Reds surf fishing - PINS

[Got em]

Does anybody have advice on more success when surf fishing for reds? I have fished PINS and used shrimp live and dead, crab, gulp and cut bait. What is your go to bait for reds? Thx!

[Got em]

I have tried different distances down PINS and different depths guts of water

[Huggybear]

7 plus inch mullet is the best in my opinion.

[Got em]

Thx HB! Will try that size next time out. I’ve used the small ones in the past

[BolilloLoco]

Live Croaker. Live Mullet. BIG live Shrimp. Cut bait.

[RR 314]

Live Croaker. Live Mullet. BIG live Shrimp. Cut bait.

Yup. BIG live croaker is the best bait I have found for bulls.

[Stuck]

Reds will eat everything on your list. Biggest part is being there when they are. If trout and reds were running the guts everyday boat sales would suck.

[SmTx]

Reds will eat everything on your list. Biggest part is being there when they are. If trout and reds were running the guts everyday boat sales would suck.

I laughed this last weekend after catching a limit of reds in a slough in Sargent just casting off the pier.

I can't count how many times we've drug the boat and spent all day in the bays and not even have that much success.

[79F250]

Will be down there last weekend of September. Finger mullet seems to work best for us but if the fish are there they should eat anything for the most part

[Got em]

Sounds like big bait for big fish! Thx guys

[captainsling]

Reds will eat everything on your list. Biggest part is being there when they are. If trout and reds were running the guts everyday boat sales would suck.

This is pretty much true. You need to be where they are on the beach. They are there all the time. Where they are in a particular beach is what you need to figure out. Learn to read the beach for closeouts, pinch points, and deep guts vs shallow guts. I will tell you 80% of the fisherman miss 90% of the fish by fishing past them, or in the middle of them. I learned that from Billy Sandifer many, many years ago. God rest his soul!

[SaintBlaise]

Fishing for Bull Reds use big cut mullet with a good spider weight and heavy duty leaders, I like using two hooks.

For eating sized Reds, if they are there, we bottom fish finger mullet with enough weight to hold in place. Place the weight/s 8-12 inches over the hook.

[SaintBlaise]

This is pretty much true. You nee to be where they are on the beach. They are there all the time. Where they are in a particular beach is what you need to figure out. Learn to read the beach for closeouts, pinch points, and deep guts vs shallow guts. I will tell you 80% of the fisherman miss 90% of the fish by fishing past them, or in the middle of them. I learned that from Billy Sandifer many, many years ago. God rest his soul!

Can you explain; closeouts and pinch points? Guts = Troughs?

[captainsling]

Can you explain; closeouts and pinch points? Guts = Troughs?

You can watch the wave action and usually tell where a deep trough will ”closeout” or end. That is a pinch point for an ambush by pradator fish. There are cuts at some of these points running from one gut to another. The fish will be waiting on the other side as bait gets moved from one point to another due to the current or wave activity. I don’t know how else to explain it. To read the waves best look as you drive south on the beach. With the SE prevailing winds you can tell where these spots are by watching the waves break. They will be small or die out at pinch points or closeouts.

[Got em]

Good info