Sunblock will prevent a bad burn. Then you'll want coolers for beverages and cold storage for your catch.
Whether you bring bait with you or catch them from the surf you should have a bait bucket with an aerator. Some surf anglers like to use sand fleas which can be obtained at the waters edge and just kept in a bucket of wet sand.
Don't bring all the surf tackle you own. Sort your tackle box down to the essential items needed for several hours of fishing. It's better to have a few smaller tackle boxes setup for different kinds of fishing than one monster box that has more than you expect to be using. Weight is a factor when you'll be lugging that cart across the sand.
Check your tackle box out the day before and refill anything that's running short. Inspect terminal tackle for rust and deterioration. The saltwater environment is pretty harsh. A swivel or a snap could be ready to break at any time. Go over any used hooks and sharpen the points. Make sure you have enough leader material. Ideally you should have all your live bait rigs assembled in advance.
If you're not up on the latest regulations bring along the species list for size and bag limits when you got your fishing license. These days the regulations are changing constantly.
Here's the list:
- Two surf rods serviced and ready to go
- One smaller casting rod to fish the breakers
3. Go surfing on the right day!
As mentioned above every day is different, you need to respect the ocean. It may be your first day off in a month, but if the current conditions are 14' W swells @ 13 seconds, it may not be the right day. Unless you are surfing a protected cove that is blocking most of that swell and does not have rip currents. Waiting for a better day may be difficult, but you want to be safe. When the surf is big there is a lot more water moving around. Rip currents are generally stronger under these conditions. It is also difficult to surf in poor conditions because you will be wasting all your energy battling the current. Again check with your local surf shop, or check your local surf report. Some surf shops (like ours) have a surf report right on their websites.
4. Know what rip currents are, and how to get out of them.
A Rip Current is a strong narrow current heading from shore back out to sea. Returning the water seaward that is pushed in from the waves, wind, and the tide. If you get caught in a rip current, don't panic, it wastes energy. Do not paddle directly against it, you will get exhausted. You want to paddle parallel to the shore where you see the waves pushing in, to get out of a rip. Most rip currents are not very wide, so by paddling parallel to shore you should be able to paddle out of it. Remain calm, you want to be able to hold your breath at any given time while out in the ocean. You never know when a wave could break on you, or in front of you. You will not be able to hold your breath long while panicking, so remember stay calm.
