Surf fishing in Capitola/Santa Cruz area

I'm headed to Capitola this weekend, am going to try and surf fish one morning.  Can anyone give me some direction on which beach to try?  Also, any tips for how to fish it would be welcome.

From what I've read and seen, I'll be throwing either a sliding sinker behind a leader with a Gulp sand worm on it.  May also look at a dropshot tie up, too.

if anyone wants to connect, face to face works for me too.

Capitola itself is somewhat limited.  New Brighton Beach just down the road can be productive. Everywhere has been weeky this week.  PM me on thursday and I can give a more dtailed reort of current conditions.

I hit RIO tonight and there were weeds not too bad, but no fish really.  Caught 8 kingfish and two bullheads.  Other beaches in town have been unproductive all week, except 20th ave where I caught a few fatties BSP arly in the week, between the kelp and seagrass.  laerr in the week no BSPs on the bite.  ?  not sure whats going on but those fish have to be somewhere we wil find them!

Bushy

Bushy

Thanks Bushy. Ill hit you up on Thursday.

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Thanks for the intel.  Hopefully we can hookup next time, I'm in town a lot.

First ever surf fish and catch, not a bad way to start a career.

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Nice!

That Barred perch is a nice one.  Did you end up using a Carolina rig or a drop shot? 


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Sliding sinker with a 2ft leader to a #4 baitholder hook with Gulp sandworm (cut in half). Is that a Carolina rig? I'm still such a newb.

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Different location, but last week I was having great success w/ 6" camo Gulp sandworms on a size 1 bait holder. Carolina rig w about a 18" leader. 0.5oz egg sinker w a pink bead. It seemed to me that the key was to find the channels in the sand where the schools were, places where the outgoing surf channeled and flowed rapidly, like steep drop offs and places where side-going waves collided. Once you find the school, and they're hungry, you won't mistake the machine-gun like bite!! It's exhilarating.


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anyone ever throw plugs for surf perch.  I have a 3" gotcha that might look like a small anchovie.  Tossed it for about 30 minutes the other day.. caught a sand flea haha.  wasn't really at the beach to fish but I had the rod and the girlfriend wanted to walk to I decided to take the rod and make some casts as we were walking.  Figured the gotcha might work for stripper as well.

I used to throw a small rootbeer grub hooked to Carolina rig back in the day and was somewhat successful. IMO nothing beats sand crabs or pile worms when it comes to perch. And be prepared when using those because the hungry striper will hit those too!!!
Good luck!!!