6 Best Baits and Lures for Surfperch Fishing

Have you been trying to figure out how to catch bigger surfperch? There’s two keys to finding big surfperch. The first is location, and second is your choice of bait. In this article, we’ll be focusing on using the best baits and lures for surfperch fishing.

If you’d like to learn more about what type of beaches and structure to look for in surfperch fishing, and what time of year to target them etc., read the linked article.

In this article, I will be overviewing the best baits and lures for surfperch fishing, and I will be explaining when, where and how to use each lure or bait for surfperch fishing.

What is Each Surfperch Bait or Lure Best For?

Surfperch feed on different things as they get older and bigger. To get straight to the point, jerkbaits will catch you the biggest surfperch.

The table below shows a very “tip of the iceberg” explanation of why or when you’d use each of these best lures and baits for surfperch fishing. Read each bait’s section for a deeper explanation.

Bait or Lure Type	When To Use Each Bait/Lure
Shimano WM 115	For big surfperch near structure
Lucky Craft 110	For big surfperch near structure
Mussel Meat	For lots of surfperch / Anywhere
Sand Crabs	For lots of surfperch / Anywhere
Curly Tails or Paddle Tails	For lots of surfperch / Anywhere
Gulp Sand Worms	For lots of surfperch / Anywhere

Now, let’s break down each of the best baits for surfperch fishing!

1. Shimano WM 115

Size of Surfperch	11-18 inches
Quantity of Surfperch to Expect on a Solid Day (4 hr Session)	6-10
Expected Bycatch	Halibut
Where To Fish It	Over Sandy Channels Between Rocks
Rig To Use	No Rig
Retrieve	Various Just Not Too Fast

The Shimano WM 115 with flash boost is my favorite lure for surfperch fishing. Generally speaking, jerkbaits will catch the biggest surfperch, so this is a good one to use if you’re looking for size.

You can still catch good quantity with jerkbaits, but if it were all about catching good numbers and getting a lot of action, bait is a better option than jerkbaits.

If you want a full detailed review on the Shimano WM 115, check out this article I wrote a couple years ago, reviewing the Shimano WM 115 with Flash Boost.

2. Lucky Craft FM 110

Size of Surfperch	11-18 inches
Quantity of Surfperch to Expect on a Solid Day (4 hr Session)	6-8
Expected Bycatch	Halibut
Where To Fish It	Over Sandy Channels Between Rocks
Rig To Use	No Rig
Retrieve	Various Just Not Too Fast

The LC 110 is a classic. It’s tried, true, and trusted for good reason. If it weren’t for the Shimano WM’s superior design (flash boost), action, and overall results, it would still be number one.

With either one of these jerkbaits, you’re likely to catch bigger surfperch than using any other bait or lure.

Again, jerkbaits have best results near rocky structure with sand mixed in, but sandy structure on its own can still produce.

3. Mussel Meat

Size of Surfperch	8-18 inches
Quantity of Surfperch to Expect on a Solid Day (4 hr Session)	12-20
Expected Bycatch	Corbina, Croaker
Where To Fish It	Sandy Holes/Troughs or Around Rocks
Rig To Use	Carolina Rig
Retrieve	No Retrieve

Mussel meat is easily the best “bait” for surfperch fishing. When sand crabs disappear in the fall/winter, this is my go-to bait. If you fish this bait near areas that mussels are naturally found, you’ll do very well. You’ll also find that you can still catch some absolutely massive surfperch using mussel meat for bait.

For a complete and detailed overview of surf fishing with mussel meat, read the linked article.

4. Sand Crabs

Size of Surfperch	5-14 inches
Quantity of Surfperch to Expect on a Solid Day (4 hr Session)	10-20
Expected Bycatch	Corbina, Croaker, Shark, Ray, etc.
Where To Fish It	Sandy Holes/Troughs or Around Rocks
Rig To Use	Carolina Rig
Retrieve	No Retrieve

Sand crabs make the list of the best baits for surfperch fishing because they will catch surfperch and just about anything else very well. Sand crabs are un-arguably the best bait for surf fishing in Southern California due to the the unmatched potential to catch massive corbina, spotfin, and other species, along with the potential to catch ridiculous quantities and varieties of fish.

For a high-level overview of surf fishing with sand crabs, read the linked article.

5. Curly Tails or Paddle Tails

Size of Surfperch	5-14 inches
Quantity of Surfperch to Expect on a Solid Day (4 hr Session)	10-20
Expected Bycatch	Yellowfin Croaker (maybe)
Where To Fish It	Sandy Holes/Troughs or Around Rocks
Rig To Use	Carolina Rig
Retrieve	Slow Steady

Curly Tail and Paddle Tail baits do very well here on the west coast to catch surf perch. In fact, many anglers would argue that paddle tail baits like Glenn’s Honey Badger Baits are the best bait for surfperch fishing.

There’s no denying the fact that they produce, but jerkbaits will catch bigger surfperch and mussel meat will catch more fish with better size potential.

However, some major benefits to surfperch fishing with these soft plastics are as follows.

• They’re cheap
• They’re durable
• You can show up and fish
• Great to just have as an option

Oh, and one other thing to note. You can almost guarantee that you won’t be catching anything but surfperch by using these in the surf.

6. Gulp Sand Worms

Size of Surfperch	5-14 inches
Quantity of Surfperch to Expect on a Solid Day (4 hr Session)	10-20
Expected Bycatch	Yellowfin Croaker
Where To Fish It	Sandy Holes/Troughs | Around Rocks
Rig To Use	Carolina Rig
Retrieve	Slow Steady or No Retrieve

Gulp sand worms are another great bait to have in your tackle box. I would say just about everything I said about paddle tails and curly tails can be said about Gulp sand worms.

You might have a bit more potential for variety with these guys, but still, surfperch (usually small surfperch) is what you can expect.