Customer Reviews

The Art of Surfcasting with Lures

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While I used catch plenty of fluke while drifting Reynolds Channel in a rented skiff with my dad when I was growing up in the 60's, our first attempts at surfcasting were miserable. We gave up trying years ago in favor of our tried and true bait fishing techniques. Now that I've read this book I can see that we didn't do much of anything correctly! I feel confident that "The Art of Surfcasting with Lures" will give me a fighting chance for some productive surfcasting. Armed with new knowledge, I've dusted off my old equipment and picked up a couple of new lures and am ready to get started again.

This is a great book on all counts. As all the other reviews attest, the author provides lots of useful information and insight that is easily transferred to the reader. I also liked the fact that Zeno arms you with enough details of his experience on each topic so that you can think "out of the box" when you need to.

I enjoyed reading the book not only for the excellent how-to info but also for its amusing stories. I also appreciated the bits about what to do, and what not to do, in regard to sportsmanship.

If you have even the slightest interest in surfcasting with lures I'm confident you'll find this book to be a gem.

I have been surfcasting for over 30 years and this is the first book I have ever read on the subject that I found almost impossible to put down once I started reading it. The writer, through detailed, no-nonsense descriptions (as well as very amusing and interesting anecdotes of his early days on the beach as well as recent humor-filled experiences) fully explains the reasons why certain lures work better than others in all possible surf casting situations, the best way to retrieve each one in order to maximize its effectiveness, and finally lays out for all surfcasters - new to sport and veteran alike - the most effective and comprehensive treatise on the subject of surf casting with lures ever written.

I found the most helpful information within this gem of a book to be the incredible detail in which the author describes the nuances of working all the popular surf lures properly. We all pretty much know how to cast and retrieve - Zeno takes it miles ahead and explains to the reader exactly WHAT retrieve styles and alterations to same are the most effective for individual surf conditions. Better still, you are not left with the feeling that rote memorization of these details is what is required for success; rather, through the author's insightful descriptions, one actually learns what make a lure "tick" and becomes more and more comfortable with that knowledge with each passing page.

I have learned more about lures for the surf after reading this book than I have ever forgotten. So many other documents have been written on the subject of the basics - here, finally, is a read that should be mandatory for all surf casters as it. I will be using it as my primary reference source on the subject for years to come.

I have only been surcasting for about three years, but after reading this book last winter it greatly improved my success rate this season. I was reading anything thing i could find on surfcasting the first few years, and I was trying out everything i could with little success. This book saved me several more years of trial and error! Not to mention tons of cash by showing me the lures/equipment that are truly proven and how to use them. I highly recomend this to anyone that wants to fish from shore. After reading I still refference it all the time.

Great book. The saltwater surf scene has been in need of a book like this. I must say, the author has me all psyched up for the upcoming season. Great advice, for both the beginner and seasoned vets alike. Written in "regular guy" language, I really enjoyed reading it.

I really appreciated how the author breaks down and focuses in on several of the more popular styles of lure. A few in particular that I was never comfortable throwing. Confidence is so important to success in fishing. Next season, I will for sure be trying new things with more confidence

But very little attention is given for other beaches and target species. If you're from LI or target Blue Fish and Stripers with giant 2-4 oz slinging surf poles, this book is for you. However, these fish are not available in S. CA. where the majority of surf fisherman use lighter tackle to target smaller surf fish, and reserve the large poles for chucking bait to sharks and rays.

The information within this book is solid and presented in an easy to read, often humorous manner. The book is filled with important surf fishing info that is invaluable even if you are not from LI, such as the most important skill of reading structure, and personal accounts of what lures to use in what situations. It would be nice to see a revision that might include surf fishing with light tackle and simple breakdowns of surf fishing on different coasts.

Shipping came to me all the way across the country super fast and was autographed by the author. I wasn't expecting that, but goes to show the author's frequent personal touch that is found throughout this book. This book caught my attention as it is unique as the only one with a focus on lures used from the surf. If I could give 1/2 stars, I'd give this book 3 1/2. My lack of stars is due solely to the focus on LI.

If I was starting out as a surfcaster or even if I had 20 years experience, this is one of the books I would start with. There is a lot of practical information in here about how to work lures, what type of lures to use when, and the author's honest opinions on color, size, shape, and other aspects of lure presentation. There is a lot of detail and information learned from hard years of experience, all presented in an entertaining manner. If you fish Long Island, I'd say the book will be the ultimate for you. I fish New Jersey more often but I still picked up a lot of good information---this is a fine book. As a professional editor myself, I would have hired a better one than Zeno did, since there are some grammatical errors in here, but the author's enthusiasm and knowledge come through. A must-read.

A must have for fishing the beach! Zeno goes in depth through personal and entertaining experiences discussing the different strategies and fishing lures best suited for the applications needed to catch striped bass. This book is not just limited to fishing with "lures" but also gives the reader an easy understanding how wind, tide, weather and other factors effect the behavior and feeding patterns needed to find fish. Most of the information in this book was held dear and rarely shared by sharpies of the day. Both novice and experienced fisherman will find this book a great read but also a book to refer to for years to come.

Surfcasting is something I enjoy because it is so challenging. So any new information on the topic is always welcome. I've read many books on the subject and most have had helpful instruction. Zeno's book is no exception. His findings are based on true trial and error, and what has worked repeatedly is what he shares.

Probably one of the most beneficial parts of the book is how the author imparts with ease ways to understand why certain conditions produce certain effects and how to benefit from specific structure under different conditions. I found the book in this regard to be the easiest to comprehend as compared to others, where I would read a section of how and why to work an area and then put it into actual practice where I fish.

Finally, tactics to use with specific lures provides a refreshing interest to lures we may have never used before, such as a plug enhanced with an eel skin, or a lure we have used before with minimal results. No surfcasting library would be complete without this book.

One of the best surf casting books I've read in a long time. Not only is it loaded with all sorts of technical and tactical information but I found interesting if not unique how the author incorporates his personal experiences throughout the book. I found it hard to put down. A must read for any serious surfcaster.

Great read. I really enjoyed reading this book and especially liked to read some of the early experiences the author had while in the learning curve of our sport of surffishing. This type of book was long overdue, a book that tells you the when, why and how's of fishing with lures. I highly recommend this book to new and old surfcasters alike. I think you will find it to be an enjoyable read and also walk away with a few new tricks!!