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Surfperch are popular fish for anglers as they are exciting to fish, easily located, plentiful, and taste good. Do you want to learn how to catch surfperch? Surfperch is found along the Pacific coast and can be caught all year and which makes it an attractive game fish for anglers. In this article, we will discuss how to catch surfperch as well as the basic gear needed.
Table of Contents
How To Catch Surfperch
When you are fishing for surfperch along the beach, look for troughs, deep holes, gullies, rocks, and pockets. You will often find surfperch in those structures looking for food that the currents will wash up in their direction.
Cast your line and let it settle on the bottom. Then reel up your slack line and keep it taught. Retrieve your bait slowly and let it rest. Continue working your bait until you find structures where surfperch are holed up hunting down prey fish.
When currents move parallel to the shore, cast up the current and let the bait drift with the current. Where the current meets a deeper patch of water is a good place to fish as most likely, that’s where surfperch will be hanging out in search of baitfish.
Surfperch Tackle
A 9 to 11-foot rod for 2 to 6-ounce weight that holds 200 to 300 yards of 15 to 30-pound monofilament line will work. For hooks, you can use #4 or #2 hooks. A pyramid sinker and swivels will also be needed for your setup. The size of the weight will depend on the surf conditions on the day.
Best Surfperch Baits
1. Mole Crabs
Sand crabs, also called mole crabs, and sand fleas are some of the best baits for surfperch.
2. Marine Worms
Marine worms are some of the popular baits for surfperch.
3. Sand Shrimp
Sand shrimp is also a good bait for surfperch.
4. Mussels
Mussels, clams, and marine worms are some of the popular baits for surfperch.
5. Clam necks
Clams and clam necks are great for catching surfperch.
6. Squid
Squid is also a great bait for surfperch.
7. Nightcrawlers
Nightcrawlers work well for surfperch as they like nightcrawlers.
Best Surfperch Lures
1. Berkley Gulp Sandworms
Berkley Gulp sandworms work well for attracting surfperch.
2. Lucky Craft
Lucky raft is one of the popular and effective lures used by anglers for surfperch.
3. Rigs
Rigs, like the high-low rig, are good rigs for surfperch.
4. Swimbaits
Swimbaits work well for surfperch.
5. Jerkbaits
Jerkbaits work well as lures for surfperch and any other fish.
Surfperch Fishing Tips
1. The best time to fish for surfperch is spring and early summer.
2. You will get the best fishing done on an incoming tide usually an hour or two before high tide.
3. When fishing for surfperch along the shoreline, look for deep holes, reefs, jetties, troughs, gullies, rocks, and pockets where surfperch could be.
4. You will need heavy tackle for surfperch fishing.
5. Surfperch baits are crabs, shrimps, mussels, worms, and clams.
6. You can often find surfperch 30 feet from the shoreline.
7. Surfperch are aggressive feeders. Once you locate them, you will catch some.
8. Surfperch is a schooling fish. When you find one, there are many in that same area.
9. Steep sandy beaches with small pebbles are good for surfperch fishing.
10. Be at the shore 2 hours before high tide.
11. You can decide to fish the outgoing tide until the biting stops.
12. Always study the water and identify structures like troughs, holes, jetties, and deep pockets.
13. Braided lines are a popular choice among surf anglers for surf fishing.
14. Be on the lookout for sand crab beds and cast your line on the edges of the sand bars.
15. Let your bait appear natural to the fish by letting it hit the bottom.
16. When your rig reaches the fish, wait for a few seconds and maintain line tension to get the bait in front of the fish.
17. If you are not getting any action in one area, move to other areas. The fish is always moving and you must move also to find them.
18. The activity of baitfish decreases between the height of the high tide and the lowest depths of the low tide. This lull in baitfish activity also impacts the feeding of the surfperch and other predators.
19. Baitfish are moved around by the shifting currents when the tide comes in or goes out. This movement of the baitfish by the tide excites and attracts surfperch and other fishes.
20. Learn how to fish with the rhythm of the tide and you will be successful with surf fishing.
21. Surfperch likes gently sloping lines off the coast and can often be found feeding in the break of the waves.
22. Scout the beach when the tide is low to identify troughs, holes, jetties, and pockets.
23. Surfperch can be caught year-round.
24. Surfperch will shoal close to the shorelines for spawning during late spring and summer. They will be engaged in feeding at this time and can easily be located.
The Bottom Line
Surfperch is a popular gamefish for anglers that can be caught all year. It is found on the Pacific coast and is fun to catch. To be successful in fishing for surfperch, you have to study the water, find structures where the fish may be hanging out to ambush baitfish, and have the right equipment.
If you also like to catch halibut, tarpon, and cobia, then read how to catch halibut, how to catch yellow perch, how to catch tarpon, and how to catch cobia. We hope you will learn a few tips to enhance your fishing skills to catch more of these fish.
