Surf fishing and be a bit intimidating to the uninitiated. It’s you against a vast ocean, and even though some lakes are huge, you still feel like the fish are confined enough that you have a shot.

Standing on the shore of a big lake or reservoir with a rod in your hand can be daunting. Still, the fish within that body of water are confined. The same can’t be said of the Atlantic Ocean. Catching ...

This story is published in cooperation with Willamette Week and Oregon’s Adventure Coast: Coos Bay, North Bend, Charleston. There’s no mistaking it: That sharp tug on the line, the bend in the rod.

Surf fishing can be daunting. Standing on the beach looking at the crashing waves and vastness of the ocean makes you feel small. It’s not like a pond or river that you can more easily break down.