I was staying at a hotel on Moonstone beach this last week. First two days I went out and threw bait for a couple of days and me and my daughter might have gotten 4 bites. I went back the the room and accidentally found your TH-cam channel. We went out the next morning and I actually read the beach the way you explained it. My first cast...bam and brought it in! I ended up getting bites on almost every cast and landing a lot! I went up the coast to another beach and same thing. The next day, went out again and landed a dozen more. The info you shared completely re-wired my brain on how to look at the surf. I think I've gotten lucky on previous tips to my local beaches (I live in SoCal) and will apply the knowledge from now on. Thanks for sharing, it's the surf fishing info I've never received previously!
Sorry for the late reply, still having problems with my notifications. Your story makes me happy as I'm really just trying to pass a little something forward to a sport that has given me many rewarding years. Fish on!
Have caught so many fish using this info. Whenever I give new beach anglers tips on reading the water I always point them towards your vids cheers Rich
Hi John! Sorry for the late reply. I've been working on some music projects and getting some of it out on streaming platforms. I wish I could clone myself LOL. I'm glad my videos have helped you up your game and appreciate you pitching my channel.
Your lessons are succinct and logical, and the videos are well produced. Thanks for taking the time to think through the topics and present them so well in this excellent series of tutorials. I'm about to leave for 3 weeks in Florida and I'll be flyfishing the beaches a lot. I'm a midwestern fresh water fisher who knew nothing about beach structure. Your videos will help me get off to a great start.
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge and on a side note I've never see someone reply to most if not all the comments . Keep up the great work you sir are a gem to the fishing community
I apologize for the delay in responding. I just got done moving again. Actually I reply to every comment. Just haven't been able to keep up lately. Thank you for your kind words and for watching.
Absolutely incredible you are a natural a supernatural you deserve a special category at the Oscars or the Emmys not one word is wasted on BS every word is to the point clear concise articulate. The graphics are as minimal as possible to do their job perfectly. By imparting this information you have fulfilled a childhood wish. And to have done it all for free simply to pass on the information makes it an incredible gift. Thank you so much
Thanks Sax. Just uploaded the first of a new series of educational vids on surf fishing. The series will contain a lot of info in my usual rapid-fire delivery. No sense taking it to the grave ;-)
Just moved to southern california and I must say I would be lost if it weren’t for you Mr Troxler. I stumbled onto your work on youtube while still living in the northeast. Your illuminations are truly maxims that stand the test of our physical world, which is great! Hahaha. Thanks again, tight lines👍❤️😎
Hi Angelos. Very sorry for the late reply. I had a health issue that dragged on for a while but I'm back now. Thank you for your kind words and good luck on the west coast. Be well.
Sorry for my late reply. Lots going on in these strange days. I never stop learning either lol. Fishing is a life long learning process, it never gets old, and neither do you in it's pursuit.
no worries Rich. Seems your a good man. I always appreciate a reply. great answer in we all learn all the time. Hope these strange days pass with healthy and happy times fishing ahead.
This comment just popped up in my feed under "not responded". Apparently it's from 4 years ago. I'm not sure what happened but please accept my most sincere apologies for not responding to your post. I try to respond to everybody who posts on my channel, so a belated thank you for watching my video.
Very well explained! I am getting back into surf fishing this year, and want to do it more seriously than I have in the past. You way of explanation is just what I need to refresh what I know and learn more to build on. Thanks!
Hi Will. Very sorry for the late reply. I had a health issue that dragged on for a while but I'm back now. Good to hear you're returning to surf fishing. It's a great way to spend time and recharge. Thanks for watching.
Rich, I love you bro!!!... Keep it going!! Please write a book so I can breath life to it.... I never noticed the beach the way you explain it and your right!!! I read other peoples stories but it never made sense until your enlightenment. Thank you!! Your one of my top heroes. Wifey and I spend time at the beach, we watch your videos and find truth and we share with the kids. We find joy and life at the beach like never before!!!...
Hi Rich, I have just watched your entire surf fishing series straight through, and I will certainly be referring to them in the future. They are very informative and concise, and I hope you continue to make more. Best regards from the Bay Area, CA.
I've seriously learned so much off these videos!! I live in the bay area and surf fished a couple times but had no idea what I was doing and now I can't wait to get back out there.
Unfortunately, was out of commission again for a while, so for now I'm just trying to get caught up on responding to everyone and trying to finish up on some new content and other stuff. Thanks for hanging in there with me and I'll get this thing going again.
Man this information is so good. I've been surf fishing for 20+ years and really all I could do was identify a sand bar. I am going to the coast week after next for a full week and can't wait to put this into practice. My son is 5 and loves to fish like me so I just learned new stuff to pass onto him. Thanks for the video. ~ Matthew
Hi FPM. Very sorry for the late reply. I had a health issue that dragged on for a while but I'm back now. Takes a while to get used to what you are looking at because you have to take into consideration tide and wind, but once you've done it enough, it becomes second nature and you never look at water the same way again. Thanks for watching.
Great series of videos Rich. I fish fresh water but have always wanted to try beach fishing, just didn't have a clue where to start! I may have to go out and buy some new toys now to give it a go! 😊 thanks for the great info p.s. red headed step children ha ha ha! Tight lines from the U.K. 🎣
I just started watching your videos I think it's cool the way you make it simple to see what you are talking about. I just started surf fishing a few years ago thanks for the info
Very entertaining videos.... Fantastic information for the surf fisherman. I've watched this video 3 times and come out learning something new each time. Thanks and please make some more for us hungry fisherman.
Just want to let everybody know that I've been having troubles with youtube messaging, so if you sent me a message and you didn't get a response, it wasn't from lack of trying. I'll try and get the problem resolved (not sure if it's youtube or my email client) and get those replies out to you. Thanks for subscribing to my channel, more videos to come!
I actually thought I knew what I was doing until I saw your video , you should be teaching this course in college and charging a lot of money for this valuable information .Thank you , happy fishing and be safe out there .God Blees.
We are always learning. I try to learn something new every time I go out, and seeing as I am new to my area of Virginia Beach, I get to put my money where my mouth is lol. Always learning, it nevers stops :-)
These techniques have helped me very much on the south shore of Long Island. The beach lip has produced some nice sized bass on bucktails and sand fleas.
Great videos! I have watched and re-watched the "View From the Beach" series. I'd like to understand how wind and tides affect lateral currents and structures. Maybe in the a future vid? Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Good idea for a video. That's the small ball of fishing, the next level down in the knowledge chain. It's very different for every location, but the basics are the same. Good idea.
Rich, I think your videos do such a nice job of explaining how to read the beach that if you ever decide to write a book on the subject it might not do as well as you would hope since your videos do such a nice job of explaining everything!
This comment just popped up in my feed under "not responded". Apparently it's from 7 years ago. I'm not sure what happened but please accept my most sincere apologies for not responding to your post. I try to respond to everybody who posts on my channel, so a belated thank you for watching my video.
Having watched 3 out of 4 of this series I can honestly say I wish I had watched them three days ago before I hit the surf. Excellent insight and instruction. I can see exactly what I was seeing correctly and what I was not. Thx
Thank you for the videos on reading the water. I'm a North Carolinian who grew up fishing freshwater, mostly self-taught as my dad didn't really enjoy it. Much to my pleasure, my two nephews have caught the fishing bug, but their father doesn't like to take them fishing either. I'm planning some trips to the beach for us in the coming months and I'm nervous that we won't catch anything. Any advice besides what was mentioned in the water reading videos that will help me create a trip we will look back on fondly? I'm thinking I'll find a place to buy fresh dead shrimp when we arrive just in case my casting net returns empty.
Just got back from a trip to Hattaras and Ocracoke. Beautiful area. My best advice is to find a good bait and tackle shop near where you want to fish. Spend a few dollars and ask some questions. They usually have the scoop on what's running at what time of year and what the best bait / rigs to catch them with and it's in their best interests to get you fish. I'm relatively new to this area also (Virginia Beach to OBX) so I learn about the local species, when they come and go, what conditions they like (wind, tide, and such), what they eat, etc and then try to find the water they'll be in. The more you know, the "luckier" you'll be.
Please kindly upload more and more videos. Not only they are extremely educational but also they are your legacy for the current and future anglers. My son who is 5 years old and I watch your videos every night. Please keep going.
Thanks for making the video's. I'm from Namibia. I fish the Atlantic coast from time to time with no real luck. I think your advice will change all that.... next trip is 10.08.2018. Let you know how that goes. Thanks again
Excellent information. I've been fishing your years but just recently getting into surf fishing. This video will help me find more fish. Thank you Sir.
+Alan Stinar You are welcome Sir. I always point out that structure doesn't magically produce fish, but if they are in the area, being able to identify the structure your target species prefers will help you dial in on where they are because they certainly won't be spread out uniformly along the beach. Unless it's a massive run of course ;-)
Thank you for the response. At first it seemed a bit complicated but after watching the video 3 times i think i understand. I am a novice and still learning. Is there a way of you simplifying identifying structures on the beach even more and if so please let all of us know. I will be advising my friends and family to join this channel.
Sorry for the late reply. been on a 7 day a week work binge. Just watch the water and learn what the waves are telling you. There are no short cuts, but after a while it becomes second nature. I don't even think about it when I look at water. I just see what's going on and fish accordingly.
Thanks for the detailed descriptions, I'm new to surf fishing and I suspect my lack of knowledge regarding this topic may explain why I've been skunked on 4 out of 4 trips.
Knowing how to read the beach doesn't guarantee fish. The fish have to be in the area and if they are, and a suitable bait source is around, then that is when knowing where to fish will pay off.
Thanks for all your detailed videos that now has given me a strategy when walking the beach instead of casting randomly hoping to get lucky. The only sign that I was not able to recognize is the "point". Any simple pointers you can suggest to easily identify "points"?
The waves break further out but not on either side. Surfers love these. Unfortunately, was out of commission again for a while, so for now I'm just trying to get caught up on responding to everyone and trying to finish up on some new content and other stuff. Thanks for hanging in there with me and I'll get this thing going again.
Rich, thanks so much for taking the time to put this series together and share your knowledge. It's fantastic. Question - some rips and holes can be very difficult to see at night. Any tips on subtleties to look for if you don't get to scout during the daytime?
csralumni Sorry for the late reply. Rips I find by feel at night. Many times I'll walk and cast until I feel a change in the way my plug behaves. You can easily feel the pull of a rip on most lipped plugs, you almost don't have to reel to get them to dig in and wobble. Holes you pretty much have to be able to see where the waves break, which is usually not too hard at night once your eyes adjust. I also take notice of sink time when I'm fishing bait. If I cast and hit bottom quick, then I move. I like to detect several seconds of sink time before I feel the bottom bump. Then I fish it for a while to see if anybody is home. No takers, move on to the next one.
Interesting that this video did not get the same views as my previous video on sandbars. Holes are a much more common fish holding structure, but harder to spot. :-)
Still great stuff. I am 58. When I was 9, I used to read surf fishing books about the east coast. There were some chapters about riptides etc, I had a hard time visualizing this through words. Your 3 videos kind of capped it off very well. I have shared all 3 of your videos with the Facebook page "Surf Fishing Washington / Oregon" group. I wish that Washington's coast had Striper activity. Southern Oregon has some, but not a lot.
And the honey hole will only be that if bait and fish are present to begin with. Structure alone does not produce fish, it's just a place that bait and predators tend to congregate when they are in the area.
Hi Rich to start off thank you for all the effort you put in to all of this i feel like a whole new world have been opened to me. Im currently in New Zealand and we have very little wave action (sum but not heaps) we have alot of rock structures so im not to sure on what to look for as I am fairly new to Ocean fishing. Do you have any tips please? It would be appreciated.
Most depends on what your local species like. A generalization is that fish gravitate toward structure and rocks are certainly that. They also need quick access to deeper water. While some species roam flats, most like to be near deeper water for protection. Try buying a few things at a local bait & tackle and then asking a few questions. Their business depends on repeat customers so they are usually quick to give you local knowledge and put you on fish.
Where I live now (Chesapeake VA) most younger bass stay in the bays and rivers for the first several years before they start their adult migrations. There is no hard and fast rules as to where / what / why bass do what they do. The total biomass is basically made up of 25% Hudson stock and 75% Chesapeake stock. The Hudson stock migrate and breed in the Hudson, basically coming down in the spring and returning in the winter. The Chesapeake stock typically move north up the coast in the spring and return in the fall. Some may hook up into the bay and travel up into the various rivers, or they may winter off the coast of NC. Many younger bass may just winter where ever they are, like Great South Bay in LI, or any of the bays that line the east coast within their range. The adults do most of the traveling, but as tagged fish have shown, with little rhyme on reason. That's the short version anyway lol. Good question you asked!
Is there a difference between holes and sand pockets in between reef? I live in Hawaii and I appreciate the valuable info u have shared in this series I'm trying to fish pockets of sand do you have any idea what they might look like or would you say they are similar to holes?
To be honest, I've never fished a reef or been to Hawaii, but I do believe most fish relate, or stay close to edges, regardless of what they are made of. So when fishing from shore, I always attempt to find changes in water depth and fish those edges. From my kayak, or a boat, the same thing. I always seek the deeper water around changes in depth. From the beach these reveal themselves as changes in the way waves break (spilling or plunging), their direction, their amplitude (the height they break at) and how close to shore they break. For instance, surfers always surf over the most shallow areas and paddle out between breaks over the deeper areas, where the waves don't break as high, or as fierce.
@@richtroxler thanks for the timely response I appreciate all input and your videos have helped me scope out beaches down here appreciate the time taken to do this for us 🤙🏽
you and John skinner are ironically both from the same area and both are surf fishing masters. I think you'd get along well. probably catch ALL the fish tho 😂
+Jeremiah Giles LOL, I know John fairly well. We both provide content for the same publication and when I lived on LI we fished the same areas. John is a real nice guy, a very intelligent man, and a great fisherman.
you should do a video like this for fishing beaches with groins. I always wonder if the channels cut out by faster current at the end of a groin creates a bottleneck for food, and so attracts fish. OR if standard groins finish too close to the beach (and so is still too shallow) to have an effect on good sized fish.
BandyBorehol A little different depending on the current. Predator fish will no doubt trap bait against the rocks when they are aggressively feeding. But when they've gone neutral, it's not a bad idea to see if an eddy forms off the tip, where the water pushes around it. Eddies are resting places for fish and always worth a few casts.
Hi Long! Sorry for the late reply. I've been working on some music projects and getting some of it out on streaming platforms. I wish I could clone myself LOL. You are very welcome and thank you for watching!
This comment just popped up in my feed under "not responded". Apparently it's from 6 years ago. I'm not sure what happened but please accept my most sincere apologies for not responding to your post. I try to respond to everybody who posts on my channel, so a belated thank you for watching my video.
Thanks for these great videos. Im just getting started and live on west coast near SF, Calif. Trying to read my local surf action. High winds at this time of year are making lots of spilling waves and make finding holes or rips hard to find. Do you have any books out?
Reading the beach can be difficult at times. Try to do it on the incoming with an onshore breeze. Those are the best conditions if you can find them. Answered your question above before realizing that you are on the west coast. I honestly know little of west coast bass habits other than they are a transplant that has worked out well.
Another TH-camr said that a rip is the best thing to fish if you can find one. I am at the coast of North Carolina on vacation as I type this and there is a rip right in front of the house we are in. I must say it has produced some fish, but nothing spectacular. The baitfish have been plentiful at the beginning of the week and that helped snag a few blues and Red drum. I must say it's not fun getting a 4 ounce weight stuck out in the rip. Lol Getting that sucker back in is a job. Lol
I wouldn't call a rip the best thing, but it is certainly something to fish. Anything that provides either a hard edge (like bottom contour) or current edge (like a rip) should always be looked at, particularly if the water is much deeper in those areas. I routinely fish with 6-8 oz hatteras style sinkers. They wear your arms out by the end of the night lol. Thanks for watching.
Pick a likely spot and watch at least one entire cycle of wave action, set to set. The set; the 6 largest waves is a set, what surfers wait for. The set will always roll in evenly, as it has just reached the beach contour and tells you little. So look at the smaller waves between sets. This might take 6 to 8 minutes per set. If you try to look at too much beach at once...you're lost.
Good insight. I did a video recently that talks about optimum conditions for reading water and how wave height and water deep are related. As you said, on relatively shallow bottom a dip of two feet won'y even show if the waves are really big, but will show itself with the wave action from smaller waves.
I was staying at a hotel on Moonstone beach this last week. First two days I went out and threw bait for a couple of days and me and my daughter might have gotten 4 bites. I went back the the room and accidentally found your TH-cam channel. We went out the next morning and I actually read the beach the way you explained it. My first cast...bam and brought it in! I ended up getting bites on almost every cast and landing a lot! I went up the coast to another beach and same thing. The next day, went out again and landed a dozen more. The info you shared completely re-wired my brain on how to look at the surf. I think I've gotten lucky on previous tips to my local beaches (I live in SoCal) and will apply the knowledge from now on. Thanks for sharing, it's the surf fishing info I've never received previously!
Sorry for the late reply, still having problems with my notifications. Your story makes me happy as I'm really just trying to pass a little something forward to a sport that has given me many rewarding years. Fish on!
Have caught so many fish using this info. Whenever I give new beach anglers tips on reading the water I always point them towards your vids cheers Rich
Hi John! Sorry for the late reply. I've been working on some music projects and getting some of it out on streaming platforms. I wish I could clone myself LOL. I'm glad my videos have helped you up your game and appreciate you pitching my channel.
Rich - I've been fishing for years and have found great benefit from your youtubes. Thanks you for your efforts man, they mean a lot.
Gald you found them useful Niel. Thanks for the kind words, it's appreciated.
Your lessons are succinct and logical, and the videos are well produced. Thanks for taking the time to think through the topics and present them so well in this excellent series of tutorials. I'm about to leave for 3 weeks in Florida and I'll be flyfishing the beaches a lot. I'm a midwestern fresh water fisher who knew nothing about beach structure. Your videos will help me get off to a great start.
Have a good trip to FL.
@@richtroxler mate I'd love to shout you afew beers thanks for your time and help good O olson
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge and on a side note I've never see someone reply to most if not all the comments . Keep up the great work you sir are a gem to the fishing community
I apologize for the delay in responding. I just got done moving again. Actually I reply to every comment. Just haven't been able to keep up lately. Thank you for your kind words and for watching.
Absolutely incredible you are a natural a supernatural you deserve a special category at the Oscars or the Emmys not one word is wasted on BS every word is to the point clear concise articulate. The graphics are as minimal as possible to do their job perfectly. By imparting this information you have fulfilled a childhood wish. And to have done it all for free simply to pass on the information makes it an incredible gift.
Thank you so much
Thank you for your kind words sax.
Thanks Sax. Just uploaded the first of a new series of educational vids on surf fishing. The series will contain a lot of info in my usual rapid-fire delivery. No sense taking it to the grave ;-)
Just moved to southern california and I must say I would be lost if it weren’t for you Mr Troxler. I stumbled onto your work on youtube while still living in the northeast. Your illuminations are truly maxims that stand the test of our physical world, which is great! Hahaha. Thanks again, tight lines👍❤️😎
I'll be moving to SoCal in a few months (Torrance most likely), is the surf fishing good out there?
Hi Angelos. Very sorry for the late reply. I had a health issue that dragged on for a while but I'm back now. Thank you for your kind words and good luck on the west coast. Be well.
I’m glad to hear you are on the mend! 👍🤙
good video Rich. I never stop learning from watching lots of videos good and bad. Thank you again!
Sorry for my late reply. Lots going on in these strange days. I never stop learning either lol. Fishing is a life long learning process, it never gets old, and neither do you in it's pursuit.
no worries Rich. Seems your a good man. I always appreciate a reply. great answer in we all learn all the time. Hope these strange days pass with healthy and happy times fishing ahead.
This video is very educational for fishing fanatics. I learned a lot and can't wait to get to the beach. Thanks
You're welcome Jorge, hope it helps you find the fish.
Man you deserve way more views, great explanation, can't wait to put it to practice!
Thanks a lot!
Nitro Benceno Your welcome Nitro.
Thank you so much for this valuable information and taking the time to share this with others!
This comment just popped up in my feed under "not responded". Apparently it's from 4 years ago. I'm not sure what happened but please accept my most sincere apologies for not responding to your post. I try to respond to everybody who posts on my channel, so a belated thank you for watching my video.
Very well explained! I am getting back into surf fishing this year, and want to do it more seriously than I have in the past. You way of explanation is just what I need to refresh what I know and learn more to build on. Thanks!
Hi Will. Very sorry for the late reply. I had a health issue that dragged on for a while but I'm back now. Good to hear you're returning to surf fishing. It's a great way to spend time and recharge. Thanks for watching.
Rich, I love you bro!!!... Keep it going!! Please write a book so I can breath life to it.... I never noticed the beach the way you explain it and your right!!! I read other peoples stories but it never made sense until your enlightenment. Thank you!! Your one of my top heroes. Wifey and I spend time at the beach, we watch your videos and find truth and we share with the kids. We find joy and life at the beach like never before!!!...
Thank you for the kind words E FX. I'm glad you have found my videos useful and thank you so much for watching.
This would have to be the best explanation I have seen. Thanks.
You're very welcome!
Hi Rich, I have just watched your entire surf fishing series straight through, and I will certainly be referring to them in the future. They are very informative and concise, and I hope you continue to make more. Best regards from the Bay Area, CA.
+Rain Mariano Thank you Rain. I will be adding some more videos as time allows.
I've seriously learned so much off these videos!! I live in the bay area and surf fished a couple times but had no idea what I was doing and now I can't wait to get back out there.
Unfortunately, was out of commission again for a while, so for now I'm just trying to get caught up on responding to everyone and trying to finish up on some new content and other stuff. Thanks for hanging in there with me and I'll get this thing going again.
loved it..Watched all 3, ready to hit the surf in June!! great job!!
+Mark “Marky 4 Fingers” Laws Glad you enjoyed them and I hope you find them useful.
Brilliant. I started implementing your lectures towards the close of last season with surprising results almost immediately. Keep up the good work.
Junaid Ahmed I'm glad you find the information useful.
Great videos. Thanks for putting them together, I never would have known otherwise.
You are welcome Cole and thanks for watching. I hope they help you out.
This series has been a much appreciated learning experience! Can't wait for more!
Gl Par I glad you found the information helpful. I have a few more videos planned. Stay tuned.
Man this information is so good. I've been surf fishing for 20+ years and really all I could do was identify a sand bar. I am going to the coast week after next for a full week and can't wait to put this into practice. My son is 5 and loves to fish like me so I just learned new stuff to pass onto him. Thanks for the video. ~ Matthew
You are most welcome Matthew. I hope you and your son have good times on the beach. Those are priceless.
Rich, Thanks for your hard work!
As a student of the hobby of fishing, it is very helpful.
You are welcome. We are all students of fishing. The learning process never stops. Thanks for watching.
I love your videos. Cant wait to put some of these lessons to use. Thank you!
Hi Edward. Glad you enjoy my videos. As I'm fond of saying, fishing is a life long learning process, enjoy the ride! Have a good season and stay safe.
Thanks, I was searching for a comprehensive lesson on Reading the Beach. I think you and 311 Pope have covered these topics well.
Tight lines!
South Jetty I hope they help you get on some fish.
Thanks for sharing so valuable knowledge!
✌🙂👍
You're very welcome and thanks for watching. Be well.
Watching these getting ready for next year, cant wait
A new series coming over the winter, hopefully in time for spring ;-)
I've been struggling to read waves recently. This is a great video! Thank you sir!
Hi FPM. Very sorry for the late reply. I had a health issue that dragged on for a while but I'm back now. Takes a while to get used to what you are looking at because you have to take into consideration tide and wind, but once you've done it enough, it becomes second nature and you never look at water the same way again. Thanks for watching.
Excellent discussion. Looking forward to more
Another one coming in a couple days. Gotta get it finished as it's starting to cut into my fishing time.
Great series. I woulda never know this stuff.. Going surf fishing in two weeks and really looking forward to it now! Thanks for the great information
+Ty TXTitan You are welcome. We can never have enough information.
Your video's are incredibly informative! Keep up the good work Rich!
Thank you Herion. A new series in the works over the winter.
Excellent! All your vids were highly informative. Thanks!
zig6973 Glad you enjoyed them zig.
Great series of videos Rich. I fish fresh water but have always wanted to try beach fishing, just didn't have a clue where to start! I may have to go out and buy some new toys now to give it a go! 😊 thanks for the great info p.s. red headed step children ha ha ha! Tight lines from the U.K. 🎣
It's never too late to try something new! Where about's in the UK?
Great vid! Lot's of good information, well presented. Visuals with highlights really make the point; pun intended!
Thanks GB, glad you enjoyed my vid and thanks for watching.
I just started watching your videos I think it's cool the way you make it simple to see what you are talking about. I just started surf fishing a few years ago thanks for the info
Thanks Mitchell, I hope it helps you shorten your learning curve.
Very entertaining videos....
Fantastic information for the surf fisherman. I've watched this video 3 times and come out learning something new each time.
Thanks and please make some more for us hungry fisherman.
Thanks for watching Anthony and I hope they help you have a productive season.
Great videos! Thanks. You're a great teacher. Thanks for sharing your wisdom. Ps, red heads should never be overlooked!
Thanks for the kind words Paul, and thanks for watching.
Thank you My Friend very clear and with good examples.
And thank you for watching Mike. Be well and stay safe.
Very informative and thorough vids. Thanks! 👍
I apologize for the delay in responding. I just got done moving again. Thank you for watching my videos. I hope they help you out.
Thank you Rich. I'm new at surf fishing, but now have a clue how to find where to fish. Fishing in the Vero Beach FL area for the next few weeks.
+Jack Sullivan Good luck in FL Jack. I wish I was there :-)
Thank you for your great fishing videos
***** You are welcome Simeon.
from the bottom of my heart, i would like to say thank you so much for the invaluable informations!
You are very welcome. Thanks for watching
Just want to let everybody know that I've been having troubles with youtube messaging, so if you sent me a message and you didn't get a response, it wasn't from lack of trying. I'll try and get the problem resolved (not sure if it's youtube or my email client) and get those replies out to you. Thanks for subscribing to my channel, more videos to come!
I actually thought I knew what I was doing until I saw your video , you should be teaching this course in college and charging a lot of money for this valuable information .Thank you , happy fishing and be safe out there .God Blees.
We are always learning. I try to learn something new every time I go out, and seeing as I am new to my area of Virginia Beach, I get to put my money where my mouth is lol. Always learning, it nevers stops :-)
These techniques have helped me very much on the south shore of Long Island. The beach lip has produced some nice sized bass on bucktails and sand fleas.
Hi MrX. Glad they helped you zero in on productive fishing. Holes are a real key structure for me.
Thanks for the very informative and professional video.
+TriniTrav My pleasure Trini. I hope it helps you in your search for fish.
Great videos! I have watched and re-watched the "View From the Beach" series. I'd like to understand how wind and tides affect lateral currents and structures. Maybe in the a future vid? Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Good idea for a video. That's the small ball of fishing, the next level down in the knowledge chain. It's very different for every location, but the basics are the same. Good idea.
Rich, I think your videos do such a nice job of explaining how to read the beach that if you ever decide to write a book on the subject it might not do as well as you would hope since your videos do such a nice job of explaining everything!
Thanks GW. Just passing something forward to the sport I love.
Thanks and good luck
We are all counting on you
Thank you for watching.
long awaited for this vid. thanks heaps!
Sandya Wibawa You are very welcome.
Hi Rich, Thanks for replay don't you worry a bit still a great show now I got me a nice pair of ear phones lol.
This comment just popped up in my feed under "not responded". Apparently it's from 7 years ago. I'm not sure what happened but please accept my most sincere apologies for not responding to your post. I try to respond to everybody who posts on my channel, so a belated thank you for watching my video.
Best beach vid I’ve seen!
Thanks
Thanks SF and thanks for watching. Hope you have a productive season.
Having watched 3 out of 4 of this series I can honestly say I wish I had watched them three days ago before I hit the surf. Excellent insight and instruction. I can see exactly what I was seeing correctly and what I was not. Thx
You are welcome and thanks for watching.
Thanks, this was very helpful 👍
Glad you found it useful and thanks for watching.
Awesome video man, thanks so much for all the info!
Thanks Thomas, and you are most welcome.
amazing video i enjoyed all three of them and found them very helpful cant wait to go try what u taught thanx
Hi TJ. I hope you get on a good bite.
Thank you for the videos on reading the water. I'm a North Carolinian who grew up fishing freshwater, mostly self-taught as my dad didn't really enjoy it. Much to my pleasure, my two nephews have caught the fishing bug, but their father doesn't like to take them fishing either. I'm planning some trips to the beach for us in the coming months and I'm nervous that we won't catch anything. Any advice besides what was mentioned in the water reading videos that will help me create a trip we will look back on fondly? I'm thinking I'll find a place to buy fresh dead shrimp when we arrive just in case my casting net returns empty.
Just got back from a trip to Hattaras and Ocracoke. Beautiful area. My best advice is to find a good bait and tackle shop near where you want to fish. Spend a few dollars and ask some questions. They usually have the scoop on what's running at what time of year and what the best bait / rigs to catch them with and it's in their best interests to get you fish. I'm relatively new to this area also (Virginia Beach to OBX) so I learn about the local species, when they come and go, what conditions they like (wind, tide, and such), what they eat, etc and then try to find the water they'll be in. The more you know, the "luckier" you'll be.
Great information. Very clearly explained Thanks so much!
Allen Berman You are welcome Allen.
Thank you for detailed information!!
You are welcome barn, and thanks for watching.
Excellent and very helpful.
Thanks for the compliment! I hope you catch some big ones.
Please kindly upload more and more videos. Not only they are extremely educational but also they are your legacy for the current and future anglers. My son who is 5 years old and I watch your videos every night.
Please keep going.
I will try to get some more content up soon.
Thanks for making the video's. I'm from Namibia. I fish the Atlantic coast from time to time with no real luck. I think your advice will change all that.... next trip is 10.08.2018. Let you know how that goes. Thanks again
Good luck and thanks for watching. I look forward to hearing about your trip.
Excellent information. I've been fishing your years but just recently getting into surf fishing. This video will help me find more fish. Thank you Sir.
+Alan Stinar You are welcome Sir. I always point out that structure doesn't magically produce fish, but if they are in the area, being able to identify the structure your target species prefers will help you dial in on where they are because they certainly won't be spread out uniformly along the beach. Unless it's a massive run of course ;-)
Wow!!! What a great video! Thank you :)
You're welcome letun.
Thank you for the response. At first it seemed a bit complicated but after watching the video 3 times i think i understand. I am a novice and still learning. Is there a way of you simplifying identifying structures on the beach even more and if so please let all of us know. I will be advising my friends and family to join this channel.
Sorry for the late reply. been on a 7 day a week work binge. Just watch the water and learn what the waves are telling you. There are no short cuts, but after a while it becomes second nature. I don't even think about it when I look at water. I just see what's going on and fish accordingly.
Thanks for the detailed descriptions, I'm new to surf fishing and I suspect my lack of knowledge regarding this topic may explain why I've been skunked on 4 out of 4 trips.
Knowing how to read the beach doesn't guarantee fish. The fish have to be in the area and if they are, and a suitable bait source is around, then that is when knowing where to fish will pay off.
Coming from freshwater fishing that certainly appears to be true, but at the very least knowledge of these structures can't hurt my odds.
Thanks for all your detailed videos that now has given me a strategy when walking the beach instead of casting randomly hoping to get lucky. The only sign that I was not able to recognize is the "point". Any simple pointers you can suggest to easily identify "points"?
The waves break further out but not on either side. Surfers love these. Unfortunately, was out of commission again for a while, so for now I'm just trying to get caught up on responding to everyone and trying to finish up on some new content and other stuff. Thanks for hanging in there with me and I'll get this thing going again.
Rich, thanks so much for taking the time to put this series together and share your knowledge. It's fantastic. Question - some rips and holes can be very difficult to see at night. Any tips on subtleties to look for if you don't get to scout during the daytime?
csralumni Sorry for the late reply. Rips I find by feel at night. Many times I'll walk and cast until I feel a change in the way my plug behaves. You can easily feel the pull of a rip on most lipped plugs, you almost don't have to reel to get them to dig in and wobble. Holes you pretty much have to be able to see where the waves break, which is usually not too hard at night once your eyes adjust. I also take notice of sink time when I'm fishing bait. If I cast and hit bottom quick, then I move. I like to detect several seconds of sink time before I feel the bottom bump. Then I fish it for a while to see if anybody is home. No takers, move on to the next one.
Thanks for the informative reply Rich. Appreciate it.
Interesting that this video did not get the same views as my previous video on sandbars. Holes are a much more common fish holding structure, but harder to spot. :-)
This and your other videos on how to read the water is amazing, invaluable info. Thank you !
This information is for a very specific group of people! We love this videos! TYVM!
I could never live far from the ocean :-)
I'm glad you enjoy my efforts. You all are very welcome and I appreciate the kind words.
Still great stuff. I am 58. When I was 9, I used to read surf fishing books about the east coast. There were some chapters about riptides etc, I had a hard time visualizing this through words. Your 3 videos kind of capped it off very well. I have shared all 3 of your videos with the Facebook page "Surf Fishing Washington / Oregon" group. I wish that Washington's coast had Striper activity. Southern Oregon has some, but not a lot.
Gold. Thanks for making this!
I apologize for the delay in responding. I just got done moving again. You are very welcome and thanks for watching.
Thank. You.. This is very educational and interesting... It is not easy to locate a honey hole..
And the honey hole will only be that if bait and fish are present to begin with. Structure alone does not produce fish, it's just a place that bait and predators tend to congregate when they are in the area.
Hi Rich to start off thank you for all the effort you put in to all of this i feel like a whole new world have been opened to me. Im currently in New Zealand and we have very little wave action (sum but not heaps) we have alot of rock structures so im not to sure on what to look for as I am fairly new to Ocean fishing. Do you have any tips please? It would be appreciated.
Most depends on what your local species like. A generalization is that fish gravitate toward structure and rocks are certainly that. They also need quick access to deeper water. While some species roam flats, most like to be near deeper water for protection. Try buying a few things at a local bait & tackle and then asking a few questions. Their business depends on repeat customers so they are usually quick to give you local knowledge and put you on fish.
I am still a toddler when comes to fishing, I wanna adopt it as hobby, hope I will be blessed as well.
Tando Taro Maku Fishing never grows old, and you never grow old in it's pursuit.
Awesome series of videos. Thank you!
How's your season going so far?
Bill Dave Slow unfortunately lol.
Do all Striped Bass migrate to rivers and bays or are there ones that stay close to beaches and inlets?
Where I live now (Chesapeake VA) most younger bass stay in the bays and rivers for the first several years before they start their adult migrations. There is no hard and fast rules as to where / what / why bass do what they do. The total biomass is basically made up of 25% Hudson stock and 75% Chesapeake stock. The Hudson stock migrate and breed in the Hudson, basically coming down in the spring and returning in the winter. The Chesapeake stock typically move north up the coast in the spring and return in the fall. Some may hook up into the bay and travel up into the various rivers, or they may winter off the coast of NC. Many younger bass may just winter where ever they are, like Great South Bay in LI, or any of the bays that line the east coast within their range. The adults do most of the traveling, but as tagged fish have shown, with little rhyme on reason. That's the short version anyway lol. Good question you asked!
Thank u, very interesting, almost always when I go fishing in South Africa I catch nothing I am going to apply your method
You are very welcome Justin. I hope my video helps you up your game. Be well and stay safe.
Great information, thanks
+Rob Searle You're welcome Rob
Is there a difference between holes and sand pockets in between reef? I live in Hawaii and I appreciate the valuable info u have shared in this series I'm trying to fish pockets of sand do you have any idea what they might look like or would you say they are similar to holes?
To be honest, I've never fished a reef or been to Hawaii, but I do believe most fish relate, or stay close to edges, regardless of what they are made of. So when fishing from shore, I always attempt to find changes in water depth and fish those edges. From my kayak, or a boat, the same thing. I always seek the deeper water around changes in depth. From the beach these reveal themselves as changes in the way waves break (spilling or plunging), their direction, their amplitude (the height they break at) and how close to shore they break. For instance, surfers always surf over the most shallow areas and paddle out between breaks over the deeper areas, where the waves don't break as high, or as fierce.
@@richtroxler thanks for the timely response I appreciate all input and your videos have helped me scope out beaches down here appreciate the time taken to do this for us 🤙🏽
Thank You so much for your Brilliant read on the oceans..This will help me immensely!
You ar ewelcome Liam.
you and John skinner are ironically both from the same area and both are surf fishing masters. I think you'd get along well. probably catch ALL the fish tho 😂
+Jeremiah Giles LOL, I know John fairly well. We both provide content for the same publication and when I lived on LI we fished the same areas. John is a real nice guy, a very intelligent man, and a great fisherman.
you should do a video like this for fishing beaches with groins. I always wonder if the channels cut out by faster current at the end of a groin creates a bottleneck for food, and so attracts fish. OR if standard groins finish too close to the beach (and so is still too shallow) to have an effect on good sized fish.
BandyBorehol I guess on a large groin, you would treat it in the same way as a 'point', and so would fish the trough that forms on the downtide side?
BandyBorehol Interesting idea. Might do something like that.
BandyBorehol A little different depending on the current. Predator fish will no doubt trap bait against the rocks when they are aggressively feeding. But when they've gone neutral, it's not a bad idea to see if an eddy forms off the tip, where the water pushes around it. Eddies are resting places for fish and always worth a few casts.
Thank you for the information.
Hoyt Yee You are welcome Hoyt.
Thank you very much sir.
Hi Long! Sorry for the late reply. I've been working on some music projects and getting some of it out on streaming platforms. I wish I could clone myself LOL. You are very welcome and thank you for watching!
Very good job
Thanks. And thanks for watching.
nice video rich 😊👍
Thank you. I hope you find it useful.
Surfed for years and instinctively read the beach,can put that to use now for some table fare.ha ha
I always tell people, "Want to find a point, go where the surfers are. There's probably a hole upcurrent of the where they are". Thanks for watching.
awesome videos
This comment just popped up in my feed under "not responded". Apparently it's from 6 years ago. I'm not sure what happened but please accept my most sincere apologies for not responding to your post. I try to respond to everybody who posts on my channel, so a belated thank you for watching my video.
God Bless you Sir and thanks for the effort you put into it, come visit us in Pensacola Fl. sometime & I'll take you fishing.
+W. Rodger Enfinger You are very welcome. And thank you for your generous offer.
im headed down there in june any places and rigs you recommend?
Cheers Mate!
Cheers Refai and thanks for watching and the sub times 2 lol!
Thanks for these great videos. Im just getting started and live on west coast near SF, Calif. Trying to read my local surf action. High winds at this time of year are making lots of spilling waves and make finding holes or rips hard to find. Do you have any books out?
Reading the beach can be difficult at times. Try to do it on the incoming with an onshore breeze. Those are the best conditions if you can find them. Answered your question above before realizing that you are on the west coast. I honestly know little of west coast bass habits other than they are a transplant that has worked out well.
awesome vids bro! my strike rate has skyrocketed since learning how waves behave due to bottom structure, so glad I learnt this thank you..
+Manu Malli You are welcome. Glad you found it useful.
Another TH-camr said that a rip is the best thing to fish if you can find one. I am at the coast of North Carolina on vacation as I type this and there is a rip right in front of the house we are in. I must say it has produced some fish, but nothing spectacular. The baitfish have been plentiful at the beginning of the week and that helped snag a few blues and Red drum. I must say it's not fun getting a 4 ounce weight stuck out in the rip. Lol Getting that sucker back in is a job. Lol
I wouldn't call a rip the best thing, but it is certainly something to fish. Anything that provides either a hard edge (like bottom contour) or current edge (like a rip) should always be looked at, particularly if the water is much deeper in those areas. I routinely fish with 6-8 oz hatteras style sinkers. They wear your arms out by the end of the night lol. Thanks for watching.
So informative.
Hope they help you Jonathan.
great video
Thanks Shell.
Helpful ❤
I'm glad you found it so. Thanks for watching.
Gracias amigo !
+mrkogui You're welcome!
Best videos
Thank you!
Pick a likely spot and watch at least one entire cycle of wave action, set to set. The set; the 6 largest waves is a set, what surfers wait for. The set will always roll in evenly, as it has just reached the beach contour and tells you little. So look at the smaller waves between sets. This might take 6 to 8 minutes per set. If you try to look at too much beach at once...you're lost.
Good insight. I did a video recently that talks about optimum conditions for reading water and how wave height and water deep are related. As you said, on relatively shallow bottom a dip of two feet won'y even show if the waves are really big, but will show itself with the wave action from smaller waves.
Where the fish inside the hole ,side of the hole or in the point ?
I just posted a video that explains it.
but can you catch big fish right there on the shore??
You catch big fish anywhere big fish go.
Where the fish position sir ???
I still not understand. There just hole.cutting,sandbar...
Deeper water and edges.
southern N.Carolina shores that is..;)
+Mark “Marky 4 Fingers” Laws Hi Marky. Southern NC should be going good before June. Why wait lol.
Thats a great question? ? Im too busy working fights til june 10-11! If up to me Id be a full time resident! Thanks
Mark Laws Yeah, work sure can get in the way of fishing lol. Good luck when you go.
Thanks bud..Ill find em!! ;)