Surfperch Fishing to Heat Up in the Month Ahead
While many local anglers have packed up for the winter and put their rods in storage, the surfperch bite is just getting started. Southern California surf fishing is known for its summers and that’s fair. The fishing is undeniably best in the summertime, but that doesn’t mean winter doesn’t have some good fishing to offer as well.
Before I get into the report and prediction, I’m going to recommend you read this page on surfperch fishing. It will help you to understand the seasonality of surf fishing and more specifically, barred surfperch fishing in the wintertime.
Why Surfperch Fishing Will be Improving
Last year, beginning November 2nd of 2020, the most frequently caught fish per session for myself and for those I fished with was the barred surfperch. If I look back at my 2019 logs, November 7th was that turning point, and January 31st was when the numbers really started to jump. In 2018, November 11th marked that turn but I didn’t end up doing much fishing that winter so I don’t have much data there.
This year has been a mixed bag with spotfin croaker, yellowfin croaker, and barred surfperch fighting for that #1 spot. This is somewhat typical of fall though. It’s a season of transition for surf species. The summertime species are fading and the wintertime species are working their way in.
It’s about to be November and we’re already on our way to surf fishing in 2022. As we roll into a new year, the surfperch will be top on my list of species to target along with the California halibut.
Surf Fishing Report (late fall 2020)
- Rod: Okuma Celilo (8’6″ MA) or the Okuma SST (8’6″ MA)
- Reel: Penn Battle II or III 4000 series
- Mainline: 15-pound monofilament
- For Bait: Carolina Rig:
- Leader Line: 15-pound fluorocarbon
- Swivels: 15-19mm barrel swivels
- Hooks: size #2 or #4 owner mosquito hooks
- Weights: 1-oz egg weight
- Beads: 8mm fishing beads
- For Lures: Lucky Craft FM 110 and Shimano WM 115 SP
- Other best surf fishing rods and best surf fishing reels
I began the session throwing a Lucky Craft FM 110. I used a combination of the Zebra Sardine and Pearl White. Each was hit once, but only one stuck. We began our session at 6:20 am and the first fish hit on my LC FM 110 zebra sardine at 6:52 am. When I say it “hit”, I really mean, it absolutely slammed my lure! Immediately, drag was flying off my spool. After a couple spurts, I worked it in closer and saw a tall shape flip onto its side as the water became too shallow for its size.
After I brought her up onto the sand, I made sure to get a photo and a measurement. A 15-inch slab of a surfperch and only half an inch shy of my personal record.
Switching Up Baits
After that fish, the bite was still slow. I worked both colors of Lucky Crafts (mentioned earlier) and it wasn’t until Kyle decided to try out mussel meat that the bite turned on a little bit. Usually, mussel meat will catch more fish than the hard plastic lures, but they don’t tend to be as big. While technically, that statement remained true per species for the day, mussel meat ended up being far more productive and produced a couple 13-inch and 14-inch perch along with some other critters.
We worked mussel meat for a couple more hours and tried some Fishbites EZ-Flea within that span too. Mussel meat worked best that day and it even produced a surprise 19-inch corbina for Kyle. We ended the day with a cumulative 10 fish and a hopeful mentality for the bite to continue to pick up.
Mussel Meat Now, Lures Later
If you read my article on surfperch mentioned earlier, you’d know that some of the biggest perch you’re going to catch in the winter are pregnant females. That brings about two points: 1) I recommend releasing all perch you catch during the winter months through early spring. 2) Their diets should begin to change.
In comparison from three weeks ago to now, the bellies on these fish seem slightly bigger which supports our knowledge-to-date of their spawning time. I’m guessing that as these fish come closer to giving birth, their diets will begin to change and they’ll become more aggressive. They’ll target bigger meals such as baitfish. This should make lures that mimic anchovies, sardines, or similar fish the bait of choice. Livebait would obviously work well too, but that’s tough to manage for surf fishermen.
That’s my report for the week and I wish you all a Merry Christmas! Blessings to all and if you need to get some last-minute Christmas shopping done, check out my shop page or check out some new fishing rods and reels.
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Good read! Nice work
Hey Nick..looking forward to some surf Perch action, thanks for the tips. 2 questions; 1), how do you work your LC flash minnows, what techniques do you use? 2) You mentioned “mussel meat” are you using fresh or frozen?
Thank Dude!! You Rock …
Ernie & the gang from the South Bay Community Church!
Good to hear from you Earnie!
1) I like to work them as slow as I can while still feeling the wobble that means they’re swimming properly. I do a steady retrieve usually.
2) I’m using frozen cooked mussel meat from Asian fish markets. Someone mentioned a while beach that they’d like to see how I use them so maybe I’ll do a YouTube video outlining how exactly I use them but I just cut them in half and go for it.
Thanks nick, that’s a nice perch, I’ll be fishing one more time at Coronado next week I found a spot that looks pretty good for next week, I will be using my LC lures and my usual bait, maybe I’ll catch me one of those nice perch…. have a nice Christmas and be safe.
Merry Christmas Richard!
Ah nice, I’ll have to add that to my grocery list. What about cut bait for Sharking, any suggestions from the fish market. I’ve been talking with the guys about purchasing bait from the fish market due to the freshness.
That is actually a very good idea. I usually use caught perch or croaker
Nick, how are you getting the frozen cooked mussel meat to stay on the hook? I’ve tried frozen cooked mussel meat but have a hard time keeping it on the hook when casting. Any technique to offer.
I found the same exact thing! Haha anyways, the truth is, it’s very difficult to keep them on. I cut it in half and try to hook it in the densest part I can find and I’ve gotten very smooth with my casts. Those are the two things that’ll keep it on. If you hook it right and get your casts down, you’ll eventually have no problem casting out… of course every once in a while I lose one on a cast too.
Do you use any scents when you fish?
I do not. Only the scents that are naturally on whatever bait I’m using.
My son and I usually fish Huntington State Beach and Bolsa Chica State Beach both Saturdays and Sundays (we bought the annual parking pass), and during the past couple months we’ve caught good numbers of halibut, including a 26″ on Nov 15 and a 23″ on Dec 13 (released the first but were salivating too much to release the second), tons of yellowfin croaker in the 10″ to 12″ range (with one just shy of 14″), some spotfin croaker including a 15″ and a 17 1/2″, but precious few perch and nothing over about 10″ max. There was one small leopard shark and tons of rays in the mix as well.
We’re new to surf fishing so does anyone have any input on perch action along the OC beaches?
Wish I could help you there. Most of my experience is in San Diego County. Try fishing near rocks and lots of structure. Use mussel meat and try out the lucky crafts come January
He as t are some good beaches around Los Angeles to hit for perch.
I’m sorry, could you clarify what you were asking or saying?
Thanks for the reports! Keep up the good work. Its a great read for all of us during this covid time. Much appreciated!!
No problem and you can count on them being published every Sunday! Thanks for your support.