Spear fishing for surfperch in the surf zones

Perch are everywhere ...

Just curious why we don't hear much about kayakers catching perch, hook-and-line. Is it just that nobody targets them, or are there other reasons?

Maybe has to kayakers don't hang around in the surf zone and they have bigger fish to fry (couldn't resist) like salmon/halibut/rockfish. It's pretty easy to catch perch from shore and they are pretty abundunt.

The perch I’m referring to are not in the surf zone

Perch are a AOTY / DOTY species so some anglers/divers target them.

Pretty sure Matt Wong's favorite fish is perch... I hear he likes ditch pickles too...


In all seriousness though- this is why you shouldn't do it with such little experience

There are serious safety issues with spearfishing at a beach. The visibility in the surf zone where perch hang out is very bad. If it's a sandy beach, and of course it is if you're targeting surf perch, there will be other people in the water with you. They will have no idea what you're up to, and will make no effort to avoid you. Even if you check for people around you before you start, a person can enter the water from the land at any time and you will not see them because your head is down hunting for fish. Firing a deadly weapon in low visibility conditions with people around is a recipe for disaster.

Thanks to crabfest helping me figure out the perch at Doran I actually enjoy targetting them while crabbing... They are really easy to catch and fun on really light tackle. When I used to dive for abalone I don't think I once did a shore dive and not see perch. I recommend going to a cove where there isn't waves/shorebreak and swimming around in 10 feet of water or less and shooting perch there. Ocean Cove or Albion are great options and your family can hang on the beach. The visibility is much better than any sandy beaches. There are plenty of areas that you can touch the bottom and still shoot perch and not be too far away from your family and don't have to worry about getting pounded by waves or accidentally firing your gun and hurting someone else.

There are several species of perch in NorCal. The ones that hang out in the beach break are called surf perch. The two most common species I've seen are barred and red tail. The most common ones that hang out on the reefs are striped and pile perch. They are often the most numerous type of fish on shallow reefs, and they get bigger than typical rock fish, maybe because people don't target them much. Some say the meat is mushy when cooked, but I've shot a few and made ceviche with them, which turned out great.

If you want to hang out on the beach and get perch, it would be much better to use a rod and reel. Dig up some sand crabs, put one on a hook with a pyramid sinker, throw it out in the surf, and stick your rod in a sand spike rod holder. Then enjoy the family time while you wait.