2007/12/08 santa cruz retro perch

john -

Nice report. sorry about the car breakin. That surf fishing rod and reel sounds totally awesome. 

Scott

I had a few apricot sized polps removed from my left sinuses a couple of years ago, at last I could eat, sleep and talk/ sing like a normal person.

Apparently there are more than just perch out there right now. This pic is from Fish Flogger's site. These guys were caught somewhere near SC a few days ago.
PK

I had a few apricot sized polps removed from my left sinuses a couple of years ago, at last I could eat, sleep and talk/ sing like a normal person.

Pics, man...pics!

Nice perch J,

Thanks for the report. I know I haven't post anything in the past few months and the last time I've seen the ocean was Thanksgiving in Monterey. I brought my perch rod with me, but the water was just to red to even try. Good to know the red tide is on its way out. I have to get to the shore soon... I'm starting to feel the fever again

Alien

Alien,

Good to see you are reviving.

Thanks Mann,

Feels good to be able to get up and go!

Wow! This thread has been informative--perching, sinusitis, and Alien is back!

I, too, will be looking for hookups for perching and hopefully someone will mentor me. I've wanted to try my hand at it for quite a while so thanks a bunch to John for your report...and to Doug for the sinus info (I'm a sufferer, too). Most of all, welcome back, Alex!

Janice aka "Big J"

Ok, I know some use fly, some use grubs, how about live bait? sand crabs?  Whats everyons favorite way to catch those little buggers?  I know finding a colony is the first step, then what shovel a load of sand into a seive or screen of some kind?

Thanks Big J. you could go with me when i find a good tide to fish one of these weekend.

Last time I personally did a big sand crab capture it was for a class.  Shovels of sand into a plastic clothes hamper worked wonders... letting the little ones go through the gaps in the sides but keeping the big yummy lookin' ones for the students.

I guess you have to choose your hamper wisely based on the width of the holes and your desired crab size.

They make tool specifically for catching sandcrabs. It looks like a metal basket on the end of a wooden dowel (the fancy ones are telescopic). As the wave recedes, just stick that thing in the sand and it will trap them as they follow the receding water. Of course, this requires that you stand in the water. But it looks really easy. I haven't used sandcrabs in a few years but they work great for perch and stripers in Mo Bay. If I'm gonna use bait, I prefer bloodworms (or pileworms if available; but they fall off the hook faster than bloodworms). Shrimp work too. I'll see if I can find a pic of one on the net.
PK

I watched a guy last May fish with a 3oz weight on a slido, 2/0 (yeah, huge, but it worked) circle hook and rod holder. he would catch a few sand crabs with just his hands, toss them in a little bucket, then pin one on (hook goes through two times in a way that stops the crab from burrowing in out there) and cast one out. caught a nice striper once too.

He said the best sandcrabs are the small ones, with the softest possible shell (molting?).

We got on a good bite of good sized perch and the grub matched the bait pretty much fish for fish until the striper...

J

I love to walk the beach in winter months fishing for surf perch.

Sounds like the carp rod is great way to go.  I've been on the hunt for the perfect surf perch rod for a while.  My most recent is a 12 foot pan fish rod noodle rod that is way too noodlie.  I caught a couple medium sized BSP when I went out a couple weeks ago.   It is a good length but too soft to handle the 3/4 or 1 oz weight I like.

I have a 9 foot Lami salmon moocher that is great for the near-shore trough action.  But I'd like something a bit longer and slower.

My 10 foot Lami surf king is better for plugs etc - but works great when I put on 2 oz for casting worms out into rips near low tide. 

I'll look for the 12 foot carp rod next.

Gordo.

I love to walk the beach in winter months fishing for surf perch.

Sounds like the carp rod is great way to go.  I've been on the hunt for the perfect surf perch rod for a while.  My most recent is a 12 foot pan fish rod noodle rod that is way too noodlie.  I caught a couple medium sized BSP when I went out a couple weeks ago.   It is a good length but too soft to handle the 3/4 or 1 oz weight I like.

I have a 9 foot Lami salmon moocher that is great for the near-shore trough action.  But I'd like something a bit longer and slower.

My 10 foot Lami surf king is better for plugs etc - but works great when I put on 2 oz for casting worms out into rips near low tide. 

I'll look for the 12 foot carp rod next.

Gordo.

I'm thinking you really need a quiver of 3 or 4 rods depending on the surf conditions. I can see an 8 foot light mushy rod for calm days, a 8.5 faster rod for most days, the 13.5 match rod for bigger days, and something else for anchoring bait to the bottom if you fish that way.

I have no idea where to get those match rods. whenever I google 'match rod' etc I get prices in pounds sterling... maybe erik kunz would know of a source for those 3 piece 13 foot long rods capable of hucking an ounce of lead without snapping.
cause I don't think they sell them at fisherman's warehouse.

cabelas sells a european live bait rod @ 13 feet for ~$70, but it looks a little on the light side. I think you want a 8-17lb rod tha can huck an ounce. theirs seems much lighter.

John