What size hooks are best for surf fishing?


2/0 hooks are the best all around hook size for surf fishing. A 2/0 circle hook will catch smaller fish like whiting and pompano but are also big enough to catch bluefish, mackerel, fluke, flounder, redfish, snook and tarpon too.

If I could only bring one hook size to the beach for a beach fishing trip it would be a 2/0 circle hook. BUT if you want to optimize your catch then you will want to choose a hook size based upon the baits that you are using and the size of fish that you are targeting.

You will probably want hooks as small as a #1 if you are targeting smaller fish and a hook size as large as a 5/0 if you are targeting big fish like sharks and tarpon from the beach.

The author of this article is a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN. He has been fishing the beaches, grass flats, oyster bars and mangroves all over Florida for more than 40 years.

In the article below, we will talk about the various hook sizes that you will need for beach fishing and tips and techniques on how to catch more fish.

Let's get started.


​Watch the video below to learn more about the best hook sizes for surf fishing and how hook sizing works.

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​What are the best hook sizes surf fishing for pompano and whiting?


The best hook size for surf fishing for pompano and whiting is a #1 or 1/0 circle hook. This is the perfect size range for catching tons of whiting, croakers and pompano using sand fleas or fish bites.

Whiting and pompano are probably the most sought after fish by surf fishing anglers in Southern waters during the winter months. They both have relatively small mouths and you will want to use a smaller hook or you will miss many fish.

Croakers are excellent table fare but are often caught to use for catching snook in the surf in Florida waters. They have relatively small mouths and the #1 or 1/0 circle is the best bet for them too.

Fish bites are an artificial bait substitute for sand fleas, shrimp and clam strips. They come in long strips that look a lot like a thin stick of gum.

You just have to cut a small square and put it on the hook just like you would use a natural bait. The benefit is that fish bites last longer. You can usually catch multiple fish on one bait when you are using Fish Bites.

The best hook size for using fish bites when you are fishing off of the beach is again a #1 or 1/0 circle or J hook. Fish bites are best for targeting pompano, whiting and croakers in the surf.

I created a FREE Online Surf Fishing Course that you can see on this website. It covers the best hook sizes, tackle, tips and techniques to help surf fishermen catch more fish. You can find it by clicking right here.


What are the best size hooks surf fishing for bluefish?

Bluefish are a very popular fish species for surf fishing enthusiasts. Bluefish are excellent fighters and will readily eat live bait, dead bait and fishing lures. BUT they have exceptionally sharp teeth so you might want to add a small wire leader to your main line when you are targeting blue fish.

The best all around hook size when you are surf fishing for bluefish is a 3/0 circle or J hook. The reason this size hook works so well is because it will catch small little bluefish that are only a pound or so all the way up to those bigger 10 or 15 pound blue fish.

Circle hooks are the way to go when you are fishing for bluefish because they are such voracious feeders. They will often swallow a J hook and you will kill the fish. Circle hooks almost always hook them right in the corner of the mouth which injure a lot less fish in the end.

The 3/0 circle hook is the best hook size for bluefish whether you are using cut bait or live bait presentations.


What is the best size hooks surf fishing for mackerel?

Mackerel are another one of those toothy fish species that surf fishing anglers love to target. They are excellent fighters and are good to eat. The Spanish Mackerel, Cero Mackerel and King Mackerel can all be caught right off of the beach during certain times of the year.

If you are targeting the smaller mackerel species like Spanish Mackerel or Cero Mackerel, then you can use a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook. Both of these mackerel species will readily eat live bait, dead bait and lures. Lures are usually the best way to catch them as long as you fish them very fast and erratically.

King Mackerel are a different story. They are usually caught offshore or nearshore BUT when there are large schools of bait fish running the beach they will sometimes come within casting range of surf fishermen.

King Mackerel can get well over 50 pounds so you will need at least a 5/0 circle hook if you are targeting them off of the beach with a chunk of mullet, sardine or whatever you are using to target them.

Watch the video below and learn where to find fish when you are surf fishing.

 

What is the best hook size surf fishing for snook?

Snook are a very popular sport fish in Florida. They are excellent fighters and are pretty good to eat too. The best hook size for catching snook off of the beach is a 3/0 circle hook.

Snook will readily take a live bait, dead bait or lure offering. Whatever technique that you are using to target them a 3/0 circle hook will do the job even on the really big ones.

A great way to target snook is to catch croakers in the surf with fish bites and then transfer them to a bucket with a bubbler. Once you have a half dozen croakers you are ready to catch some big snook in the surf.

You will need a #1 or 1/0 circle hook to catch the croaker then transfer them to a 3/0 up to a 5/0 depending upon the size of croakers that you are catching. A 6 inch croaker will need a 3/0 circle and a 12 inch croaker will require a 5/0 circle hook.

If you are planning on netting some mullet in the surf you will have to consider the size of the mullet to determine the proper hook size. You can use the same hooks that you used for croakers. The smaller ones will get a 3/0 and the big ones will get a 4/0 or a 5/0 circle hook.

Snook are usually within 50 feet or so from the beach so you do not need to make a far cast to get at them most of the time.

I do a Beach Walker Charter where I take clients up the beach to target snook, tarpon, jacks, mackerel and all sorts of other fish in the surf. If you are ever in the Treasure Coast of Florida and want to fish the beach then book a charter. You can find out more about my fishing charters here.


What is the best hook size surf fishing for tarpon?

Tarpon come in all sizes so the best hook size depends upon the baits and the size of the tarpon that you are targeting. The best all around hook size when you are surf fishing for tarpon is a 5/0 circle hook.

I have seen tarpon almost beach themselves during the minnow and mullet runs that we get in Florida. They are often within a few feet of shore during the higher parts of the tide.

The tarpon that you will probably be targeting in the surf will be from 30 pounds and higher up to 100 pounds. The smaller ones stay in the estuaries and grass flats until they are big enough to compete with the mature fish.

Tarpon will readily take a live bait like a finger mullet off of the beach. The best way to fish a finger mullet or another live bait if you are fishing over rocks is to add a bobber to your leader.

This will keep your live bait offering from getting into the rocks and lets the tarpon catch it more easily.


What is the best hook size surf fishing for sharks?

The best hook size for catching sharks off of the beach is a stout 5/0 circle hook. This hook size will catch smaller 3 foot sharks all the way up to a 6 footer. If you want to go bigger than that then you will have to move up to 9/0 and 10/0 circle hooks.

When I catch sharks off of the beach I am only targeting 4 or 5 footers. That is the perfect fun sized shark that I can fight for 20 minutes land and release easily. Once you get into those big sharks you are talking an hour long fight and lots of danger for you and the shark.

That is why I surf fish for the little guys when I target sharks.

Another benefit of targeting the smaller sharks is that you can cast to them easily during the higher parts of the tide. During high tide the black tips and spinners will be within 30 feet of the shore. That is close enough to sight fish for them.

To target the big boys you will have to have a kayak to ferry out your bait much farther than you can cast. That is too much effort for me and those big ones are very hard to deal with.

Watch the video below to see surf fishing for black tip sharks action.

Conclusion:

Surf fishing requires you to use various hooks based upon the bait size that you are using and the fish species that you are targeting from the beach. You just never know what fish you will catch.

If I am going to the beach just to see what is biting I will have 1/0 , 3/0 and 5/0 hooks in my backpack. That way I know that I can catch everything from a small pompano up to a 5 foot shark if I want to.

That is the great thing about surf fishing. You just never know what will be running down the beach from one day to the next.

In Florida, we like to target pompano, whiting, mackerel, snook, tarpon, jacks and many other species.

I hope that this article helps you catch more fish the next time you go surf fishing or at the very least have more fun trying.

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