathers on a crowded beach. I would agree it might be easier to catch them at night though but not always.

Bass do what they want when they want.

[EricM]

By day from the surf for large fish with confidence for me? Combination of specific dates and wind/ surf conditions. Going by my logbook and the experience of my predecessors, there are certain days of the year which you can fish with confidence.

Second place goes to certain types of days, when you can't put you finger on why but you know there are going to be good fish in the surf.

[nightfighter]

I dunno what all the hullaballo is about.... Sorry Mike, couldn't resist......

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

I dunno what all the hullaballo is about.... Sorry Mike, couldn't resist......

The fish was caught at night about 12 hours prior. It was a photo session for a VS catalog cover shot.

[nightfighter]

Yeah, I know Pete. Just stirring the pot.... But I knew someone would enlighten the masses! You knew I knew!

[ridler72]

I have done everything against the grain and have done well for large Striped Bass during daytime. Most were by kayak but these fish are in shore in the shallows and down on structure. No birds, no bait fish present, last of the outgoing tide, noon time sun, and mooching in the rocks. It might have a lot to do with the abundance of lobsters and red crabs.

[Nebe]

heres my theory and this is just a theory... Night fishing is better than in the day because in the day your tackle stands out more... the line, the leader, the hooks... it all stands out- Also, i believe this is why i rarely do above average around the full moon.
Add some rough surf and cloud cover and the bass has a much harder time noticing all of those details- all it sees is the silhouette of the plug.

But to say that bass do not eat durring the day is poppycock. They eat whenever there is an opertunity to eat. I know I do

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by ridler72

I have done everything against the grain and have done well for large Striped Bass during daytime. Most were by kayak but these fish are in shore in the shallows and down on structure. No birds, no bait fish present, last of the outgoing tide, noon time sun, and mooching in the rocks. It might have a lot to do with the abundance of lobsters and red crabs.

This is right on. Low tide, noonday sun, calm conditions, tight tight tight to rocks or sandy beaches. In the rocks they'll take plugs as long as the plug lands within 2-3 feet of dry land. They're in there because solitary bunker hug the shore trying to avoid them (you can also watch gulls pick off the bunker by waiting on rocks). In the sand you're better off with a flyrod. They're eating small flounder, crabs, and tiny sandeels. Here's a typical midmorning fish, taken from a boat, but hit within 20 feet from shore. Same day earlier this week we must have seen 10-20 similar sized fish over sand in water under 2 feet deep and within spitting distance of the beach. Left Eddy shaking. They're there, ya just gotta look.

[Redsoxticket]

If your scuba diving at nite you'll notice more lobsters & crabs outside their crevices. The crevices are close to rocky structures which are usually close to shore. The predators of lobsters such as bass see this every nite and know where to dine.