Spring is the time of year that millions of people head to Florida for spring break. People from up north are tired of the cold weather and a vacation south is needed. I am one of those people from up north and I can’t wait for my trip this spring. On my trips, I will be heading to the beach just like many others. While many people are coming here for a nice family vacation, there are plenty of people coming here to fish. I know that fishing may not be your number one priority, but if you can get a chance to get to the beach, you can experience some fun salt water fishing. The most popular fish that is caught in the surf in Florida is the whiting. These fish are smaller fish usually in the 10 to 15 inch range and they are fairly skinny.

The surf is usually loaded with whiting throughout Florida, so they are obviously a popular fish to catch. For anglers that only get a few hours on their trip to fish, they want some action and whiting will provide that for them. You can catch these fish with a piece of shrimp on a small hook. You are going to need a good-sized weight to keep your bait from getting pushed in by the waves, but once you are set up, fishing is fairly easy.

You can use a medium-action rod with 10 to 12 pound test, however, I like to use a 20 pound flourocarbon leader just in case I bump into something bigger with some teeth. If you bump into a real big fish, you will probably get spooled with the light tackle so you can fish with 20 pound test to play it safe. There are many other types of fish that can be found in the surf, so you never know what may take your bait.

You now have the right set up so cast your bait out there just past the surf. Most of the whiting I catch are within 10 to 30 feet of the crashing waves. You will catch them farther out as well, but I do best a little bit closer in. You can set your rod up in a pvc pipe and relax in a chair, but to catch more fish, I like to work one rod so I can set the hook immediately when I feel a fish take my bait.

If you do everything that I suggested, you will be ready to catch some whiting. Now, here is my biggest tip for catching more fish. Head out to the surf during a tidal change. The tidal change stirs everything up and fish will go on a feeding spree. So make sure to check the tides for that specific day and plan your trip to the beach accordingly.

If you are planning a trip to Florida, take a look at our Florida fishing page for more information on the top Florida destinations, fishing guides, charters, lodging and more.
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