Landing Big Fish in the Surf

Surf fishing may not always be the most productive style of fishing in the world, but it can be incredibly enjoyable and relaxing. And every now and again you can get lucky – very lucky. Any time you wail a bait out into the ocean all bets are off, and you simply never know what’s going to pounce on the offering. When an exceptionally large fish is hooked up, however, landing it can be a serious challenge. Countless fish have been lost in a rolling wave or right at the edge of the suds. You want to make sure you get that lunker safely landed? These tips will help.

Hooking a fish like this in the surf is one thing, but landing it is another.

1. Get a hand gaff. You can even find versions that fold shut like a pocket knife, so it’s easy to drop one into a pocket or tacklebox. Size doesn’t matter much, just as long as it has a hook you can use to stick the fish and it’s strong enough to hold the weight. However, look out for cheaply made foreign versions. These usually feel plenty strong to hold the fish but are made out of low-quality metals. The first time you dip them in the ocean they start to corrode, and folding versions will quickly become welded shut by the rust.
2. Time landing the fish with the waves. When a large fish gets rolled in a breaking wave, if the hook isn’t set perfectly there’s a very good chance it’ll pop free. So watch the timing of the waves and if it looks like your fish is going to get crushed in one, slack off the pressure a bit and allow it to swim a few feet away from the beach (while always maintaining tension, of course). Then when the wave passes, apply maximum pressure to bring it in before the next one crashes.
3. If you’re forced into dragging a big fish across the sand, wait for the next wave and get it as far up the beach as you can while its weight is at least partially supported by the water. Dragging a 20-pound fish on dry sand is very likely going to snap 20-pound line. But with just an inch or two of water pushing up the beach its weight is greatly reduced.
4. Fish with a friend, and help each other land the fish. A second person going after the fish while the angler keeps control of the rod and can maintain proper tension on the line usually works out a lot better than a lone angler scrambling after the fish with a rod in one hand.
5. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. A fish flopping in the surf zone is NOT a catch, and a big wave could allow it to turn tail and head right back into the water. Get the fish well above the surf line before you breathe a sigh of relief.