Surf Fishing Guide
*** Book your guided surf fishing session by filling out the form at the bottom of this page. If you run into problems, please email me at surffishingsocalsd@gmail.com or send me a text at (619) 922-1733. ***

If you’re ready to book your guided session, scroll to the bottom and you’ll find the form. But, I encourage you to read on to learn more about me before you book. I am NOT trying to sell myself and to be honest, providing great info through my website is more important to me than making money guiding.
About Me
Hey guys, my name is Nick Heid and I started surf fishing during the summer of my sophomore year in High School when a friend of mine introduced me to the topic. We picked a day, he took me to one of his favorite spots and I never looked back. That day absolutely changed my life. I caught my first perch and watched him reel in a 4-foot Guitarfish. From that point on, I was hooked! Ever since, I’ve fished any where from 2-to-5 days a week in the summertime and at least once a week in the off-season.
I think it’s important to understand a few things about who I am as a surf fisherman and as a person before you book a session. I’m not trying to fool anyone. I was born in 1997 and I’m no fishing guru. There are plenty of So Cal surf fishermen who know more than I do about the sport. In fact, I am constantly seeking advice and wisdom from anglers I’ve met on the sand, online, and via social media. There will always be more to learn about the art and better yet, there will always be so many people to learn from. It’s really an awesome community that’s been built here in the So Cal surf and that’s part of the reason I created my blog/report/article page. I try to write about what’s happening in the surf and the new and relevant things that I learn along the way. Be sure to check that out and subscribe.
So, if you book a session with me, I’m not going to try and impress you with all the things I know about surf fishing, nor will I flood you with information that’s guaranteed to put you on loads of fish for every session to come. If you book a session with me, you’re booking a hands-on experience and a day of fishing with me. You’ll get to see exactly what I do when I fish the surf, you’ll be able to ask any questions, and I’ll try to explain aspects about surf fishing that I think are valuable or good to know. It is my belief and expectation that if you practice what I show you during our session (no matter how “productive” our session together happens to be), you WILL find yourself consistently catching fish in the fututre. With guiding and with fishing in general, nothing is guaranteed. Every great fisherman has been skunked and that’s part of what makes them great. Although, I’m no “fishing guru”, I like to think I’m decently knowledgeable with a proven track record of success. To gain a better picture of my track record, follow the blog, check me out on YouTube, and check out my Instagram.
Click here for a video of just a few of the highlights from the 2020 season!
About Your Guided Surf Fishing Session
All necessary gear, tackle and bait is included. Whether you want to target Leopard Sharks, Corbina, or other surf species, or you simply want to experience and learn what goes into surf fishing in So Cal, I’ll do my best to adjust to you. All skill levels and people with even zero experience are welcomed.
Where Will Your Session Be?
I typically run guided fishing outings from Silver Strand State Beach to Carlsbad but I am willing to travel if requested. I can and have guided as far north as Huntington Beach, CA but for best experience, plan for San Diego County.
What Time of Year Per Species
Common Species | Peak Season | General Season |
California Corbina | Jun-Aug | May-Oct |
Spotfin Croaker | Jun-Aug | May-Oct |
Yellowfin Croaker | May-Aug | May-Oct |
Barred Surfperch | Nov-Apr | Year-Round |
Walleye Surfperch | Nov-Apr | Year-Round |
Shovelnose Guitarfish | Jun-Aug | May-Oct |
Sting Ray (Round 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 |
Take a look at the chart above as it will give you an idea of which fish species you can catch during which times of the year. You can generally expect that the summertime will be overall the best time to go surf fishing. But, in booking a session with me, you’re guaranteed to learn exactly what it is I do to have the success that I have! So even if you book a session outside of those peak seasons, I can still walk you through everything so when peak season does come, you’re ready to go.
Guided Sessions
Daily rates are included below and are as follows:
(1) Person: $300
(2) Persons: $400
Description:
All sessions begin with an overview of the gear and tackle I use, how to go about gathering your bait and prepping your gear for the day. After a detailed overview, I will fish by your side and answer any questions you have while giving you feedback on what you’re doing and what you should look for when applicable. After the initial overview, it’s all about putting what you’ve learned into practice and fishing to the conditions as we try to get on some fish together!.
- Each session will last 4 hours.
- Typical time slots are within the hours of 6 am- sunset/last light.
- All gear and tackle is included.
- Bait is included and freshly caught as we will cover that process too (summertime only as sand crabs are seasonal).
- You will learn how to target fish and you WILL target fish.
- You will learn how to read the surf
- Any questions you have will be answered to the best of my abilities.
- If you have any specific questions or things you would like me to note or emphasize please feel free to let me know in the form below (in the “About you” section).
If you have any questions about our offered service, please feel free to reach out and contact us. You can do so within this form, or you can reach us through our “Contact Us” page. We want to do everything we can to make you feel as comfortable as possible. So don’t hesitate!
Book Your Guided Session
Thanks for your business and we look forward to hearing from you!
What to Bring to Your Session
- Empty Water Bottle (we’ll keep our sand crabs in these)
- Snacks/water
- Sunscreen/sunglasses (polarized helps)
- Fishing License WITH OCEAN ENHANCEMENT
- Signed liability waiver
- Hoodie if you want
- Headlamp if we are fishing before sunrise or after sunset
- Waders if fishing the colder months