PHOTO BY TOM EVANS

Breaking over the top of a Lowcountry sand dune at daybreak with a fishing rod in hand was a very comforting feeling to me. Miles of vacant sand and surf lay before me.

Usual summertime scenes on local beaches include hordes of people frolicking in the surf, strolling along the edge of the water, baking in the sun like a hamburger bun under a heat lamp or snoozing under an umbrella. These are great activities for people who love the beach.

If you are an angler who loves the beach, though, it can be nerve-racking. Attempting to fish among all those beachgoers is nearly impossible. You are constantly reeling in and recasting lines for fear of hooking someone.

Each passing group of walkers wants to know if you are catching anything. You politely answer their inquiries and let them look into your bucket, but the whole charade is distracting when you are trying to watch multiple rods for strikes.

Give me the early-morning hours any time for surf-fishing during the summer. If that is not possible, the late-afternoon or early-evening period is a wise second choice. Either way, both times are logical choices.

The crowds either have not shown up yet or they have left for the day and are dining on fried shrimp in a local restaurant. You can have the beach almost to yourself during either time.

Like us humans, fish can get sluggish, too, during the heat of the day. So it's best just to avoid the beach then, unless you want to go swimming or body surfing, and concentrate your fishing efforts during the cooler times of the day, a period when the fish are probably the most active anyway.

Surf-fishing is different from other forms of saltwater fishing. Think of it as a minimalist activity.

Gulf Stream fishing for tuna and dolphin involves plenty of tackle, a very large boat and a checkbook equally as fat. You can get by trolling the nearshore reefs and other live bottom areas with a more modest setup, but it still entails quite a financial commitment. You can scale down even further when fishing the salt marsh for redfish, spotted seatrout and flounder, but there are still plenty of gadgets to make the fishing more than simple.

The best thing about surf-fishing is anyone can do it. With very little effort and expense, an angler can get geared up and catch a fish from the beach. And no matter where you live, all you have to do is head to the beach to find a fishing hole.

"August is great month for surf-fishing," said Dee Oliver of Haddrell's Point West Ashley Tackle Shop (843/573-3474). "Inshore in the marsh things can get slow this month because of the hot weather, but the surf is good. The spottails have started to move into the surf; whiting are always there and this month is the best time for pompano."