Your Guide To Nearshore Fishing During The Summer Months
- By: Justin Ritchey
- on
It’s nearshore fishing time!
Big-game species may be closer than you think…
And if you want to catch them, you’ll need the right gear, bait, and techniques.
So in this video, you’ll learn:
- The gear you need for nearshore fishing
- What you can expect to catch
- The best times to go nearshore fishing
- And much more
If you’ve ever wanted to jump into nearshore fishing (in a boat or a kayak), then you’ll want to check this out!
Nearshore Fishing 101 [VIDEO]
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We reviewed a ton of information so here’s a timestamped table of contents:
- 0:38 – The best time of the year to nearshore fish
- 0:55 – Here’s what you can expect to catch nearshore
- 2:17 – The easiest species to target
- 4:30 – Tarpon migrations and approach
- 5:11 – Bonus fish when nearshore fishing
- 6:31 – Equipment you need for kingfish
- 9:43 – How much you can expect to spend on a rod
- 10:57 – Reel sizes for nearshore fishing
- 13:17 – Conventional set-ups for trolling
- 16:36 – Overall sizes to look for in different reel brands
- 19:28 – To level wind or not to level wind?
- 21:34 – Knowing what bait is available in your region
- 22:59 – Primo live bait for kingfish
- 23:36 – The go-to sabiki rig
- 26:04 – What rig should you use to catch kingfish?
- 29:05 – The reason to use a stinger rig (Here is how to tie a stinger rig)
- 31:34 – Here’s the most productive way to hook your live bait on a stinger rig
- 34:17 – Use this hook for everything else (other than kingfish)
- 37:29 – Where to look for each species
- 39:07 – State artificial reef programs
- 42:28 – Another way to find nearshore fish
- 46:45 – How to find fish based on GPS charts and reef locations
- 49:49 – Final gameplan for nearshore fishing
- 52:32 – Which set-up reigns supreme for nearshore fishing?
- 55:34 – Don’t forget this if you go out nearshore fishing
- 58:15 – Your bait is 24k gold and handle it with care!
Conclusion
If you know the species you want to target, have the right gear, and bring the bait that’s available to you in your area, you’ll have a good chance of catching some monster fish nearshore.
Have any questions about how to start nearshore fishing?
Let me know down in the comments!
And if you know someone who wants to try nearshore fishing, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Years ago we used to fish for Kingfishers about 40 miles offshore on the back of party boats. Used frozen cigar minnows drifted in the current. The reel was not engaged till about 7 seconds after the strike. Hope this is helpful.
Hey Salt Strong Nation! Great video! I live in SE Florida, Jupiter to be exact. I love to take the yak and launch from Boynton. There is a 3 reef system running up the coast. I will launch at 6 am, I will buy a half dozen Goggle eyes and head out. I will usually run one flat line and one on my Scotty downrigger and peddle the reef. I will fish the current all the way to Lake Worth Beach with a lot of success. Sometimes we will just drift with a live bait while jigging. After the drift we come in at the Lake Worth Pier and call Uber to get back to the truck. Catches include big kingfish, Blackfin Tuna, Bonita and an occasional Dolphin, Wahoo and Sailfish. This video nails all the ways to do it correctly. If needed, I will bridal my live bait for Sails. Gogs are fragile so you need a really good live well pumping in and exhausting fresh sea water, aerators don’t cut it with “Gold Bricks.”.
Now, my question would be about the use of rigging rubber bands. Using them to hold the rear hook close to the baits body without sinking the hook into the bait seems to preserve the precious Gogs. Any negatives to rigging this way?
Glad to hear we are on our Mark with the info, Scott! I love that area (Boynton to Pompano). I’ve actually never tried that rubber band technique you’re referring to. I’ve bridled the front nose hook on a Gog when fishing for Sails, but not the back hook before. I’d be interested in seeing this rig up close!
Nice video. As in hot summer, I don’t have much luck inshore around Destin bay. I’m looking more at near shore fishing. In the video you go over rigging frozen baits with the stinger rig, then you switch to using a big circle hook. HOW DO YOU RIG THE BAIT WITH A SINGLE BIG CIRCLE HOOK? I assume it would be sideways through the nose. Will this work for trolling? Same rig for using a big jig. Thanks for any tips.
Great question. I think the hook placement for any Dead Bait/Frozen Bait really depends on what type of bait it is. If they are a “Shad” like profile, whether it’s a Pogie/Menhaden, Sardine, Pilchard or Threadfin, then Yes—I prefer to nose hook the bait through the side nostril cavity with an appropriately sized Circle Hook (the size of the hook depends on the size of the bait used). But if you’re fishing with a Big Mullet or Ladyfish, for example, I would actually run the Circle Hook through both Lips of the Bait for maximum holding power. In general, while trolling a dead/frozen bait can catch a few fish here and there, it does not offer a great presentation when pulled through the water slowly, so it will need to be rigged on either a large 1oz Bucktail Jig or trolled at Higher-Speeds on Skirted Trolling Lures like a Sea Witch (and Honestly, that technique is more appropriate for other Pelagics like Mahi-Mahi and Wahoo, even though it can work for Kingfish when Live Bait is not present).
Great detail and very helpful!! Thanks Justin.
Hey guys, great video. I have a growing interest in nearshore/offshore fishing, so this video really whets my appetite.
I have a question regarding gear. My brother recently acquired a bunch of new gear, and among it are several Shimano Cardiff 400a reels. I was wondering if these reels were suitable for use in the situations discussed above. I know Justin mentioned liking reels without the level wind mechanism, but would this particular reel be viable, and is it possible to remove the level wind? My experience with conventional reels is very limited.
Thanks for your time.
You can most certainly use the Cardiff 400 for this style of fishing! Although I mentioned a Level Wind reel is not my preference, it will still get the job done, no problem. I eventually opted to not have one because I have hooked a few Wahoo that caused some issues for me with the Level Wind. But for Nearshore Kingfish, and for convenience, it’s perfectly fine. I would load that reel with 30lb. Braid and attach a moderate Monofilament Top Shot Leader (approximately 50-80 feet is fine) so that you have some shock absorption. Good luck Stephen!
Thanks Justin!
Great podcast! What kind of lures would you use for kingfish?
Although I don’t normally target Kingfish with Artificial Lures, it’s definitely possible. Rapala X-Rap Deep Divers, Large “Drone” Trolling Spoons, even Barracuda Tubes work well on Kingfish in Dirty Water. But whenever possible, I would prefer to fish with a Live or even Dead Bait (if you don’t have access to live bait that day). Slow trolling a Frozen Ballyhoo on a 1oz Bucktail Jig has worked for me in the past.
Hey guys, first and foremost, awesome video. Super informative! I have two questions for you:
I tend to shift from inshore to nearshore fishing in the summer months in a paddle kayak fishing primarily SE FL. Great weather but the currents tend to rip really hard northwards where stopping paddling to fish isn’t ideal. Would I still have a good chance of catching some pelagic fishes slow trolling around some of the wrecks being at a constant, slow, paddle so I don’t end up in Georgia? I plan on investing in a peddle drive in the near future to circumvent this issue but in the meantime, I rely primarily on staying in shape and muscling through it.
Second, re. Bottom fishing: I usually use fish finder rigs for snapper/grouper but again on days with ripping current, the hooks tend to get snagged on structure making for a frustrating day. Any ideas to combat this? Thanks for the help!
Hey Aaron! You’re in luck, I fish SE FL quite often out of the kayak. The currents can pick up to over 2kts in the Summer Months (August usually gets pretty bad), but when that happens the Kingfish bite can be fantastic. You’ll just need to carefully plan your drifts and head straight back to shore after you’ve fished for the day to account for that current drift. *Down there I’d focus on fishing “around” the Wrecks, but not directly on them, otherwise it will be Barracuda City. Also, Peddle Drives are the way to go for sure. Otherwise a regular paddle kayak will make you tire out pretty quickly! And finally, I’m not much for Bottom Fishing out of the kayak, because it’s almost impossible to hold position out there unless there is 0 Current.
Thanks for the vid! Great info for a newbie. Question: how do you recommend removing the hook and releasing these offshore toothy fish?
Thanks Philip! If you don’t plan to Harvest your catch, truthfully the best way to handle a fish boat side is with a pair of very long Stainless Steel Pliers or a Heavy Duty Hook Remover, similar to the Baker Heavy Duty HookOut Tool HXSS.