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My new eBook: Light Tackle Surf Perch

February 17, 2014 By JD 3 Comments

Light Tackle Surf Perch ebook cover
You guys know me… I love my salmon and steelhead but I have a huge soft spot in my heart for catching perch off the beach… So fun on light gear!!

I get a lot of comments on my perch posts and emails with questions from folks about surfperch fishing, so I decided to put together this how-to eBook that shows you everything you need to catch these fun little buggers! It’s now available on Amazon/Kindle and Nook (iPad and iPhone soon too!).

Click here for more info.

Or buy now using the links below…

available on Kindle available on Nook

 

Filed Under: Saltwater Tagged With: baja, barred surf perch, black perch, california, How-to, light tackle, oregon, pile perch, rainbow perch, red tail surfperch, striped surfperch, surf perch, washington

Southern Cal beach fishing options?

March 21, 2010 By JD Leave a Comment

JD, I just moved to southern California and I looking for fishing suggestions at the beaches. I got no problem with getting wet, was even thinking about a kayak. What do you think?

–Damon

Well, there’s some pretty darned good perch, corbina and croaker fishing to be had on the beach right around the Santa Monica Pier if you can believe that. It’s more of a summer thing, but you can get halibut there too. Just north of Malibu are some nice beaches and Leo Carillo is always good. If y ou get a kayak, head for Newport Harbor/Balboa Island for some sweet sand bass action on plastics. Good luck!

Filed Under: uncategorized Tagged With: southern california, surf fishing, surf perch

Light Tackle Surf Perch

June 22, 2009 By JD 199 Comments

Surf Perch red tail

Want to be a better surf perch angler and have more fun doing it? If so, forget everything you know about the sport. Leave the 40-pound test and the 4-ounce pyramid sinkers at home and put that 14-foot telephone pole and giant coffee grinder you’ve been using on Craigslist once and for all.

We’re not chasing sailfish here, people… the biggest perch you’re going to find off West Coast beaches are going to be redtails, which rarely top 3 pounds… so why all the heavy gear? If you scale back your tackle you’re going to put more fish in the bucket – and have a way better time doing it.

Gearing Up

So instead of the traditional surf rod, I like to run a light spinning rod. When surf conditions are mellow – what I call “3/4-ounce water” – I like the Lamiglas LX 96MS X-11 or the slightly lighter Lamiglas LX 96LS X-11. They both have the length to keep your line up out of the waves but are also light enough that the perch still have a fighting chance.

Speaking of gear… check out my Top Surf Perch Gear Picks.

When the seas are a little larger, you can jump up to larger sinkers and heavier rods, but  in reality,  if the surf’s up enough that you need a big rod and more than about 1.5 ounces of lead, you’re kind of defeating the purpose of going light anyway.

As far as reels go, pick something that has a waterproof drag and anti-corrosion bearings, like a size 40 Quantum Cabo spinning reel. There are plenty of other companies that make fully-sealed reels – it all depends on how much you want to spend.

For line, I’ve really been liking Fireline Crystal in 14-lb. test, which has the equivalent diameter of 6-lb. mono. The cobweb-like thickness allows me to cast further and it also cuts through the surf better so my gear stays in the strike zone. It’s also super-sensitive, so I can distinguish even light bites from surf and kelp.

One of the real beauties of perch fishing is the inherent simplicity: you can pretty much fit everything you’ll need into your pocket – a few hooks, swivels and sinkers and whatever you’re using for bait and you’re in the game.

Gulp Sandworms

Though there are many ways to skin this cat, I’m pretty partial to the Carolina-rigged GULP! Sandworms. I’ve had success on clams, mussels and motor oil grubs, but for good ol’ simplicity’s sake, you can’t beat this rig. There are times when the fish will eat real bait better than the GULP! – but not often enough to make it worth the hassle.

In most situations, I’ll break the worm into thirds (or quarters if the fish are small) and thread it onto a No. 4 baitholder or Rebarb Hook. Next, add a 24-inch section of P-Line 8- or 10-lb. flouro leader and a 1/2- to 1-ounce tungsten bullet weight and you’re good to go.

Carolina Rig
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Where to Fish

When chasing surf perch, you’re generally looking for beaches that are steep. As waves toss up onto the sand of a steeply-sloped beach, they wash food like sand crabs into the water. There’s usually a trough that forms close to shore (it will run parallel to the beach) and, guess what… that’s where all the goodies displaced by the wave action end up. Not surprisingly, that’s where the perch (and corbina and croaker if you live in Southern California) hang out. Waves also break closer to shore on steep beach like the one below, so the fishy water will be much easier to reach.

Perch Steep beach

In addition to the deep feed troughs near shore, you’re also going to want to target shore rips and “holes” – deeper spots that can be identified by the lack of breaking water.

Hole Trough

Technique

Again, the sweet thing about this whole program is it’s super simple. Take a look at which way the water’s moving (tide and current) and throw “upstream”. In other words, if the water’s moving right to left, toss your rig to the right of the water you want to fish so that the current will push it right into the zone.

When your gear’s on the bottom, start a slow-and-steady retrieve with the rod tip held high to keep the line off the waves. When the current’s really ripping, you can cast upstream and then allow your rig to bounce through the zone as if you were drift fishing for steelhead, reeling only to pick up slack.

In either case, bites usually come in one of two styles: dink..dink…da-dink – semi-subtle raps of the rod tip typically signify a small perch has come calling. Larger perch like redtails in the 1- to 3-pound class most often inhale the worm on the run and those are the no-doubt, can’t miss ’em type of grabs that we love.

For much more detail about surf perch techniques, check out my guidebook.

Tides

As with all saltwater fishing, tides do have a big influence on perch fishing. Generally, it seems the hour leading up to and after the change is best. However, the overriding factor in light tackle perch fishing is you need the surf to be down and manageable. So, I’ll base a trip more on ocean conditions than individual tides. In other words, if she’s flat, get out there!

Check out my video that shows you how to catch surf perch on light tackle:

Light Tackle Surf Perch: The How-to Guide

If you liked this article, your going to love my how-to guidebook, Light Tackle Surf Perch. Loaded with techniques and diagrams, this ebook will take your surf perch fishing to the next level!

Filed Under: Best of FishwithJD, Saltwater, Techniques Tagged With: Berkley GULP, redtail surf perch, surf perch

Spring Surf Perch Fishing

March 9, 2008 By JD 14 Comments

Surf perch

Spring’s here and that means it’s surf perch time all up and down the West Coast. From Baja to Washington State, these little bad boys will congregate along sandy beaches and you can have a ball catching them on light gear.

Here’s how to do it…
Click here to read more…

Filed Under: Saltwater Tagged With: barred surf perch, beach fishing, berkeley gulp, redtail perch, redtail surf perch, rubberlip perch, Saltwater, sandworm, spring, surf fishing, surf perch

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