Great Surfcasting Article

If anyone is looking for materials to supplement what's on this board re surfcasting, check out

http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?t=13495

  Great article!  Never thought to use my fishing vests while SP'ing! Duh...  I do have a few of the small plano boxes, I just need to get out more and do this.
Thanks for posting the link!

Troy

If anyone is looking for materials to supplement what's on this board re surfcasting, check out http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?t=13495

Oh, yeah!! Thanks, Martin!

for what it's worth, this seems to be the so-cal take on things, which generally means calmer warmer waters.

santa cruz is a reasonable approximation to so-cal at times.

but for other waters a longer rod and more care near the water is probably wise.

Best,
John

  Great article!  Never thought to use my fishing vests while SP'ing! Duh...  I do have a few of the small plano boxes, I just need to get out more and do this.
Thanks for posting the link!

Troy

Around here, with riptides, undertow, and big surf to worry about, it might not be a bad idea to use your PFD with pockets instead of regular fishing vest.  Also, if you cinch it down over your chest waders, it'll act like a super wading belt to keep water out.

Recently decided to minimize the amount of gear I take w/me when perching. The big heavy backpack just wasn't necessary. Nor is an extra rod. This is especially true is you're walking moderate to long distances (which is a major component of successful perching).

Now I just take a ziplock full of the essentials:
-5 egg sinkers of various sizes (1/2, 3/4, 1, 1.5, 2oz). But only need 1.5 or 2oz if fishing big surf in Marina/Moss Landing.
-5 hooks of various sizes. 
-5 red/orange beads in two sizes. The sinkers, hooks, and beads go into a small hard-container that is approx 2inch by 2inch.
-bag of Kalins 1.5" curly-tail grubs. Often I'll put different random colors into one bag so I have 3 or 4 colors on hand.
-bag of Gulp 2" sandworms.
-small spool of leader material. I used to use 6lb flouro but switched to 10lb Maxima green because it does not get all tangled up, like the lighter, softer flouro.

Well, now that I typed it all out, it looks like a lot. But it isn't. Just a regular ziplock of stuff that I put in the front pocket of my waders. Or in the front pocket of my paddling jacket if its rainy/misty/foggy/big wave spray. Another thing I started doing is wearing my lightweight paddling gloves. I love it and works awesome.
I have both neoprene waders w/bootfoot and breathable waders w/stockingfoot. Been using my breathables most often because, well, they're lighter and I walk pretty far. But I don't wear my regular felt-soled wading boots; instead wearing some size 15 hi-tops (that I got for 15 bucks at Ross) and they work great.


I am so excited about the time change this wknd because I'll be able to go fishing after work again!!! Provided, of course, my lovely wife can pick up the lil guy from daycare LOL! Thanks baby!
(-;
PK

I don't wear my regular felt-soled wading boots; instead wearing some size 15 hi-tops (that I got for 15 bucks at Ross) and they work great.
PK

Great Idea!   

 I do have a fishing PFD vest, that absolutely sucks for kayaking!  It ends up around my ears when seated on my OB! Now for surf perching, it might not be bad!  It's pockest would be usefull then.  I wear, 3mm hodgmans chest waders with Hodgmans wading boots.  Usually short pants and socks under.  They seem comfortable enough.
  What do you guys do if you decide to keep some perch for tacos?  Carry a bucket? bag? Do you keep a few?


Troy

  What do you guys do if you decide to keep some perch for tacos?  Carry a bucket? bag? Do you keep a few?
Troy

A bucket is what most guys use.  I use a medium size backpack with a small plastic waste basket the fits perfectly inside like a liner, so I don't have to worry about blood or slime.  I'm sure a backpack lined with a good thick drybag would work too.  The mobility of the backpack makes it nice.  Catch a perch, throw in the pack, and just keep on fishing.

  What do you guys do if you decide to keep some perch for tacos?  Carry a bucket? bag? Do you keep a few?

I never keep perch. But I did keep one for that Sand Crab Classic perch derby 2 weeks ago. I put it in a plastic grocery bag and stuck it in my jacket pocket LOL! Every time it got fiesty and wiggled, I thought it was my phone vibrating HA!
PK

Like Alex suggested in his article I use a little soft sided cooler that I found for $7. has two front pockets for gear and a shoulder strap, I also throw a half frozen blue ice pak in the bottom to keep 'em fresh if you are going to be out there for a while.

OK - Rookie perch fisherman here   I'm taking this all in and have more questions - Is there a particular time of day or tide condition when best to go? Also, how do you locate the best areas along the beach to fish? Planning to go out Saturday.

Thanks - Ben

I have always heard that the best time is the hour prior to and immediately after high tide peaks. And this seems to be true for me, based on my last couple perch trips. As far as finding the right water, there seems to be a lot of strategy involved. I am still learning how to read the beach hydraulics, and find the fish. So I just walk down the beach casting until I get bit, then work that area thoroughly. I know that you want to identify rip currents and troughs and fish there (or right next to the rips) but they aren't always as easy to identify. At a beach like Marina, it seems easier because you're elevated above the water on a sanddune, and you can see a long stretch of beach, kind of like a birds-eye view (as opposed to standing on flat ground and looking out at the water).

A couple good sites w/resources are: http://surf-perch.net/Fishing/index.html Click on the Fishing Statistics tab to see some very useful info. Mark seems like a great guy and posts on Fish Flogger's site a lot.
And this guy is a legend: http://www.zenflyfishing.com/
Ken Hanley has some great info also: http://www.flyfishnorcal.org/php-nuke/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=148

Good luck Ben. We should try to go perching together soon. Now that the days will be longer, I'm hoping to fish after work again.
PK

Thanks PK. Great info here. I'm going to go out Saturday, probably starting out on Del Monte Beach in Monterey and Seaside area. Will probably end up in Marina before I call it a day.

Let me know when you want to go after work. You know our jobs are right next to each other. I'm off at 4:00 everyday and plan to fish quite a bit this year. Stop by anytime or call me.

Hey, whats this you can't kayak until the 29th Did you give it up for lint

Ben

  What do you guys do if you decide to keep some perch for tacos?  Carry a bucket? bag? Do you keep a few?
Troy

A bucket is what most guys use.  I use a medium size backpack with a small plastic waste basket the fits perfectly inside like a liner, so I don't have to worry about blood or slime.  I'm sure a backpack lined with a good thick drybag would work too.  The mobility of the backpack makes it nice.  Catch a perch, throw in the pack, and just keep on fishing.

  Another great idea!  See, thats why I like this site!  I have all these new (To me) ideas to try out now next time I go!  Which hopefully will be soon!

Thanks
Troy