One of the most asked questions about surf fishing is how many rods should we use from shore ?
Most fishermen, especially beginners and those who are just starting out, have just one rod and wonder whether a single rod is enough for surf fishing.
Others have a collection of several rods accumulated over decades and years of fishing and want to know what is the optimal number of rods to use on the beach, and how much is too much ?
To answer all of these questions briefly, we can say that surf fishing can give great results with just one rod. However, the use of 2-3 rods systematically increases the bites and allows you to try different baits, different rigs, and different spots, which improves the overall productivity. That said, avoid using too many rods (more than 4) as they may become difficult to manage and therefore counterproductive.
In this article, we will dive deeper into this topic and discuss why shore anglers should try fishing with multiple rods ? what are the pitfalls of using just one rod ? and also, how many rods are considered too much for surf fishing ? so keep reading 😉
The problem with using a single rod for surf fishing
The reason why using a single rod for surf fishing is problematic is that it reduces your chances of catching something. Obvious no ? I mean people usually use the metaphor of fishing to talk about the importance of :
- Investing in different stocks (don’t put all your eggs in one basket)
- Publishing multiple posts/videos because you don’t know which one will go viral
- Applying for many companies and job opportunities
- Cold calling multiple prospects
- Trying different advertising channels and strategies
- Selling many products
- …
It’s known worldwide that, in all areas of life, multiple inputs lead usually to multiple (or better) outputs. And this is true for surf fishing too.
The use of multiple rods allows casting multiple baits and trying different spots at the same time. The outcome of this can be nothing but more bites, more catches, and more runs towards the rods.
Conversely, using a single rod limits your options and forces you to stick to one bait/spot at a time and therefore catch less fish.
Additionally, using a single rod makes it difficult to try out different rigs and line configurations to check which ones work best.
Don’t get me wrong here. Surf fishing can be so productive with just one rod. However, keep in mind that when the bite is low and things stop to work, a single rod will rarely bring any bite. Also, a single rod will not give you the necessary feedback you need to investigate what is working well and what is not.
On the contrary, the use of multiple rods will give you a clear idea of the baits/rigs/areas that bring bites so that you can tweak your offering in that direction and therefore improve your productivity.
The problem with using too many rods for surf fishing
Every fisherman would love to use 10, 20 or 50 rods when shore fishing. I mean deploying 50 baits simultaneously in 50 different spots of the surf zone is the ultimate dream of any shore angler. Right ? Yes, It is. But can we manage and organize all that ? Is it technically possible ? Is it productive as it seems or is it reducing the rewards ? Is it even a fun thing to do ?
Not really… Fishing with too many rods can be self-sabotaging and may turn your fishing trip into an experience to forget.
Here are a few reasons why you should not use too many rods for beach fishing :
- The more rods you have, the harder they become to manage and transport.
- The maintenance of multiple rods requires a lot of time, energy and money. You have to buy hooks, sinkers, swivels, lines, leaders, beads, baits… for every single rod, and do that on a regular basis. This can be so overwhelming, and of course, no need to mention all the costs behind.
- Fishing with too many rods requires a lot of time in order to bait all the hooks and set all the rigs. A lot of rods also bring a lot of bites, and as a result, you may stay all the time busy turning fish and enable to enjoy your time on the beach.
- The fact that multiple rods bring more simultaneous bites means that you will be exposed to a lot of missed bites. Unless you have someone to help setting the hooks and fighting fish, you will be forced to sacrifice some bites and focus on the one in your hands.
- And of course, the use of too many rods requires a large space on the beach. The recommended average distance between 2 rods is 10-20 yards. Fishing with a lot of rods is therefore not always technically possible, especially for small or crowded beaches.
So, how much is too much ?
With all that we said above. What is the limit ? How much is too much ?
Well, it all depends on 5 things :
- Your fishing area and how much space you can use for fishing
- Whether you are fishing alone or with someone who can help managing the rods
- The complexity of your rigs
- How much organized are you ?
- Your skill level and how fast you set the rods ?.
What you need to aim for is that you have enough time to bait all the hooks, cast all the rods, and still have time to rest and wait for bites. All that without sacrificing any bite.
In other words, you need to make sure you are free to take any shaking rod while all the other rods are properly set and cast into the surf.
Yes, sometimes even with just two rods, bites will happen simultaneously and you will be forced to sacrifice one. The goal is then to minimize that, and the only way to do it to use fewer rods.
Based on my personal experience and what I see other experienced anglers do, I believe that 2-3 rods are all you need for surf fishing.
2 or 3 rods will allow you to have a good shore fishing experience and benefit from the whole purpose behind using multiple rods : More bites without compromising rest and fun 😉
Anything more than 3 and you may be shooting yourself in the foot. Yes, with 4 or 5 rods, you will surely enjoy more bites, but I wonder if you can land them all. With more than 3 rods, a lot of bites will happen while you are baiting hooks, configuring rigs, or fighting a hooked fish. This will let a lot of fish to steal your offering and escape the trap before you even touch the alerting rod.
And of course, no need to mention the overwhelming task of trying to manage 4 or 5 rods… I let you imagine that.
Also, it is very important to consider your area regulations regarding how much rods you can use. Some states/cities only allow one or two rods, so make sure to give that a look.
What if I can only use one rod ?
Again, there is no harm in using on single rod when fishing from shore. Sometimes, a single rod can give you satisfying results, and when it does, it’s the best fishing experience ever. Why ? Because you combine bites, catches, and a lot of free time to enjoy your stay on the beach.
That being said, maximizing the rewards with just one rod requires optimizing everything else and that includes :
- Your rigs should be effective. For a single rod, it is better to use rigs with multiple hooks. The flapper rig is your way to go here. However, single-hooked rigs like the fish finder rig will give great results too.
- The time of fishing. We have discussed in a previous article the best time of the day to go surf fishing. Give it a look and take notes. In a nutshell, dawn and dusk hours, the two hours around high tide, upcoming tides, spring tides, choppy weather and surf condition, cloudy waters… are all a good sign of a prolific fishing day.
- Your bait must be familiar to fish. Do not throw baits that fish are not used to see.
- Match the size of your hooks to the size of your baits. Avoid too large baits so fish can’t steal your food, and avoid too small baits so your offering does not look suspicious.
- Be accurate where you cast. What you want to target are the seaward edges of the sandbars where the waves break, or the openings between the sandbars where outgoing currents carry nutrients to the open sea, forming a good channel for offshore fish who want to look for food nearshore. Read this article for more information on the best spots to target from shore.
Conclusion
Surf fishing is most rewarding when you use more than just one rod. Deploying 2-3 baits (rods) simultaneously gives systematically more chances to catch on something. Also, the use of multiple rods provides fishermen with a lot of information about which inputs (rigs/baits/spots) bring the most and the best outputs (bites and catches).
However, one should not exaggerate and use too many rods for surf fishing. You cast 4 rods and things start to get challenging to manage. The use of too many rods may even be counter-productive as a lot of bites can happen at the same moment, and as a result, a lot of catches will be able to escape the hook before you set the hook.
With all that being said, surf fishing with a single rod can be productive too, especially if it’s used with effective rigs and attractive baits, and cast in the right direction during the right moment of the day. So don’t cancel your fishing trip just because you only have one single rod. Go fishing and enjoy the sport, and when you see yourself able to afford a second and third rod, go for it 😉
Some recommended surf rods (*)
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