Monterey Bay Surf Perching

Hi NCKA Brain Trust -

With kayak based rockfish season closed and a sprained ankle (finally recovering) that has kept me from from my usual winter surfing, I've spent more time than usual fishing for surf perch.  It has been something I've dabbled in in the past, but am looking to continue to improve my skills.

I feel like I have gear and rigging relatively dialed, fish finder rig is my go to though sometimes a Carolina rig or traditional 2 hook surf leader can be fun.  Have not had a ton of luck with lures, though I have played at throwing Kastmasters and Luckycrafts.

My main issue is how hit or miss it seems to be for me.  Sometimes I'll pick a likely looking rip or hole and do well, sometimes I won't get a single bite.  I think this is just part of the nature of the beast, but I'd like to improve my hit rate.  So for any perch gurus out there, here are my questions:

1) What do you look for in a place to cast?  I'm always looking for rips, deep spots inside bars, churned water.  I've got a good eye for seeing bottom contour from the surface from a lifetime of surfing, but it is a different search pattern of course.  I'm also always looking for sand crab beds on shore and scoters in the surf, as these mean food are present.  But in winter sand crab beds are harder to find (do they move to deeper water or something?).  Also, in winter, when the waves carve out a lot of rips and holes, how do you pick?  Conversely, in summer, when the beach flattens out and structure disappears, how do you pick a spot?

2) What to you look for in deciding where to go?  I tend to fish Aptos beaches a lot as I live here, but I know talking to other fishermen that sometimes beaches farther south are hot when Aptos is not, and vice versa.  Is there any rhyme or reason to this?

3) Any other advice you would offer to take someone from intermediate to expert in chasing surf perch? 

I'll attach a couple pics from last week for inspiration.  (Highlife is from my dad's fridge, don't judge   )

Thanks for all the knowledge, I've learned a lot in the time I've been reading this board.  Truly a wealth of experience.

Looking forward to boat based rockfish opening up again next month!

can't help you with your questions but pair that high life with a tasty kake then your in business 

(I am fine with this being a beer pairing advice thread too!) 

1) What do you look for in a place to cast?  I'm always looking for rips, deep spots inside bars, churned water.  I've got a good eye for seeing bottom contour from the surface from a lifetime of surfing, but it is a different search pattern of course.  I'm also always looking for sand crab beds on shore and scoters in the surf, as these mean food are present.  But in winter sand crab beds are harder to find (do they move to deeper water or something?).  Also, in winter, when the waves carve out a lot of rips and holes, how do you pick?  Conversely, in summer, when the beach flattens out and structure disappears, how do you pick a spot?

I only look for sand crabs in the wash if I plan to match the hatch.  If I'm using gulp worms or grubs, I don't want to see tons of sand crabs because then I'm not matching the hatch.  If I do see a ton of sand crabs, then I make sure to harvest some to use for bait.  I don't look for "a spot," either.  I work as much beach as I can.  I find with perch that once you find them, you can keep fishing that same spot for more and more.  You have the water reading down pat.  From there, I hit each spot and fan cast left to right and back again.  No bites?  Move on.  Some hits?  Home in on the strike zone and vary retrieve speed and bait to convince the bigger ones to bite.

2) What to you look for in deciding where to go?  I tend to fish Aptos beaches a lot as I live here, but I know talking to other fishermen that sometimes beaches farther south are hot when Aptos is not, and vice versa.  Is there any rhyme or reason to this?

I like steep, sandy beaches with good structure.  Think shore break.  I think the waves in a shore break are more likely to churn up worms and sand crabs for the perch to feed on.

3) Any other advice you would offer to take someone from intermediate to expert in chasing surf perch? 

When fishing a carolina rig, the most beneficial thing I learned early on was that there is no such thing as a "too slow" retrieve.  The slower the retrieve (and I mean painfully slow 2-3 rpm on the reel handle), the better the success I saw.  Secondarily, if I was a perch and I saw a High Life on shore, I wouldn't bite either.

Thanks!  Great point about matching the hatch and where to use gulp vs. crabs.

I agree about the highlife, but since that was my most productive session in the last month, I think the perch have taste closer to my dad's than yours or mine!   

805 is a Paso Robles beer.  I know Aptos is south of the bay but whoa.

and my beer type preference is definitely a stout.  I grew up on Guiness.   In my neck of the woods, Moonraker in Auburn has one of my favorites (Foamwalker).   New Glory In Sacramento makes a blonde stout that is very different and far removed from a traditional stout but is really good.

 and if you can get any of them on Nitro then you should because that is the way God meant it to be.

FYI
Some Lifeguards and Rangers would not like seeing you with a "glass" bottle of an "alcoholic" beverage

I, however like most, love reports of local perch

My tip: keep changing grub colors until you find something they prefer that day

805 is a Paso Robles beer.  I know Aptos is south of the bay but whoa.

thats why I said "At Least" an 805..not sure of the brew options in SC and Mont. County.. I should I have enough family down there..well the other side . the Italians LOL

my apologies all for the thread jack and my last comments are that Aptos is closer to SF then it is to Paso Robles.  805 is good but... high life is just as good when mixed with salt and sand

I may or may not have been hiding glass bottles of alcoholic beverages on the beach when I see a truck in the distance since I was a teenager... 

But if anyone asks, that is a plastic bottle with apple cider in the pic...

Next time I'll make sure to put a Santa Cruz Mountains Brewery or Discretion or something label on said plastic bottle though.  I'm just lucky the only thing in dad's fridge that day wasn't boxed rose.  He is a wonderful man but he drinks like a teenage girl...

This year has been pretty dismal for perch for me than previous years.

Finding the small schools is requiring a lot of leg work that i have not put in. Sooooo spoiled from the previous years. 2019 and prior when limits of perch were very common. Most outings for me are 2 to 3 fish lately with a few skunks sprinkled in the mix.

The bait fisherman have done better than us carolina riggers. I still refuse to buy blood worms at like 15 bucks a dozen even though they are producing some nice fish.   

From your report you are doing all the right things. Once you do find an area that is producing it should continue for sometime. Like most fish. The perch bite will turn on and off at different times of the day and tide.

I have fished known good spots for hours until they all of a sudden start hitting. Go figure.

Happy perch fishing

Alex

I've been dabbling with surf perchies too.  I've tried Stinson, Seacliff, and Manresa.  Seem to get the best action with sand crabs I catch - though I'm also having a hard time discerning the bite from the surf action, especially with a 4oz weight

Thanks Alex, good to hear I'm not the only one who has had a pretty hit or miss winter.  Hope it picks up and isn't indicative of a problem with the fishery...  Maybe I'll see you out there soon.

bbt, I can offer a little advice there.  The feel of a bite vs. the surf can be tricky, especially with heavier weight.  But I feel once you get it it is pretty distinct.  The surf tends to pull your rod tip slowly forward, then you get a snap back when the weight releases from the bottom once it has been pulled too far.  Bites, are the opposite, they snap forward rather than back.  They usually feel like a "tap tap tap" rather than a "puuuuuuuuuullllllll... snap!"

I've been dabbling with surf perchies too.  I've tried Stinson, Seacliff, and Manresa.  Seem to get the best action with sand crabs I catch - though I'm also having a hard time discerning the bite from the surf action, especially with a 4oz weight

I go the the lighter set ups .. salmon/steelhead  rod  (check the search for going that route) + you can handle a Striper or a Flattie if your lucky..there are times when I do use a "meat stick" but for me it's all about the fight

I use a salmon/steelhead rod myself. 9 and a half footer.  A 200 series spinning real with 20lb braid with a 0ne ounce egg sinker above a 3 foot 10lb mono leader. Usually flirting around with a #6 trout hook on my grubs .   If there are stripers being caught in the area. I upgrade leader line and hook. 

  Hope it picks up and isn't indicative of a problem with the fishery...  Maybe I'll see you out there soon.

This has crossed my mind as well. See ya on the  surf/ water. 

Calicos are pretty rare here. I always release them. With the scarcity of BSP i have been releasing those as well unless i have someone in mind to gift to. 

Here's a fat calico released to live another day.

+1 on this being a a tough perch season. I've been walking the beaches of aptos consistently this winter/spring and not getting a quarter of the hookups of the last two years.

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