If you are looking for a low-cost way to enjoy the sport of fishing, then you might want to give surf fishing a try. Unlike lake fishing, which might require a boat or other expensive equipment, you can go surf fishing with only a rod and reel and some bait. All you need to do is get to a beach, for that is where you will find the surf in which you are going to be fishing. Then, stand on the shore or go about waist deep in the ocean and cast your line. If you do it right, you will soon catch something that might be worth eating or bragging about.

All that sounds really easy, but as any seasoned fishermen will tell you, getting a good catch with surf fishing can be very difficult. Like any form of fishing, you must use the right bait and the right technique to find success when fishing in the surf. Much of the technique involves knowing when to fish and where. When you are fishing in the surf, your line must be cast past the point where the waves are breaking. Casting into the waves will only cause much frustration, for your bait will get chewed up by the waves or your line might get tangled. A longer rod and a larger reel than is typically used in freshwater fishing will be necessary in order to make sure that you can cast your line in the right place.

There are vastly more species of fish living in the ocean than in freshwater rivers, lakes, and streams, so in some ways surf fishing takes a lot more knowledge than freshwater fishing. It takes greater effort to be up on the varieties of fish that might be available in the area of the surf in which you are fishing. Once you know what fish might be available, you will also need to be somewhat of an expert on the bait that will be most attractive to the fish that live in the area. This advice is not meant to discourage you from fishing in the surf, only to prepare you for success when you are out fishing.

Surf fishing can also be more challenging because you will probably have to look out more for other people than if you fish on a freshwater lake. Beaches are popular destinations, and it is easy to catch somebody with a hook when you are casting if you are not careful. That is why it is best to find a secluded area on the beach from which you can fish, but if that is not possible, take extra precautions to avoid hurting the people around you.