The Ins and Outs of Beach Fishing With Capt. B [Whiting, Pompano, & More!]

I teamed up with Capt. B to learn more about the ins and outs of beach fishing!

We had multiple rods set up in a perfect spot on the Atlantic coast of Florida.

This video will cover rigging techniques, bait placement, and a bunch of other helpful little tips when it comes to catching more fish from the surf.

Check it all out below!!

The Ins and Outs of Beach Fishing [VIDEO]

Become A Better Angler While Saving Time & Money

Basic Bait Rig Setup

The first setup is the longest rod out for the day with two floats.

Capt. B prefers two floats on the longest rod out because that is where the bigger fish seem to hold.

We were looking for permit, resident pompano, or black drum.

Black drum do feed on the bottom but they’ll be attracted to the float color.

Capt. B rigs these hooks up with peeled shrimp and green fish gum for additional attraction.

He takes the shell off the shrimp just like you’re going to eat it for added scent.

Take pieces of shrimp roughly the size of your thumb and hook it right through the center.

Then take the fish gum and cut it into small triangles and place that on the hook after the shrimp.

When fishing with longer surf rods, you don’t want to whip the bait out there.

Instead, a lobbing motion to loft the bait out is best.

Set the drag loose so if a fish takes the bait, it won’t take your rod too.

Another thing to take note of is periodically checking your baits.

Olive snails are out there in the sand and will pull your bait down and take the shrimp off the hook without you knowing.

Furthermore, when a fish starts to tap your line and eat the hook, let the circle hooks do their job.

You should fish with circle hooks when setting and forgetting the rod – this is safer on both you and the fish.

When a fish takes the line, all you have to do is start reeling.

Pompano Rigs

Capt. B uses Salty’s Pompano Rigs for this type of fishing.

The rigs are made with 17lb fluorocarbon with a swivel on one end and a clip on the other.

We had 3 oz. pyramid sinkers on the smaller rods and a 4 oz. on the larger rods.

Try to use the lightest weight you can get away with in the current.

You can see the bites more and it is less drag on the fish when reeling it back in.

You also have less chance of losing the fish with the weight bouncing along the bottom.

If your line starts moving one way or the other, you probably need a heavier weight.

Wind & Current

If you get to a beach and want to see if there is current, throw out a rig without a bait just the weight.

Hold it in your hands and watch to see if it starts to tumble.

You’ll know pretty quickly if it is and this indicates current movement.

Another way is to pay attention to the foam in the water with each crashing wave.

If there is current, the foam will move down the trough pretty quickly.

We were also fishing on a rising tide which meant the big fish would be rolling in.

They want to come in and feed on top of sand bars close to the beach because they aren’t worried about getting stuck.

There will be enough water for them to chase bait on the bars and get back to deeper water.

Another thing to be mindful of is slack line.

Most anglers will think it is the current or there is no fish but often the whiting and pompano will take the bait and swim towards the beach.

If the line goes slack, reel it in.

Also, after you cast the line out and walk it back to the rod holder, keep your hand on the spool to prevent creating a bow in the line.

Tackle & Gear

The first big setup Capt. B had rigged up included the Penn Rival 7000 Spinning Reel on a 12’6 rod weighted for 4-8 oz.

Next, he had a Penn Battle III 4000 paired 7’6 rod and the Penn Battle III can be paired with any rod from 7’0 to 9’6″.

That is an all-purpose setup you can use pretty much anywhere in Florida to catch fish.

Moving down the line is a slightly lower-cost version of the Battle III.

Capt. B had a Shakespeare Ugly Stick rod paired with a Penn Fierce 4000.

Again, you can fish for anything with this setup from beginners to experienced anglers.

The biggest setup we were using included Capt. B’s favorite rod for surf fishing.

The rod is an Akios Fury FX 420 (3-piece pro series rod) that is super light for being 14 feet long.

That rod is paired up with a Penn Pursuit 6000 series.

It is always a great idea to have one short rod and one longer to fish multiple sections of the beach to find where those bites are coming from.

Packing Up & Storing Rigs

The first thing you need to do is remove the weight from the rig.

You do not want the weight to bang against the rod and cause microfractures.

The biggest mistake anglers make is taking the hooks and placing them through the guides of the rod.

This can damage the guide and cause further issues down the road.

With the pompano rigs that have two hooks, Capt. B takes one hook and feeds it through a guide but connects one hook to the other.

Then tighten down the line and no metal is touching the rod at all.

Capt. B charters trips from shore so if you’re in the Brevard County area be sure to hit him up for a trip!

Call or text Capt. B at this number: (321) – 424 – 4119

Or reach out to him via email here: captainb@usa.com

If you have any other questions or comments for me or for Capt. B, go ahead and drop them down below!!

We’d love to hear from you!

Become A Better Angler While Saving Time & Money

Finding The Fish Help

In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.

1. Weekend Game Plans (updated weekly)

These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.

Weekend Game Plan Lessons

2. Smart Fishing Spots Platform (updated every 15 minutes)

This exclusive software literally shows you where the most fish are likely to be feeding based on exactly when you’ll be fishing. It factors in the tides, wind, and weather to help you quickly see which areas to target throughout the day.

Smart Fishing Spots App

3. Community Reports (live feed)

The Insider Community platform is what you can use to see what is biting near you, and you can get to know other members who fish in your area. Plus, you can use it to keep a log of your catches so you can use past trips to help predict future catches.

Community Platform