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Topic: Surf fishing for Barred Perch  (Read 18508 times)

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surfingmarmot

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Dustin,
Artificials or bait? Those are some really nice fish.


Rock Hopper

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When fishing from a jetty (Bodega or Noyo) or from rocks I use cooked shrimp I get from an Asian market in Santa Rosa. Not the kind you'd get in a pack at Safeway, but whole, stinky cooked shrimp with the shell and everything. From my experience only, I've found that rubberlips, striped, black, rainbow, and pile perch prefer bait.  Grass shrimp and ghost shrimp both work great but at $3.99 a pound it's hard to beat the cooked shrimp. Sand crabs also work great for perch but I've never really tried them.

I've also caught calicos, barred, walleye and redtail perch on bait, but since they just as readily hit grubs I prefer to use grubs for them. I've thrown grubs in areas where I'm slammin' striped perch, but have never gotten a striped perch to hit a grub.

I prefer longer rods - 8' - 9'. Obviously light action. I like using casting and spinning gear equally, but right now I'm mostly using casting with Carolina rigs on 6-10lb test, 1/2oz to 1oz egg sinker, and a 2' - 4' leader w/size 6 Gamakatsu Octopus (I think) hooks. I usually use whatever my main line is for a leader - nothing special.

In Loving Memory of Mooch, Eelmaster, Shicken, and Cabeza De Martillo

I started kayak fishing to get away from most of you...


Rock Hopper

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Oh yeah - grubs. My "go to" grubs are 1.5" Kalin's Amber Hologram and Perch Power grubs. Other grubs I've had success with are 1.5" - 2" Motor Oil Red Flake, M.O.Gold Flake, and Brown Crawdad. Others like to use pumpkinseed grubs, but I haven't had much success with them. Some people use the big 'ole 3" grubs, but I don't have much confidence when I fish those and usually don't give 'em enough of a chance.

I also like to add a little scent. I'm currently using Sardine Smelly Jelly 'cause that's just what I happened to have already. Other scents I've heard work very well are perch cocktail and calico cocktail.

Keep in mind that I just started grubbing recently. I'm still learning what kind of habitat to target and what "good" water looks like. I'm pretty good at finding holes, but seem to have just as much luck "blind casting".

Glenn Yoshimoto has one of the best perch fishing sites I've seen. It's catered to surf flyfishing, but has a ton of valuable info for regular fishing methods, too. And I think he's located around SC or Monterey, where some people were just inquiring about in this thread.

Here's the link - http://www.zenflyfishing.com/


BTW - here's the trail to the wide open perch spot.

In Loving Memory of Mooch, Eelmaster, Shicken, and Cabeza De Martillo

I started kayak fishing to get away from most of you...


Bushy

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I did my first winter surfcasting venture last Saturday, just for an hour or so before I went to work that day.

Fished the Boardwalk Beach in Santa Cruz near the rivermouth, figuring there might be some structure/dip there.  the beach was pretty flat.

Used MORF grup with the carolina rig.  Caught one Barred perch and some jack smelt.

Tis the season.  I have a blast with this fishing, it's so easy.  I can kep the rig and gear in the car and just cast for 15 minutes or for three hours, depending.

laat year we had the big perch derby in January "The First Annual "Sand Crab Classic"  155 anglers participated on a blustery rainy day- gusts up to 50 and waves up to 10'!!!

The winning limit included  a barred perch measuring 15 3/4 inches.

We'll have the 2d annual classic this year, but the date is not set yet.  Hope many from this board can join us.  Proceeds go to the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project.

I'm starting to practice right now.

Allen

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*<><Aliens

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Hi Allen,

Would love to take part on the Perch derby. What month is it usually held on? Let me know I'll be there.




Alex
 ....*<><Aliens, Illing to go fishing. Leaving tonight for the Chetco in Oregon The Big Chinook is awaiting for his flossing... Be back on the 26Th.


mooch

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Allen & Alex - what is your preferred rig for perch fishing?

What type of rod & reel
How heavy is your line - mono or braided line?
Bait or grubs?

spill the beans boys....this is what this forum is all about  :smt045

Dustin,Chuck and Steve - thanks for sharing your tips and pics  :smt023


BigRed

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I, too, started last year with SCAllen into the great perch beyond.  I'm SO STOKED to hear it's heating up already.

Mooch:  I use a light rig normally reserved for freshwater, strung with 4- or 6-lb mono.  Grubs (all hail the mighty MORF!), bait, etc.  I've used a bunch of colors of grub but given decent clear conditions MORF seems to do the trick.  Grubs are awesome because I don't have to plan ahead.  Do try to buy some early, though, since a lot of stores in SCruz and elsewhere sold out last winter.  I use them Carolina rigged and I should get out the camera and get you some pictures of the stuff I haul out.  Nice long leaders of fluorocarbon to tiny hooks.

I've caught a bunch of fish, mostly barred.  But rainbow, black, etc.   It's a fun fishery, as Allen said, because I can pull up to a beach and pretty much instantly be out catching fish.  I was just out scoping the beach at the base of 20th in Live Oak yesterday...  Sadly tonight finds me in Chicago in an airport hotel DREAMING of the beach.  Perhaps I'll have an hour or so on Sunday to be stupid and get a BSP on the hook!

I do suggest reading the zen site about surf perch (earlier on this thread), particularly about the catch-and-release aspects and the issues that occur if we take too many spawning females.
Joel M
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Bill

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Speaking of spawning females I was fishing New Brighton this year the day before the first SC derby and landed a perch that was spawning right in my hand, pretty cool.


Bushy

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Mooch et all:

I have used my old trusty trout rod, old brown 7' Fenwick, but prefer my new stick.  I know I'm a bit overgunned but I bought a GLoomis spinning rod 8'6" last year for steelhead and it casts so nice.  I have it strung with 10# test and use 4-6# flouro for the leaders.  I plan on getting a smaller shimano spinning reel for it this season and loading it with 6 or 8 pound test.

I use a funny little long-shanked wire hook for the grubs, and, like Joel, prefer the Motor Oil Red Flake (MORF) because it seems to produce the best for me. I use anchovy or sardine oil on them, give a squirt every 3-4 casts.  I had some luck with root beer grubs last year, and the pink bubble gum grubs as well.  But, on any given day, the MORF smokes 'em.  Joel is also too correct regarding the supply and demand.  At one point last winter, Santa Cruz was completely OUT of MORFs.  Grizzled veterans were reported to be weeping in front of various tackle shops.

When I looked in my cabinet last week, I found a secret stash of about 60 MORFs I had hidden there last year. (I also found some velvet ropes and a fuzzy blindfold, but that's another story, for a different board)

The big fish at last year's derby was caught with ghost shrmp.  Other big fish that came in that day were caught on bait as well, so bait might be the ticket for size.  The biggest barred surf perch I've caught so far, being a beginner, was 12 3/4 inches.  It was pretty strong!  

I'll get some pix of last year's Derby up on the radio show website and link over to them as soon as possible.  This year's Derby will be probably the 3d or 4th week of January, or the 1st week of February.  We have to arrange it around the big fishing shows to avoid conflict.  We're shooting for the Santa Cruz Yacht Club for the BBQ/party so it should be a gas.  It was unbelievable last year how many hard-core anglers turned out to chase the feisty little gamefish, especially with the lousy weather.  These guys are serious!  We had tons of prizes including rods and reels, grab bag baits, trips on charter boats, and guided kayak fihing trips.

I may get back out on Saturday or Sunday for an hour or two, and see what's happening, though if I have the time, I'll probably yak it.  

Allen

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KZ

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I just built a really nice little perchin rod... gave it the first use at Mendo and it casts light lures great.  Like Allen I'm probably a bit overgunned, but being a rodbuilder I tend to do that.

While you won't find the exact blank in stores, you can probably come close in brands like Loomis, Lamiglas, or St. Croix.... here are the specs...

8'3", 2 piece steelhead spinning rod rated for 6-10# line and 1/4 - 1/2 oz lures, fast action in an intermediate modulus graphite (43 million modulus).

Stiff enough to cast well but enough action in the tip section to play a fish properly with light line.  I have it spooled with 6# test Maxima.  Of course I also used those nice little nickel/titanium shape-memory alloy guides which are expensive little buggers but are extremely durable, corrosion proof, and insanely light.  

Looking forward to actually breaking it in on the perch very soon.

Erik
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InSeine

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I fish the Spud Point Marina Pier in the fall and winter for perch, mostly pile and striped perch.  The trick is to turn over the rocks near the pier and collect the really small Hemigrapsus oregonensis crabs.  Pull the pincers off and hook it through the abdomen with a 1/0 livebait hook.  Next find a piling that is loaded with perch and swing that puppy out away from the piling and bounce it of the wall and let it fall right in front of the fish.  I learned this technique from an old crusty fisherman and it has been very fruitful.   :smt003.  I second rockhoppers observations that Portuguese can be productive for perch.  I live in between Portuguese and Gleason beach and perch can be had year round.

Jim
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I tend to like the longer rods like 8'6" or longer, mainly because it gives me some "reach" over the waves.  I find with a shorter rod, the wave action on the line can mess up my "feel".  I use a steelhead type spinning rod rated for 8-12 pounds because that's what I have.   With this rod, a 1 ounce weight feels just about right.  However, I wouldn't hesitate to go slightly lighter if I had it.

-Allen


gatohoser

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Here's my only catch from early August. I use an 8' daiwa eliminator surf rod with an undersized penn spinner. Didn't even know I had it on...that pole is a little bit overkill :) At least I can throw on 20 lb test and cast a 5 oz weight out there I guess.



gatohoser

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Is that a BSP i posted?


Rock Hopper

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Yup - and a nice one!

In Loving Memory of Mooch, Eelmaster, Shicken, and Cabeza De Martillo

I started kayak fishing to get away from most of you...