Every summer the kids and I make at least a few trips to the beach to go surf fishing. The past few years have been more fishing than catching, but last summer was a blast.
I captured a few nice photos on a couple different days when the Corbina were biting rather well. I'll try to edit out the black hole sun from the cracked camera glass on my old phone.
There's more than one way to approach surf fishing here in Southern California. But before I jump ahead, let me explain what surf fishing is.
For the reader who doesn't fish but finds it interesting, surf fishing doesn't wander far from its name. Anglers head to the beach, walk out a ways into the waves, and cast their line out into the ocean.
It's called surf fishing because because you won't be able to cast past the surf line. That's about where the outside waves start forming.
East coast surf fishing and places on the Northwest coast have shelves that drop off suddenly. This changes the surf fishing approach.
Here in Southern California we're fishing much shallower water. We look for reefs and cast to the side of them. Another natural feature we search for are tidal holes in the sand.
These deep sandpits can be just a few feet out in the surf and they often hold fish. California Halibut like to forage close to shore and ambush small fish that swim out from these holes.
One thing I do enjoy about surf fishing besides the sun, the waves, and the sand is the cost. Gear doesn't have to break your finances for this kind of fishing.
This brings us back to the different surf fishing approaches. Some anglers use very long fishing rods. They have heavier line and tie on larger triangle weights. The weight digs into the sand and a hook or two will be rigged on the line above it.
These anglers typically use frozen squid, anchovy, mussels, or shrimp for bait. They catch nice fish farther out than my zone, but they often hook rays and/or sand sharks.
Corbina is really the target species of fish that I'm hoping to catch. They fight well using lighter gear and taste great.
Just After The Catch. Using A Cheap Spinning Rod & Reel!
I can often find a spinning rod and reel for under $30.00 that'll work just fine for catching Corbina. Light line is the name of the game using what's called a Carolina rig.
This rig has a hook, leader, swivel, and then egg weight. The egg weight has a hole in the middle and slides up and down the line. It stops when it hits the swivel.
To tie it up, I take off a three foot section of my main line to use as the leader. Then I thread the my main line through the egg weight. The first knot I tie is next and it goes on one side of a barrel swivel.
This will now hold the egg weight and keep it from falling off the line. Next I tie the leader onto the other side of the barrel swivel. Finally, at the other end of the leader goes the hook.
Now for catching Corbina. They swim up in the surf and half way onto the beach. Why do they do this? For food! They feed on sand crabs that bury in the sand along the water line.
Can you guess what we use for bait? Yep, sand crabs! Finding them to dig up isn't always easy but we grab a bunch and keep them wet.
The egg weights we use are anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4 ounces and don't cast far. But when Corbina fishing you don't need to cast far. They're out a ways in the surf too, but they'll hit your leg standing in 3 inches of water.
I'm winded out on writing about surf fishing for now except to say, I sure hope we get to go this year. Between a nasty red tide and lockdown, the situation doesn't look promising.
Means the Corbina will be bigger next year if my hopes fall through.
Oh yea, and watch out for sting rays. You won't be far out enough to worry about shark at least.
Thanks 4 reading.
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