Fall Surf Fishing: The Best Two Species to Target

Let’s talk fall surf fishing. You might have noticed the summertime bite has slowed dramatically.

Corbina are disappearing, croaker are being caught in smaller numbers, and the productivity of your surf fishing sessions might be dropping.

It’s true that the normal summertime species of surf fish are biting less this time of year. Well, some of them at least.

Lucky for us, if you know what you’re doing, there are a couple of species in which the bite is either already picking up or is soon to be picking up.

In this article, I’ll be explaining why you’re catching less fish in the fall and which two species you should be focusing on.

Can You Go Surf Fishing In The Fall?

Yes, absolutely you can go go surf fishing in the fall. In fact, you can have really good success surf fishing in the fall.

As a matter of fact, fall surf fishing can be more enjoyable than summer surf fishing as the beaches are much less crowded this time of year and there are still plenty of fish to be caught!

Why Do Some Fish Disappear in the Fall?

The first thing you should understand is that like any fishing, surf fishing is seasonal. A number of factors affect why some fish bite better in some seasons than others. Namely, spawning, water temps, available bait, etc.

So, in this situation, the main species that have a drop in productivity in the fall are the corbina, spotfin croaker, yellowfin croaker, and the leopard shark. There are a few more not mentioned here but those are the main species in So Cal.

The three big reasons for their drop in productivity are the three ones mentioned above – spawning season, bait availability, and water temps.

These species all spawn around the same time near summertime, and they all like to feed on sand crabs (aside from leopard sharks).

Since sand crabs begin to die off and get swept to sea in the colder months, corbina and croaker move to bays, estuaries, and other areas.

Meanwhile, leopard sharks seem to move based very heavily on their spawning and incubation periods. learn more about leopard sharks here.

What Fish Can You Catch During Fall Surf Fishing?

Technically, you can catch just about anything any time of year. Take a look at the chart below for a partial list of southern California surf fish species and click the link for a complete list.

Species	Peak Season	General Season
California Corbina	Jun-Aug	May-Oct
Yellowfin Croaker	Jun-Aug	Apr-Oct
Spotfin Croaker	Jun-Aug	May-Oct
Barred Surf Perch	Nov-Apr	Year Round
Walleye Surf Perch	Nov-Apr	Year Round
Shovelnose Guitar Fish	Jun-Aug	May-Oct
Sting Ray	Jun-Aug	Year Round
Bat Ray	Jun-Aug	Year Round
Leopard Shark	May-Aug	Apr-Oct
California Halibut	Jan-May	Year Round
Soupfin Shark	Mar-Jul	Year Round

Two Best Species of Fish To Target in the Fall

If you take a look at the table above, you’ll notice that both species of surfperch have a peak season beginning in the fall. The other more subtle one to mention is the California halibut.

Surfperch

Surfperch have a very distinguishable peak season toward the end of fall through the very beginning of spring but the major peak I would say is in February. Additionally, surfperch are actually quite common year-round.

If you’re interested in learning the best tactics, baits and rigs for surfperch fishing, head on over to my article where I explain everything you need to know.

California Halibut

On the other hand, California halibut are the most “year-round” species of surf fish local to So Cal.

While they’re challenging to catch, and less common than surfperch and croaker, corbina etc., if you know what you’re doing, you can access a “peak season” type bite any time of year.

Halibut are one of the more elusive species of fish we have here on the west coast. If you’re looking to learn how to catch halibut, check out my article on the best baits, lures, rigs, and tactics for halibut fishing.

5 Tips for Surfperch Fishing in the Fall and Winter

So it’s fall. The mornings and nights are chilly, the water temps are beginning to dip, and the fish… well, they aren’t biting like they did in the summertime. While summer is king, fall and winter surf fishing really isn’t as unproductive as everyone makes it out to be.

If you know what you’re doing and use the right baits and tactics, you can certainly still have 10, even 20+ fish days. Corbina and croaker may slow, but surfperch fishing in the fall and winter is actually better than summer!

Not only that, surfperch are commonly caught by most anglers in the 7-inch to 11-inch range, but by fishing the right types of structure and using the right baits, you can catch much larger surfperch on a regular basis… continue reading about how to catch bigger surfperch