Oregon
Surf Fishing
A beginner's
guide on how to catch surf perch
by:
PK. 2/4/2018
THIS
PAGE IS AN ON-GOING PROJECT AND UPDATED OFTEN - CHECK BACK OFTEN
FOR NEW INFO
I'm no expert in surf fishing the Oregon coast.
There are many things that I still don't understand, and all of
my techniques are mostly self taught and learned through experience.
My methods work really well for me, so I will share those methods
here in hope of helping you catch more surf perch.
Remember, like all things in life, your mileage
will vary. There are countless variables to catching fish, so when
you use my method and you don't catch any, there are many other
variables that are out of your control (hint: mother nature is usually
uncooperative 99% the time). Fishing is a process with many changes
and adaptation, not a destination.
Rods
I
prefer a rod that's 9 foot or more. A salmon rod will work fine.
I've also used my 6'6" bass rods, and I did pretty good. Before
you put down a lot of money on a surf rod, I would fish with the
rods you have first and see how you like it. Most fishing rods are
capable of catching surf perch, so just use what is most comfortable
to you. The Okuma Celilo 9'6" salmon rod is what I use most.
It's light and sensitive, and can toss a 2 oz weight quite far.
Reel
Lots of
options here. Here's a short video I did about different spinning
reels for surf fishing. I use a spinning reel spooled with 20# braid
fishing line.
Line
I use braid because
it's super strong, sensitive, has near-zero stretch, casts far,
lacks memory, and lasts longer (I have braid on my spool from 2
years ago that I haven't switched out yet). My favorite fishing
line color for fishing is moss green, or just green; I also have
gray on a few reels. I tend to choose colors that will blend in
with the environment so it doesn't spook fish.
Hooks
I use a #2, #4 baitholder hooks. The
bigger hooks will keep the small fish off your line. When using
sand crabs for bait, I use a size 1 or 1/0 hook.
Weights
I prefer disc sinkers
most of the time for surf fishing. They cut through the air
pretty good during a cast, and go pretty far because of its
aerodynamic feature. They tend to roll less in the sand because
they lay flat on the bottom. I've used a pyramid sinker before
but didn't like them immediately. They roll more because of
their higher profile. Because their 3, or 4, sides, it creates
that "rat-tat-tag" vibration through your pole as
they roll. This "machine gun" type of roll/vibration
resembles a perch bite, so it can be difficult to discern
it from a fish bite.
The disc sinker doesn't have any problems
with all of that, and you will definitely know that it's a
fish bite when you get one.
Bait
I use Berkely Gulp
Sandworms 9/10 times for bait when surf fishing the Oregon
coast. From my experience, it's the best bait for catching
redtail surf perch. The camo color is all I use in 2"
size.
The picture on the left shows some sandworms
being laid out on a paper towel to dry out. I let them dry
about 2-3 hours and put them in a small plastic jar. I don't
re-add the Gulp juice into it, but keep them dry. I find that
this way they last a LOT longer on the hook, and it lessen
down time tremendously. This way it lets me focus more on
fishing. Also, this method saves me a lot of money because
they are much more durable.
Note on drying them out. On windy days, it
will dry out a lot quicker. Be careful not to over dry them
during hot, windy days.
Best
time to go
Surf fishing
is good all year round on the Oregon coast. From
my years of surf fishing, I haven't found that one month is better
than the other. My 2 best months (best trips ever) was on a Friday
after Thanksgiving, and again in February. If you're fishing for
redtails in bays, then late spring to early summer is best because
they go into bays to spawn.
It's best to pick the right tide, surf condition,
and weather when going surf fishing.
The best tide for surf fishing is "usually"
an incoming high tide - about 2 hours before high slack tide to
about 2 hours after high tide. It also depends on location, sometimes
certain areas are better during a low tide. I've caught fish in
both tides high and low, so it's hard for me to say that one tide
works best. But the common belief among most surf fishers is that
high tide "usually" produce the most bites.
Another question is: sunny vs. overcast,
cloudy, rainy days. I've always prefer cloudy, rainy, or foggy days
to go surf fishing. These types of days have always produce good
bites for me. I've also had some phenomenal fishing trips when there
is an approaching weather front that brings wind and rain. The fish
seem to bite a lot more in this rare condition - they just go into
a frenzy feeding mode. You have to fish as the front is approaching,
not when it's already here for days. Again, this is hard to time
it right - it's just an event where you're lucky to be there at
the right time.
Best
type of beach
I would say ALL
of the beaches along the Oregon coast have surf perch. Some beaches
are steep and some are flat. Some are rocky while many have sandy
bottoms. I can't say that one beach type is better than another
because I've caught them in many different beach environments. When
you fish on a beach and it doesn't produce, then try to come back
later during a different time and tide. Many people caught fish
at beaches that I have little success with, and vice versa. It's
difficult to pinpoint how these fish behave, but one thing for sure
is that they are pretty mobile and move around a lot.
This is why I always recommend people move around
in order to catch more surf perch.
Where
to go
You can
go surf fishing at most beaches along the Oregon coast. I don't
think that there is one single beach that's best for surf fishing.
People give me reports from all over the coast. Redtail surf perch
are found from northern California all the way up to British Columbia.
I've found that flat beaches have a lot of redtails as they dart
in and out of the surf looking for food. I've also fished at steep
beaches and do well too. Looking for underwater beach contour is
probably more important, such as troughs and rip current that go
back out into the sea. Troughs & rip currents are where they
are usually at because many food particles are found here.
I've made a list of surf
fishing spots in Oregon here, so be sure to check it out. That
list is an on-going project so check back often to see new updates.
Surf
fishing techniques I use
Most of the time,
I am prretty mobile when surf fishing. I usually don't stay in one
spot for too long if there are no bites. I follow the "5/5"
rule, which is 5 "fan casts" or 5 minutes - whichever
comes first. If I don't get a bite within those 5 casts, or 5 minutes,
I move about 40 feet and do it again. And, I cast a lot! This is
why I prefer a fast gear ratio reel.
Tips
Always
check the swell report first before going surf fishing, this is
extremely important!. The Oregon coast is extremely dangerous
because of the presence of sneaker waves. This is a serious issue
and you should check all weather reports before each trip. I use
magicseaweed.com
for my swell report and forecasts, and of course the weather channel.
NOAA is also another website I bookmark and use daily to check
wind conditions.
Waders are highly recommend!
Hyperthermia is no fun! I prefer the neoprene waders for better
insulation.
Move around - a LOT! If one area
isn't producing, move 30-40 feet and try again. Use the "5/5"
rule, 5 casts or 5 minutes, then move!
Dry out your Gulp sandworms to
make them last longer, and thus save you money over time. They
will stay on the hook much longer, therefore it will reduce downtime
and allow you to have more time to catch redtail surf perch. When
they are dry, they become more rubbery and stick to the hook better,
and it will tear/break less when the fish bite or pull on it.