Having sold my boat recently, my focus is back full time on surfcasting for my fishing fix and feed. I have always enjoyed the simplicity of surfcasting. Nothing but the bare essentials at play: rod, line, sinker, hook and bait. No boat ramp dramas, no huge fuel bills, no worries that the motor will conk out and no messy clean-ups to contend with.
Over the years, my surfcasting has got even simpler as new innovations are developed. My 20lb monofilament has been replaced by 20lb braid: much thinner, longer cast and less drag on the line. Ledger rigs have been replaced with pulley rigs and clipped down ledger rigs. Bait range now extends beyond the old packet of frozen squid pieces to include a huge variety of available baits, such as the newcomer on the block, Fishbites, completely artificial.
Three-piece surfcasting rods are readily available, a far cry from the one-piece Rangoon cane rods I started with. However, I still prefer a one-piece rod and a length of bungee cord makes for easy attachment on the roof rack. Sinkers with grip wires and built in bait clips are now my go-to models. Another simple but effective improvement.
I have never tired of surfcasting with its challenges, rewards and simplicity. The simple things in life are the best.
