For many, the end of summer rhymes with back to school and gloom… But for surfcasting enthusiasts, it is the promise of a new coastal fishing season, finally abandoned by summer visitors.
DFrom the month of September, the beaches, coves and pontoons gradually empty. The colorful buoys and children's laughter are just a memory. Families go back to work, and the coast is finally open to other users. Among them, the fishermen do not hide their pleasure. Because from the end of summer to the first severe cold weather, the conditions are ideal for set up your canes on the seafront, take some nice catches, and why not one or two trophies... On the condition, however, of mastering perfectly surfcasting techniques. Good equipment and knowledge of the sea, currents and tides are also essential to achieve the best catches. An ideal season for surfcasting
Because at the end of summer, the fish stay close to the shore and feed abundantly until the cold arrives. They thus replenish their fat reserves. Sea bream, sole, sea bass, whiting, sars and rays then cross very close to the coast in search of food. A great opportunity for surfcasters to indulge in their favorite hobby, before the breeding season.
A technical practice
In surfcasting, fishermen look for swimming fish several tens of meters from the beach. The goal is to throw the line into the wave, and even rather behind the wave. If the majority of fishermen place the line at a hundred meters, beginners can learn 20 meters from the edge. The best surfcasters manage to throw the bait 160 meters from the shore. Beyond the technique and the power of the casting, the fisherman must have good knowledge of the sea, currents and tides. Experienced practitioners thus predict the behavior of fish, which come to seek their prey at the foot of drop offs, in seagrass beds or riprap. It is then possible to make beautiful catches not far from the beach.
A final parameter comes into play for successful fishing. It is obviously about equipment, which must be robust, reliable and suitable for the species desired.
Equipment
To fully enjoy a surfcasting session, you must first have a telescopic or push-fit rod from 4 to 5 meters. It is also necessary to have a resistant and large capacity reel. A spike or a tripod will then be used to fix the rod facing the sea. To finalize the equipment, weights and baits are essential.
Mounting side, each fisherman has his secret, sometimes very well kept. To start, it is possible to buy mounted leaders. When it comes to bait, it all depends on ambition. To start, trawl worms are ideal. Crabs, peeled knives and bibis are bait of choice especially in autumn. And if the fisherman is targeting predators, do not hesitate to use small fish or even cephalopods, against which wolves will have a hard time resisting!
A hobby but also a sport
Surfcasting is a real sporting practice. On our territory, the French federation of sport fisheries frames this practice. It shows a beautiful dynamic and a renewal. The young Frenchman Manon Mainvis, very active on social networks, has also been surfcasting world champion and in 2015 2018.
See this post on Instagram
Français
Nederlands
English
Deutsch
Español