Year-End Review: Stats, Highlights, and Best Times of 2020

This year has been an interesting one to say the least. But today, rather than only recognizing the tough times this year has brought, we’re going to reflect on the good. Please feel free to share your highlights of the 2020 season in the comments section at the bottom of this page.

Twenty-twenty was a big year for Surf Fishing In So Cal. In this article, we’ll go over some of the best catches, accomplishments, and some enjoyable times that I had the pleasure of being a part of. Additionally, to begin the article, here’s an overview of my 2020 surf fishing logs.

Fishing Logs for 2020

This next section is just a disclaimer that states why all this data isn’t necessarily an accurate measurement of the broad bite tendencies. At most, it offers a very rough trendline.

Note: On days with clients, the data is for what the clients caught plus what I caught. I figured this was the best way to do it. Technically this skews the appearance of the chart but on days of guiding, my numbers are usually very low as the focus is on my clients.

For reference, the highest bar on this graph was a 4-hour session in which I fished for myself with a buddy (his stats not included). The durations of sessions vary, making data analysis very rough and realistically inaccurate.

If I fish alone or with Kyle, we’re usually pretty dialed and we get right to it. We’ll fish anywhere between 4 and 7 hours while client trips are 4 hours with varying time spent overviewing. My average session numbers are lower with clients than without which makes the data even less valuable in terms of a graphs and trend-tracking but anyway… it’s cool to look at!

A Closer Look at the Numbers

• Yellowfin Croaker: 229
• California Corbina: 183
• Leopard Sharks (above 48-inches in length): 101
• Surfperch (BSP, Walleye, Black): 93
• Spotfin Croaker: 59
• Guitarfish: 24
• Sting Ray: 22
• Bat Ray: 19
• Leopard Sharks (under 48-inches in length): 19
• Halibut: 9
• Soupfin Shark: 2
• Smelt: 2
• Bass: 1
• Corvina: 1
• Yellow Tail: 1

Total: 765

Average Number of Fish per Session per Month

• January: 3
• February: 5.6
• March: 6.6
• April: 5.8
• May: 8.5
• June: 14.5
• July: 10.4
• August: 8.5
• September: 5
• October: 3.9
• November: 2.7
• December: 4

On to the Highlights!

Analyzing data only gets you so far, so let’s get to the bright spots of 2020! And yes, I re-used the same soundtrack from last year’s video… but that video was deleted as the quality was too low to keep. Next year will be a new track, I promise!

Momma Perch

The season started off with some killer perch and halibut fishing. It was this year that I really discovered the transition from C Rig to jerk baits like Lucky Crafts. I was lucky enough to land a few legal halibut last winter/spring, but my catch of the winter season was a 15.5-inch barred surfperch.

“I get her onto the sand and it just doesn’t look right… it’s a perch, but my goodness!”. In twenty-twenty, I realized how big perch could really get and I learned a new respect for the species.

Shark Number 100

Next, we fast forward to summer. Unfortunately, quarantine created a gap in my outings that’s reflected on the graph above. We’ll never know what that stretch of the year would have provided and it really is a shame because once those beaches re-opened, the bite was on!

Beginning in late April, a leopard shark bite like no other began and didn’t slow until August. It then picked up a little more just before October and slowed again as winter grew closer, but it was awesome! This bite is what set us up for the tear we’d go on all summer. I say “we”, as this stat not only includes clients but also a couple of my good friends who came out and added 17 combined leopards on the year to a grand total of 101 leopard sharks all above 48-inches in length. There were a few 47ers that broke my heart when the tape hit the tail, but oh well. The chart above is strictly an illustration of sharks for myself and my clients.

Spotfin Season!

So I know I spoke about this season bringing about an epic leopard shark bite, but I do have to admit that I put more time into sharking than I ever have. Every season brings about something new. I specifically remember 2014 being the last year with a crazy leopard shark bite. Fast forward to 2018, an insane year for guitarfish scouring the shallows and beaching themselves. 2019, an epic year for corbina! Finally 2020, the year of the spotfin.

Okay, I know. It doesn’t look like I caught a whole lot of spotfin, but hear me out. I’ve heard Orange County typically produces more spotfin but San Diego produces bigger spotfin. This year felt like spotfin were just everywhere and always big. In 2019, I think I caught 6 spotfin altogether. This year, the number was 59, that’s an increase of 1000%! Granted, I fished a little more and clients’ numbers are included there, but it’s a pretty noticeable difference.

And yes, that big spike is an interesting chunk of data. I can’t really explain it, but here’s the report on that session.

New Species: Surf Corvina

In the surf fishing community, Southern California locals will regularly hear newbies mistake the name “corvina” for a more common catch in the surf here, “corbina”. Although similar in name, they are two very different species with different diets. I was lucky enough to land this 23.5-inch beast of a fish just prior to losing one a few casts earlier.

“We were just wrapping it up and I decided I’d throw my Lucky Craft (anchovy color) for a little first. The water was so calm and the surf was somewhat flat. The sun was shining through the water and I found a rip that was churning up some brown sand just outside the breakers.

Since the surf was so low and clean, I waded out waist deep and began casting. Only a few casts in and wham! I see a silver shape fighting with my lure in its mouth inches from the surface of the water. After about 5 seconds, it pops off… I cast out again, wham! I’m on, and it looks like the same fish! So, this time I try to be as delicate as I can be as I know it’s a species I’ve never caught before, but what is it?… Drag screamer after drag screamer, and finally, I beach her. A huge corvina and a beauty at that!”

A Land-based Record Yellow Tail

You literally never know what you might catch. That statement right there, that’s why I love surf fishing. That statement has rung true for me in the past and in 2020, yet again, it rang true. Just when you think, you might have caught your last new species, or your last personal best, the ocean is there to laugh in your smiling face.

I’ll let the story do the talking on this one. If you never read this, I encourage you to read the article here. Here’s an excerpt:

“Before I’m able to get settled… “Nick!!!!!”. Shark rod number one is in full bend!…feeling the initial run (some 30-45 seconds), drag is flying off the reel. I make sure the hook is set and hand off the rod to Jim.”

Conclusion

So while 2020 was a year of remorse for many, try to take the time and reflect on all the great times it produced. There have to be a few! To all my past clients, thanks for making 2020 a great year for me and thanks for all the friendships created. For all those that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting on the sand and in some cases multiple times, it’s been an absolute pleasure and I look forward to more fun times with you. And to those of you that I’ve been in contact with about booking sessions in the future, I’m excited to get going and hopefully the surf mellows out pretty soon!

Happy New Year to everyone and a Blessed 2021!