Getting Started Beachcasting - John Wilson

How to Start Beachcasting

With this comprehensive starter guide you have the information required for catching British saltwater fish from beaches, piers, breakwaters and even off the rocks.

I'll assume that you already have a 12 foot beachcaster and suitable reel, either a fixed spool or a multiplier. For maximum casting distance it should be filled with 15-18 lbs monofilament. The smaller diameter compared to say 25 lbs test, allows your reel to hold more line, but more importantly it requires a lighter lead to hold bottom due to reduced water pressure against it. So don't be tempted into a heavier, thicker reel line.

You must, however, use a 20 foot shock leader. If you simply tied a 5 ounce lead direct to 15 lbs monofilament and did a powerful cast, the line would break. So for maximum safety on the beach and to ensure the bait gets out to where it is intended regardless of how hard you blast - a heavy shock leader going from the trace swivel to at least half a dozen turns around the reel is imperative. So let's start by joining a 20 foot leader of 55 lbs to some 15-18 lbs reel line using the easy to tie knot shown in (1). Remember to wet both lines when you pull to tighten the knot and to trim the ends off short and neatly with scissors or nail clippers.

Trace Making

The best knot to use for hooks and tying the end of your shock leader to a trace is the 5 turn uni or grinner knot shown in Diag (2). Remember to wet the line before pulling the knot tight and trimming the end. You will also need to learn to tie the five turn sliding stop knot shown in Diag (3). This simple knot is tied using a few inches of powergum. One such knot is tied either side of the small bead and swivel arrangement to which each hook link is attached.

As can be seen from the trace diagrams (4) and (5) these small powergum stop knots keep the hook link swivel firmly in position, yet allow each to be moved if necessary. When constructing a single hook trace that is to be clipped down as in Diag (5) for instance, it is virtually impossible to tie a hook link of exactly the right length. So you tie one roughly to length and then simply move the bead and swivel set up either up or down to enable the hook to fit over the clip on the impact shield. Another powergum knot is also tied on this 'clipped down trace', leaving a 1/2 inch gap between the bead and impact shield. So the hook releases on impact with the surface.
The two hook 'flapper' trace shown in Diag (4) is ideal for general shore fishing using either ragworm or lugworm bait and smallish hooks. For dabs and sole etc step down in size to a fine wire long shank hook in size 6 or 4.

For long range casting or for presenting a large worm bait or a two hook pennel rig which keeps a strip of squid or several big worms straight, the single hook clipped down trace is advisable. Add a couple of red sequins/beads onto the hook length. These have a double benefit. They add attraction from their colour, particularly to flat fish species but more importantly they help stop heavy worm baits from sliding up the line during a powerful cast.

Rod Rests

If much of your fishing is from sandy beaches then the ideal rod rest is the simple sand spike or mono pod which keeps your rod tip angled up high and the line well above the surf. This type is usually fitted with a tread bar for heeling well into the sand.

For shingle beaches and rough ground however and especially when fishing off rocks a tripod rod rest is the one to choose.

Bait Collecting

For short range casting over rough ground for species like bass its worth collecting your own bait. And while lugworm or ragworm may be readily available at the nearby tackle shops, peeler crabs may not. So visit rocky, weed covered areas of the shoreline at low tide and collect your own peelers by turning over large stones. They are the bass bait par excellence, though most other species take them readily.

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