Basic surfcasting- how to - A simple and cheap way to put food on the table

 How to surfcast

Surfcasting is a form of fishing that is beautiful in its simplicity. All that is needed is a rod of 9ft or greater, a good stout reel, some basic terminal tackle and a little know how. A basic rod and reel package can be bought from most large chain stores for as little as $100nz and looked after carefully, can regularly feed an entire household.

The rod and reel

For distance casting a rod of 12ft to monsters of 16ft are used. The fewer line guides on the rod means the less friction created between the line and rod, hence more distance. However, fewer guides can be cumbersome when fighting large fish as the weight transfer from line to the rod is less even. A good compromise is 4 - 6 guides.
The taper of the rod is also quite important. Most rods are sold with line and sinker specification printed onto them, which is very handy for matching with an appropriate reel.
A good standard setup would be capable of holding around 200mtrs of 10kg breaking strain mono filament.

 Large threadline, or spinning type reels are most often used, mainly for the ease of use that they provide. Saltwater is hard on gear, so a quick wipe down with a damp clothe after use will ensure years of trouble free fishing to come.

Terminal tackle

A small range of hooks, sinkers and some mono of a larger diameter/breaking strain is all that is really needed when surfcasting. Hook sizes that might be found in the average tackle box would range from 1/0 - 5/0, while sinkers would largely be of the grapnel type. Some swivels to connect your main line to your trace, and perhaps some "bait cotton" to tie soft baits onto your hooks are a few of the other things that will make life easy.
A steel rod holder is a great piece of equipment to have and saves you trying to poke your rod into the beach, or building structures out of driftwood and rocks.

Fish away

 It pretty doesn't matter where in the world you are, if you're near a coastline then a good surfcaster can most likely put dinner on the table. One of the most important aspects is to understand your quarry. Small baits of a crustacean nature are a sure-fire hit in pretty much all coastal waters around the world. The inter-tidal zone is a natural habitat of crabs and prawns, so it makes sense to fish a bait that appears natural. An endless number of species of fish go nuts over anything crustacean like from Mexico to New Zealand, and would be my first choice at pretty much any location in the world. Bait cotton is very handy with prawns, crabs etc, due to the terrific g-forces the bait will experience during casting.

Surfcasting would have to be the most cost effective form of fishing around. Sticking with the natural bait theme, bait can be sourced at most locations for free, and has the added bonus of being a locally excepted food item to the fish found in that location.

 If you find yourself in an area or part of the world that you are unfamiliar with then hunt for local knowledge. It can be found at tackle stores, but one of the best locations I have come across are fishing messageboards. A quick google will reveal these and even if your questions are not answered there will be plenty of information to be found in existing threads.

Try it out, its a real thrill knowing that your small investment has returned a huge yeild, saved money and provided many great meals!  

Oh, one more thing. The change of light period is often one of the hottest fishing times, as fish feel safer moving into the shallower water near the shore when light is low.

Give it a go, and good luck!