Perch fishing from your yak?

Hey Everybody,

I love scuba diving and always see huge perch in the kelp beds but no one ever targets them via kayak (or boat for that matter).  I figure you could just tie off and chum them into your area with mussels and alike.  I can't see why this wouldn't work, esp in the off season.  Has anyone tried something like this?  I'm planning on giving it a shot soon over in Santa Cruz or HMB.  Late 

-SF

It's not unusual to target perch from a yak or a skif, but if you're dropping your hook in the kelp you're fishing for rockfish.

Yeah, SF, I think you'd get in some hot water for "targeting rockfish" if you went in the kelp.

I had an idea to try for surf perch from the yak, and it's still hatching in my head.  You'll see the post later.   

That's pretty weak...

I wonder how one could argue to DFG about this one. 

Don't think you can and win.

Some of the bays get large schools of surfperch migrating into them in the spring.  For example, there are tons of pile perch that show up in Bodega Harbor in April.   I believe San Francisco Bay, Humboldt Bay, Tomales Bay, etc.. all get similar schools of fish.  Fishing for these fish on light tackle from your kayak can be a blast and  no right-minded DFG warden is going to bother you about targeting rockfish. 

Brian

Fishing for these fish on light tackle from your kayak can be a blast and  no right-minded DFG warden is going to bother you about targeting rockfish. 

I can only comment on perching from a yak down here in SLO. It is not done in the kelp for the simple reason that you will be hooking rockies better than 90% of the time. I can't imagine the perch and rockfish up north are much different. And I can't imagine any warden wouldn't see that as targeting.

And I can't imagine any warden wouldn't see that as targeting.

There's no kelp along the sandy beaches, so targeting surf perch would be just that.

Fishing in kelp is fishing in rocks - that is targeting rockfish.

Hey Brian G, how about giving us the lowdown on your recent experience with BIGGGG rainbow perch out of Carmel?   

I know nothing of a shallow water honey hole with giant yellowtail and rainbow perch   


-Brian G

Fishing for these fish on light tackle from your kayak can be a blast and  no right-minded DFG warden is going to bother you about targeting rockfish. 

I can only comment on perching from a yak down here in SLO. It is not done in the kelp for the simple reason that you will be hooking rockies better than 90% of the time. I can't imagine the perch and rockfish up north are much different. And I can't imagine any warden wouldn't see that as targeting.

You've taken me a little out of context here.  I was referring to fishing for pile perch in harbors (see first three sentences of my post).

Some of the bays get large schools of surfperch migrating into them in the spring.  For example, there are tons of pile perch that show up in Bodega Harbor in April.   I believe San Francisco Bay, Humboldt Bay, Tomales Bay, etc.. all get similar schools of fish.  Fishing for these fish on light tackle from your kayak can be a blast and  no right-minded DFG warden is going to bother you about targeting rockfish. 

Brian

I think this is the best way to target perch from the yak and avoid tickets (kelp fishing for rainbow perch) or getting dumped (fishing for surf perch in the yak? If anyone can do it, Abking can).

There are some old reports from Redfish, Relentless, InsaneDuane et al about perching the old Richmond pier. I believe it was this time of year.

Drifting small shrimp baits close to the rockwalls in these bays would also be productive I think.

You've taken me a little out of context here.  I was referring to fishing for pile perch in harbors (see first three sentences of my post).

Okay, got it. Down here it's typical to paddle just outside the break to many of the same spots that you would shore fish from.

Sneak up behind them.

Drifting small shrimp baits close to the rockwalls in these bays would also be productive I think.

The Rock Wall behind the apartments on TI is pretty good caught a few lings there also great fight on a perch rod. 

OK, let me see if I got this right. You guys want me to go catch a bunch of barred surfperch from my kayak, just to prove it can be done? Then for an encore, I'll catch some jumbo striped perch in areas that also hold rockfish? Been there....done that.
Let me know if you need direx to the spot.