See what works best for the type of surfcasting you really want to do.
Surfcaster, according to Google is “a person who fishes in the ocean or bay by casting bait into the surf. Surf casting is a fishing technique that involves using heavy-duty tackle to cast bait into the water from the shore.”
All well and good, but, if you ask me, a surfcaster is one of the most hardcore fishermen out there – we don’t have boats to run and gun our way off the beach while following the birds, there are no high-tech electronics to speak of for finding spots, and willingly choose to fish the worst conditions Mother Nature has to offer, all for the thrill of getting on a bite.
Surfcasting is a grind; success takes skill, finesse, a little bit of crazy and a whole lot of time invested. But let’s not forget your gear! Surfcasting is as close to nature as you can get, and those of you who have put on waders or a wetsuit and gone out in chest-deep water, clambering across to the outside bar or swimming in the middle of bunker pods all to get on a bite. Whether your choose to get that close to nature, or just wish to be prepared for a quick-hitter up on the beach this season, let’s focus on gear.
$aftey Fir$t
With so much fishing gear on the market today, and some rather pricey options, it’s tough to know where to begin. Take it from someone with experience, it’s often better to buy once and cry once. When I first got into surfcasting and didn’t know my butt from my elbow; I was buying so much gear and honestly didn’t know what to do with it. I started with a cheap waders off Amazon, a rinky-dink over-the-shoulder “surf bag”, horrible pliers and lip grippers, along with a couple of plugs. By the end of the season, those waders had holes, the shoulder strap on the surf bag was hanging by a thread, the pliers seized up from the salt and rust build-up (as did the lip grippers), with the budget-friendly hardware on the plugs looking like they were older than I was, after only one season.
The reason I’m telling you all of this is because all that money I spent at the start of the first season had gone to waste and I had to purchase everything again in year two. Regrettably, I did this again in year two, with another season of gear that just was not made to last. If you’re new to surfcasting or just enjoy a couple of trips to the beach a year in between sessions on the boat, the frugal route may work well for you. But if you’re ramping for a lifetime in the surf, take it from me and invest your hard-earned money on some real gear. I started surfcasting in my early 20s, and by 25, I decided to purchase the expensive gear, I’m now 30 and this gear is still with me today and holding up like they just came out of the packaging.
So yes, if you’re planning a few trips to the beach this season, the $70 rubber boot Frogg Togg Waders may be the perfect choice for you. If you plan on investing time in the surf this spring and fall – with an eye on 2026 as well – you can also go the $380 Simms Stocking Foot Wader route like I did, and of course a $160 pair of BuckSkin Korkers (with the interchangeable soles—pro tip, the interchangeable soles are ideal when you’re fishing various terrain types, it can literally be lifesaving and prevent that one wrong step).
On top of the wader – literally – a good wading belt is a necessity; actually, it could be a matter of life or death. We’ll keep it simple, but you have two options, (1) no belt, so if you slip and fall, your waders fill with water in the blink of an eye as you struggle to get up and above the surface while getting pounded by the surf. Or, (2) you wear a belt and water is only filling up the top half of your waders and barely getting in down below, so you get your footing more easily as you’re tumbling in the waves and you can walk out this dangerous situation.
So, what belt did I choose? I have the Z Belt, Gen 2 and at roughly $95 and I swear by it. It’s American-made, right in North Kingstown, RI by a surfcaster using neoprene materials with integrated lumbar support. The main neoprene supporting belt is 5 inches in the center and 4 inches on the sides, with double 2-inch webbing belts for plug bags and fishing tools.
What’s In Your Bag?
What’s on that belt is the key to my success out on the surf. There are a lot of great bags to be found in local tackle shops, and you can probably find your perfect fit by doing a shopping around. Personally, my surf bag is one of my most prized pieces of gear, and it’s because I was able to design it to be exactly what I needed it to be. That started with a direct Instagram message to Jeremy from Dark Star Surfcasting (DSS) @darkstarsurfcasting. DSS bags are all triple layer sailcloth with marine or military grade components. They have molle systems on the side which allow for accessories to be changed and customized to suit your needs or expanded by adding a tube to the side.
The interior has bucktail loops and a leader pouch and the exterior has double-layer belt loops, d-rings for a leash, and grommets for drainage. The front pouches can be or removed for use as stand-alone pouches on your belt. All-in-all after I got done designing my bag with Jeremy, I had a whopping $450 invoice to pay, but I had my ultimate surf bag designed completely for what I needed to hold all my gear. Included in this purchase was a Boga grip holder, a dive knife sheath, and a leader wallet, all of which I attach directly to my Z Belt, along with the surf bag.
While having all of this gear on your belt (although the holders and bag are secure on the belt) the gear sometimes may not be as secure when wading or should you take a fall. To make sure that any gear that could come loose stays attached, I keep items – especially the more expensive ones like my Boga Grips ($285) and titanium Van Staal pliers ($499) – attached to the metal eyelets on my belt with a simple carabineer and a heavy-duty lanyard from Turtle Cove Tackle ($19). This ensures if any of my gear ever comes out of its holders, it’s still attached to me and at an arm’s length and I can easily follow the lanyard down underwater to retrieve the piece of gear that may have slipped out.
Rods & Reels
All that gear is essentially useless if you don’t have a solid rod and reel set up. I go back and forth between two main setups – a 9-foot Lamiglas Carbon Surf ($210) and an 11-foot Tsunami Air Wave Elite ($220), both are 70/30 splits and both are paired with a Van Staal VR-150 ($560). These combos allow me to tackle the surf in any condition; since the Van Staal reels are entirely sealed internally, they can take some serious abuse, as in being dunked in saltwater, and actually reel underwater with zero risk of salt or sand damaging the internal mechanisms and hardware.
Having at least two different rods to choose from helps immensely as well; each stick listed above has a different rating, which allows me to fish in various conditions and with different types of lures. I typically take my 9-foot setup out when I don’t feel like wading and want to just peruse the beaches with my surf bag thrown over my shoulder, whereas the 11-footer comes in handy when I’m going wading or the conditions are harsh, the extra rod length helpful when needing to cast further and through heavy winds.
With all that said, before figuring out your investment it’s important to think of what you want out of surfcasting in the years ahead. If you want to kick back in a chair or while seated on top of your bait bucket, throwing chunks and waiting for the rod tip to shake, the bare necessities are really all you need. But, if you plan on really putting in your time and following other hardcore surfcasters chasing fish, the investment in solid, top shelf gear is probably your best bet.
I included few price points with some of the recommended gear setup; hopefully my wife doesn’t read this article. But like I said, “buy once, cry once” and considering biting the bullet on your opening investment. From soup to nuts, figure investing in the neighborhood of $2,000. You don’t need to spend that much, and that’s only the gear (not including plugs, terminal tackle, surf tops, maintenance upkeep, etc.). At a bare minimum, you should ensure of having a solid set of waders, boots, belt, a surf bag, pliers, and lip grippers to go with your rod and reel selection. I’d also recommend a headlamp for safety and seeing at night, and lastly, a few screws loose upstairs.
You still have a few fishing flea markets and outdoor shows coming in March (see Long Island Calendar of Events) to browse, ask questions and compare prices. Most tackle shops are back in business as of March 1 after the winter layup, and folks there can help you choose the right gear based on your personal needs and budget.
The key takeaway is there is so much product out on the market today, by so many brands, for so many different use cases, that getting started can be intimidating. You don’t have to look like the other casters next to you on the beach, but see what works best for the type of surfcasting you really want to do, consult with other anglers and ask questions in local shops.
But my biggest tip is to purchase the best of the best outright; trust me when I say it will help save you time and money in the long run.
