b'SURFCASTING After a slow start, switchingI have been experimenting to a rig with a slow jig tassel helped get a strike fromwith my hook rigs and this trevally. adding different kinds of slow jig tassels to see if they get more interest from fish.Snapper and trevally are attracted to them"TACKLE & RIGSTo get longer casts, I spool my surfcasting reels with 30-40lb braid and use the Sunline tapered mono leaders to act as an important shock leader.The braid means you get better casts off the spool, you can feel bites so much better and if you get a large fish like a ray or shark, it helps to land them quicker to release and get back fishing for snapper.In my tackle box are pretied ledger rigs I have rigged up before going fishing.I keep them in plastic zip lock bags ready to use and on hand in case I break off and can rerig quickly to get a bait back out behind the breakers.I usually fish using a 6/0 or 7/0 hook, with a clip on the 50lb leader to attach to the breakout sinker.This makes it easy to remove the sinker to go up in weights if the swell picks up or before putting the rod back on the roof racks so they dont ding the vehicle.I have always preferred to fish onGulls will gather over shellfish beds outgoing and low tide for snapper asand are worth investigating for it means you can cast further out intobait or as a fishing spot.channels or deeper water off the banks.However, over the past couple of years I have changed things to fish in holes on incoming tides and have been surprised by how many good snapper I catch.The sea conditions need to be calmer for high tide fishing as the swell picks up on the incoming tide on the west side and you might need to go up in breakout sinker weight to 5 or 6oz to account for the larger waves and surges.Early morning or evening is still the best time to get your bait out off the beach, but we have had better fishing when the conditions are overcast and with less light the fish will stay in the shallows longer.This can be very noticeable at times when the sun was out and no bites, and as soon as cloud cover came in we had instant action.12FISHING IN GODZONE MAR/APR 2023'