Barred Perch in the Southern California Surf

A Southern California barred surf perch

Geographically they range along a considerable stretch of the Pacific coastline from Bodega Bay (approximately 70 miles north of San Francisco) all the way south into the Baja peninsula to roughly the area around San Quintin. Productive perch fishing can be had from beaches at both the northern and southern limits of this range but here I will concentrate on an area roughly from Oxnard south to San Diego.

Most of these fish are in the ½ to 2 pound range but they hit hard and are very strong. They must be in prime shape given the conditions they confront. Unlike the tranquil environment of their freshwater cousins they live and feed in a very dynamic, turbulent water system. So, even though they are not going to rip line from your reel, they’ll put a good bend in the rod and resist you for every inch of line you strip back.

Catching barred perch can be a year-long proposition (one of my largest approaching the 3 pound mark was taken in mid September) but the best months typically run from December through April. January is usually the month when you can expect larger specimens in the form of females that come into the surf from deeper water in preparation for spawning. They also come to feed, primarily on sand crabs, which make up approximately 90% of their diet.

As in all forms of surf fishing the perch’s feeding habits are closely tied to tidal phases. Strong tidal currents like those associated with full and new moon phases act like a giant mixer churning up the bottom stirring up food sources like sand crabs. Perch key into this so what you want to do is try and time your outings to coincide with periods of optimum water movements. Generally, this means you should try and fish during incoming or outgoing tides. However, not all beaches fish the same. Some will yield the best action on an incoming tide while others are best fished on an outgoing. Time on the water is the best teacher.

A barred surf perch taken on a sand crab pattern

Experience is also the best source of knowledge in learning to read the beach. Just as trout fishers know that all sections of a stream are not equally productive, so it is with the beachfront. To the uninitiated all beaches may look relatively similar but as experienced surfers and veteran surf fishers know there is important variation. Like other predators surf perch are programmed to feed in habitat that will yield a maximum payoff of food with a minimum expenditure of effort. This means they will congregate in places where the food source is abundant and readily accessible. In the case of their principal food source sand crabs, you’ll want to identify areas in the surf line where the crabs are most likely to be easy prey. These areas are a function of bottom conformation. Holes and troughs in the surf are places where bait items like sand crabs are relatively abundant. Whether they frequent these places by design or are simply washed there by the current, no one can say for sure. It’s enough to know that these are areas where you want to present your flies. Because in most cases you may not be able to see it directly, you must learn to read the wave action to give you a clue as to what lies below.

An important factor to bear in mind is that waves break over shallow areas. They tend to roll over deeper areas such as cuts and troughs along the bottom. Thus, wave action as it makes its way to shore will give you a clue as to what the bottom is like. For example, if you observe a relatively flat area of water washing toward shore with waves breaking on either side of it, that’s a sign that there is a bottom depression directly beneath the flat section of water. And this deeper water is attractive to perch because bait sources are likely to be concentrated here. Sand crabs and small baitfish that are swept into these calmer pockets become easy prey for the likes of perch. They tend to school so if you start getting action stay in the spot and work it over thoroughly fanning your casts in a wide arc to get as much coverage as possible.

A 6 to 8 weight outfit will generally suit your perch fishing needs. My fly line of choice is Cortland’s Compact Sink Type 6. The 28 ft head section is ideal for throwing weighted flies in the surf. This of course will vary with your rod, but on my 6 wt I prefer the 6/7 line that has a 240 grain weight. For tippet material (typically no more than 5 feet in length) I’ve used both the Fluorocarbon XTR and the Nylon Monofilament in 8 lb test and both have served me well. You don’t need an expensive reel. Choose one that is relatively light and has a quick take apart feature (sand will inevitably find its way into the reel).

Fly patterns for surf perch can also be simple but they should incorporate three basic features. Given the surf’s turbulence they should be durable, they must not have any tendency to foul, and they should be tied in such a manner that the hook point rides up. On practically all my surf flies I incorporate some type of weight either in the form of bead chain or dumbbell eyes. Just about any fly that bears a slight resemblance to their principal diet source (sand crabs) will draw strikes. Their color varies from grey to tan, and I like to incorporate a clump of orange chenille to simulate the roe sack on female crabs. Practically any bonefish pattern with these colors tied on size 1 to 4 hooks will work.

A stripping basket keeps running line under control in the surf

One piece of gear I would not be without for this fishing is a stripping basket. I never fly fish without some type of line management device and in the surf, it will save you a great deal of frustration. If line were simply allowed to fall into the water the inevitable resulting tangled mess would probably cause you to walk off the beach.

Working a stretch of Southern California beachfront is not like fishing a beach in south Florida. The water in this part of the Pacific can be quite chilly and during winter months it’s not overkill to wear a pair of chest high waders and jacket.

Give surf perch a try and impart new meaning to the phrase, “surfs up.”