hey guys i finally get some vacation in a couple weeks and me and my girlfriend are gonna hit up galveston beach for most of the week. i want to do a little surf fishing because ive never done it. my plan is to wade out and just chunk the piss out of the bait. then hang out on the beach and hope something hits it. im going to go to academy this weekend and probably get a cheaper style rod and reel combo. i was thinking of trying to track down some chopped up squid or something with maybe a shrimp on the hook as well. im sure its obvious i need some advice and help as to how to set everything up. so any help would be appreciated. thanks guys.

I'd suggest you consider using cut bait and some heavy weights to hold it down in the currents. Mullet, shad, cigar minnows, etc. all make good cut bait for surf fishing. Get it as fresh as you can find.

If you want some fishing variety and a change from "chunk and hang out", try some live shrimp under a popping cork....get it out past the third bar for your best shots at some trout, Spanish, and maybe Jacks. Good luck.

from what ive read i pretty much have to get it out past where the waves start to break. im sure ill bring alot of stuff and try different things. would a 10' rod be sufficient and a heavy duty spinning real?

There are "bars" or ridges of sand built up by natural wave action that run parallel to the beach and these can be spotted by the wave breaking action. Between each "bar" there is a trough of deeper water and fish like to run along these troughs, ambushing bait fish. The third bar is usually the farthest you can wade out to from shore and sometimes you will get in over your head getting to the third bar in the trough just ahead of it. Cast into the trough beyond the third bar....that's where I've had my best luck....especially for specs in the surf.

If after sharks or reds, the heavy duty spinning reel and long rod are perfect set-ups for bottom soaking fresh cut bait from the beach.

If you go after specs or spanish or more surface type fish, a medium casting rod and spinning reel are easier to handle in the pounding surf...again use live bait, e.g. shrimp, if you want to target specs ...but you can expect most anything out there beyond the third bar and never know what is about to take your bait.

p.s. if you go to the third bar, wear a PFD...and don't be ashamed to do so. Things can happen very fast out there.

You can also try the San Luis Pass area. BUT DONT WADE OUT very far at ALL ! It drops off quickly and the currents will kill you at times. I rarely get deeper than knee deep in the pass. This is an EXTREMELY Dangerous place to fish. But if you get a LONG surf rod and a heavy spinning reel with some 25lb or better test line, you can catch some sharks there. There are a few bait shops along the way and a few more just over the bridge. I usually fish just inside the corner where it opens up to the beach. Exit the highway at the base of the bridge on the beach side and work your way to the beach/pass corner.

i try to fish the surf, more often then not it ends up drinking too much beer while playing washers waiting for our poles to bow down. my one question is, you walk out, i never notice either the first, or second sand bar, but its out there where i find the bar, i mean, i have to swim cause i can't touch bottom. is that the 2nd bar like i've been thinking? once out there its only up to my knees, but honestly, i can't touch bottom (6'3) and have to kick to the bar.

anyways, sorry for the hijack, we had good luck just throwing arti's and live bait in the 4-5 foot range around the weeds that were floating in. after the 3rd(?) bar, i wade out from knee deep to chest deep and then cast out as far as i can and swim my [censored] back hoping not to run into a shark. wear a life jacket! i had my buddy's girlfriend make me one that has a scuba knife sewed on, a whistle, my name in old english relective tape on the back "JEFE" and a LED flashing light. its super comforting to know that it can save your life if the current is too much. one day i'll have a kayak to take me out there.