Fishing for Perch in the Surf

Fishing for Perch in the Surf
By Bryan Friedman

Fishing for perch in the surf has got to be one of the finest types of fishing there is! The cool thing is you get to leave your shoes and socks at home! Wade into the water and start fishing!

Fishing Pole:
Light or Ultra light action fishing rod

Fishing Line:
2-6 lb line

Fishing Reel:
2-6 lb rated spinning reel

Where To Fish:
Surfperch can be at most southern Californian beaches.

When To Fish:
The best time to fish for surfperch is in the winter time, typically starting in November.

Fishing Baits:
Soft Shell Sand Crabs found at most beaches
Brown or orange 1-1.5 grubs

Basic Fishing Techniques:

Sliding Sinker
Thread a 1/8-3/8 ounce sliding sinker onto the line and tie directly to a small sized swivel. Proceed by tying an additional one to three feet of line to the opposite end of the Swivel. Now tie a size 8 or smaller hook to the end of your line.

Catching sand crabs for your bait is quite easy. While standing on the waterline at the beach, reach down as far as you can and grab tons of sand. If the scoop was successful you will begin to feel several little bugs crawling right on your hands. Sift through the dirt and find the sand crabs. You will notice that there are two kinds of sand crabs: hard shell sand crabs and soft shell sand crabs. If you have the choice, choose the soft shell sand crabs. For whatever reason, the soft-shelled sand crabs will be picked up must better than the others. Crab the sand crab and thread it onto the small hook. Cast out as far as you can and reel in very slowly. This is a great technique to use to catch several surf perch in a single outing.

The next best method to catch surfperch is by using a small plastic grub and dragging it through the surf. Cast as far as you can using the sliding sinker rig and real in very slowly. Sooner or later you will have dragged the bait through the honey hole. When you’re bit, don’t forget to set the hook!