Episodes

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S1:E23 /// Wetsuit Surf Fishing Must-Have Accessories

In this week’s episode, Surfcast Podcast hosts Jerry and Toby tackle a hot subject with modern striped bass surf fishermen, the wetsuit. But rather than jump right into the wetsuit itself, which they’ll certainly cover in a future episode, this go-round they address several categories of wetsuit accessories that are often overlooked but which they both can agree they would almost not be willing to fish without. Do you agree with their selections? Did they forget something obvious, maybe something that most anglers overlook but you cannot live without? Let us know!

S1:E22 /// Hopes & Goals For The 2024 Striped Bass Fishing Season

In this week’s episode, Jerry and Toby discuss some of their hopes and goals for the 2024 striped bass surf fishing season. Do they plan to hit some new locations, try new gear, or take things less seriously and target schoolies when the fishing gets difficult? Maybe they just hope for fair winds, better health, and more bait in the surf. You’ll have to check out the episode to see what they have planned for the year, you might be a bit surprised with what they’re looking to do in 2024.

S1:E21 /// The Best Spring Striped Bass Lure That You're Probably Not Using

A fishing lure is a problem-solving device, and fishing for striped bass in the surf is a problem to be solved. There are no rules in fishing, so why is it that surf fishermen almost always start off their striped bass season in the spring fishing with small lures? In this episode, Jerry and Toby make a case for why they feel there is a better option. Do you agree with their choice, or is there something better?

S1:E20 /// Fishing Pencil Poppers for Striped Bass with John Skinner

In this episode of The Surfcast Podcast, Jerry and Toby sit down with legendary fisherman and YouTube star, John Skinner, and talk all things pencil popper. From how to work a pencil, to what features he looks for in selecting the perfect pencil popper, and even some insight into how he chooses prime locations and conditions to fish them, this episode is certain to shorten your learning curve if your goal is to catch more striped bass on the pencil popper this season and beyond.

John has authored five books and counting including Fishing the Bucktail, Striper Pursuits, Fishing for Summer Flounder, A Season on the Edge, and his most recent book, Fishing The Edge. You can find them all on Amazon.

S1:E19 /// Chunking the Surf for Striped Bass - You're Doing It Wrong!

No white bucket. No sand spike. No days-old frozen bait. And most certainly, no cooler full of beer! In this episode we talk about chunking for striped bass and all the ways in which you’re doing it wrong. This is not your stereotypical “set it and forget it” style of fishing so often associated with chunking for striped bass. Learn how this exceedingly-productive form of surf fishing can be made to work for you, as well as how Toby first came to develop and ultimately hone the technique to what it is today.

S1:E18 /// Fly Fishing in the Surf with the Wetsuit

In this edition of the podcast, we discuss an unlikely duo: the wetsuit, and the fly rod. While you might scoff at the notion initially, this pairing is actually exceptionally well matched and HIGHLY recommended by Jerry and Toby both. Tune in to find out more- and why you might want to throw-out whatever you think you know about fly fishing for stripers in the surf.

S1:E17 /// A Fishing Life With Frank Daignault - Part 2

In Part 2 of this special presentation from The Surfcast Podcast, Jerry and Toby sit down in person with legendary angler, author, and photographer Frank Daignault. Frank is arguably the very first surfcasting-only professional writer- and really changed the game in North East surfcasting in so many ways. Particularly in Rhode Island and along the sand beaches of Cape Cod, he was a disruptor, a force that shifted surfcasting forever. Beloved and respected- and sometimes controversial- Frank is a living legend, and this is the first time he’s ever been recorded on a podcast.

S1:E16 /// A Fishing Life With Frank Daignault - Part 1

In Part 1 of this special presentation from The Surfcast Podcast, Jerry and Toby sit down in person with legendary angler, author, and photographer Frank Daignault. Frank is arguably the very first surfcasting-only professional writer- and really changed the game in North East surfcasting in so many ways. Particularly in Rhode Island and along the sand beaches of Cape Cod, he was a disruptor, a force that shifted surfcasting forever. Beloved and respected- and sometimes controversial- Frank is a living legend, and this is the first time he’s ever been recorded on a podcast.

S1:E15 /// Fishing With Teasers For Striped Bass In The Surf

Love ’em or hate ’em, teasers have a place when fishing the surf for striped bass. From their earliest usage when anglers lashed a small strip of pork rind to a hook rigged ahead of a tin squid, to feathers meticulously tied to perfectly replicate local baitfish, teasers have a way of tempting striped bass when seemingly nothing else will do the trick. Find out how Jerry and Toby feel about them this week as they relay some past and present experiences fishing teasers in the surf as well as some ways in which they might incorporate them into their arsenal going forward.

S1:E14 /// Surf Association - Volume 1

On this week’s episode of The Surfcast Podcast, hosts Jerry and Toby try a little something new and have some fun with each other in a new segment they’re currently referring to as ‘Surf Association.’ Imagine a word association game but relating to surf fishing concepts, ideas, misconceptions, sayings, and more. What do they have in store for each other, and how will they respond? You’ll have to listen to the episode to find out, and be sure to let us know if you have an idea for a better name for the segment. Also, if you have a question that you’d like one of the hosts to ask the other, send them a message directly on Instagram – @fishlapinski for Toby and @indeepoutdoors for Jerry.

S1:E13 /// Fishing Metal Lips in a Big Surf for Striped Bass

Not generally considered a go-to lure for surfcasters when fishing a big surf, the metal lip does have its time and place but it’s more than just going with heavy metal. In this week’s episode, Jerry and Toby talk about what characteristics they look for when selecting a metal-lip swimmer for fishing a big surf as well as how they developed a gameplan that has produced many 30- and 40-pound class striped bass for both of them over the years.

S1:E12/// Jetty Fishing With Matt Broderick

In this episode of The Surfcast Podcast, Jerry and Toby talk with Matt Broderick, the managing editor of the Long Island edition of The Fisherman Magazine and an extremely well-rounded surf, boat, and freshwater angler. While they touch upon a few different subjects, they primarily discuss fishing outflows and jetties for striped bass. From seasons to bait, and techniques to tides, they break down how you can catch more fish from these fishy but sometimes forgotten hot spots.

S1:E11/// To Leader Spool, Or Not To Leader Spool

Toby and Jerry don’t do anything “just because,” and while the leader material they use is pretty “old school,” their reasoning and thought process of why they choose it is as serious and meticulous as for any other piece of their “kit.”

In this weeks episode, they tackle the topic of what makes a good leader material by discussing whether or not it’s “worth it” to buy purpose-made leader material- and try really hard not to throw too much shade at using fluorocarbon for striped bass.

S1:E10 /// Tips for the Traveling Surf Fisherman

Have surf rod, will travel? In this episode of The Surfcast Podcast, Jerry and Toby talk about traveling and surfcasting. They share some helpful gear tips, and some tried and true approaches, that will help you be more productive in lands both far and near. Toby shares some of his experiences, and Jerry gives you lots of tips that he’s learned through his experiences chasing a variety of species from drum and tarpon to grouper and surf perch.

S1:E9 /// Fishing For Holdover Striped Bass in Your Own Spots

Not all striped bass migrate to southern waters every winter, and instead, for some reason, they decide to spend their winters in the many rivers that dot the New England coastline. From the largest of waterways, to the smallest of tidal creeks, there’s a good chance that at least a small population of stripers inhabit just about every tidal river of New England year-round. In this episode of the surfcast podcast, Jerry and Toby talk about the smaller rivers and how finding your own little gem can not only be extremely rewarding, but should be treated with respect for it can be far more fragile than the larger host river systems.

S1:E8 /// Steve McKenna Talks about the Heyday of Block Island and a Life-long Surfcasting Obsession

In this episode of the surfcast podcast, Jerry and Toby sit down with Rhode Island surf fishing legend, Steve McKenna, to discuss the heyday of Block Island striper fishing in the 1980s, getting a 50 on a prototype Gibbs needlefish, the anxiety that comes with targeting giant striped bass in the surf and more!

S1:E7 /// October '23 New Moon Surf Fishing Recap

Any surf fisherman worth his or her salt surely knows the significance of the moon cycle on striped bass feeding activity, and the October new moon could very well be the most important one of the season. See why Jerry and Toby look forward to this annual moon cycle, and find out whether or not 2023 lived up to the hype.

S1:E6 /// Surf fishing lures we HATE... but maybe shouldn't?

Why all the hate? All surf fishermen have their favorite lures, the ones that seem to produce when nothing else will, but what about those that fall on the opposite end of the spectrum. Jerry and Toby come in hot for this episode as they talk about which lures and mods they despise the most and why. Do you agree with their argument or are they just salty surfcasters?

S1:E5 /// Spring Weakfish vs Striped Bass

What is a bigger accomplishment, catching a 40-plus-pound striped bass or a 12-plus-pound weakfish in the surf? Jerry and Toby discuss hunting spring striped bass and weakfish, and whether they’d rather catch a large striped bass or weakfish to kick off the season. Which would you choose?

S1:E4 /// Shell E. Caris Talks Bunker (aka Pogies, Menhaden, Peanuts)

One of the most beloved surf fishermen along the East Coast, not just his home waters of New Jersey, Shell E. Caris has been fishing the surf for nearly 70 years. In this special episode of the surfcast podcast, Shell talks about catching striped bass when they are feeding on bunker (Atlantic menhaden, pogies, etc.) From metal lips to pencil poppers to soft plastics and more, he divulges some of the tips, tricks and techniques he has learned that have produced striped bass as heavy as 55-plus pounds for him and his clients.

S1:E3 /// The 2023 September New Moon Recap

The first installment in an ongoing series spotlighting the highs and lows of the moon cycles, in this episode Jerry and Toby discuss their findings from the 2023 September new moon as it applied to the striper surf.

S1:E2 /// Fire in the Water (aka Bioluminescence)

Biolumin-what?

Fire in the where?

If you’ve been surf fishing for more than a season, you’ve probably run into water that lights up for no reason at all- and it’s not jellyfish or some other weird creature flashing. The water itself appears to glow! This is called bioluminescence- and fisherman, for the most part, really hate it. Jerry and Toby are no different in this regard, and discuss the problem with fire in the water, and how they (at least try) to deal with it.

S1:E1 /// Is there such a thing as a last cast catch?

What is the last cast in regard to fishing? When is the last cast, really the last cast? Is there something mythical, other-worldly, or superstitious about the last cast phenomenon? Is it even really a thing? Jerry and Toby dive deep into the mystery and lore of making just one more cast.