Author: Ira Waldman

Like their freshwater counterparts, spotted bay bass are generalists, feeding on everything from baitfish and gobies to crabs, clams, worms, and snails. Whilst the classic paddle tail swimbait and other baitfish imitations are considered staples for spotted bay bass, many overlook baits that imitate crustaceans and mollusks. Skirted jigs for spotted bay bass are one type of crustacean imitating baits. Studies have shown that these prey types (think crabs, razor clams, etc) account for a large portion of the bay bass diet, often being the dominant food type. As water temperatures cool and bay bass metabolism slows, a “low and…

If you have yet to fish metal jigs or tailspins for spotted bay bass, it is truly something you NEED to do. Some of my most productive days of spottie fishing have come as a result of these two styles of baits. The reason why I group them together is due to the similar ways that you can fish them. What Are Metal Jigs & Tailspins If you fish in saltwater, chances are you have fished a metal jig. From vertical jigs and slow-pitch jigs to colt snipers and surface irons. These can be some of the most productive lures…

Along the Pacific coast, we have twenty-three species of surfperch with nineteen of those in California alone. My three favorite perch to catch at the beach are calico, barred, and walleye surfperch. With a bit of preparation, luck, and know-how you can spend the entire winter hunting these three winter surfperch in the surf. Barred surfperch are one of the most common surf fish caught along the West coast. This perch is characterized by a set of brassy vertical bars, alternating with vertical spots. All are outlined in light green stripes. Found from the tip of Baja Mexico to Canada…

With the holidays and big savings right around the corner, there is no time like now to restock gear for the new year! For the inshore fisherman, fishing in the bays and estuaries for halibut and spotted bay bass is really a year-round fishery. While everyone else is waiting until the Spring for the tuna to arrive, it’s a great time to try out some new toys in the bay! To help you make the most of a bank fishing session, we have compiled a collection of rods, reels, and baits in this inshore holiday gift guide that we believe…

For many avid Southern California anglers, Spotted Bay Bass, commonly referred to as spotties, were the gateway drug that led them into a lifelong passion for fishing. Being readily accessible, easy to fish for, and just plain fun; spotties are the perfect way to both be introduced to saltwater fishing and hone your skills. However, do not fool these fish as a simple pastime in comparison to other more labor-intensive species. Fishermen who have spent years understanding the behavior and eating habits of spotties continue to show their prowess and skills in Spotted Bay Bass tournaments held throughout the year.…

When winter comes in California it sure can be hard on the beach. Wind, rain, and swells do an about-face and begin to churn from the north. Southern swells and warm water are replaced by slicing, cutting waves of change. In a matter of days, the entire beach is reshaped with billions of tons of sand suspended in water and then flushed across the shore. Reading the winter beach can be a challenging task but can dramatically improve your fishing. New holes form as do troughs and once the storms calm down the fish begin to retrace their steps, finding safe…

Once the holidays roll around most of us have packed up our offshore rods and put away our long-range equipment for the season. But things are different in the surf where conditions are lining up perfectly for yet another great winter of shore fishing. In fact, some of the biggest fish I’ve ever caught in the surf have been during this time so here are a few tips on what to look for and how to prepare to take winter surf fishing by storm… Although most corbina by this time of year have found their way back into the warmer…

As we roll into November, the winter surf fishing season is just around the corner.  There’s no better time than now to think about what changes will need to be employed to ensure fishing success at the beach this winter.  Our most dramatic change comes in the form of food.  Just as we find seasons for food in our stores so do fish in their hometowns.  To start, remember that surf fishing baits in winter can vary so when it comes to bait, one axiom always comes to mind – Look for what occurs naturally around the area you are…

Anglers aren’t the only ones who slow down in winter, fish do too. As ocean waters cool the metabolism and activity of surf fish diminish significantly. As a result, both feeding frequency and aggressiveness toward catching food change. Lucky for us, the effect of cold winter water plays right into the hands of the grub angler. As the warm water of fall begins to cool sand crabs go into hibernation. Meanwhile, surf fish continue to scour the surf for any forage to carry them through the year. Because food becomes scarce in winter months, fish are always looking for an…

Kids rushing back to school, leaves falling from trees, and footballs crashing on playing fields all signal the beginning of fall. This has always been my favorite time to fish the beach when crowds are thin, the water is warm and fish are numerous. As with the change of seasons, bait changes from season to season too. Summer brings us loads of sand crabs and the rush of corbina to rake the sandy shores for food. When summer ends sand crabs sink out as they prepare for their winter hibernation and fish begin searching for new food to take the…

Throughout spring, the Corbina primarily spend their time in the bays, harbors, and estuaries. As the water warms, they know it’s time to leave these safe confines and make their way to the beach. As they spread out along the shore corbina search for the fine odor of fertile sand crabs and gorge themselves. Weeks, then months go by and all they eat are crabs—wonderful crabs. But like any good diet, even the best foods get a bit dull and that’s where ghost shrimp replace prime crab rib with lobster. Ghost shrimp have always been known as the “candy bait”…

Have you ever wondered what might be the best tide or moon phase to surf fish? There’s no doubt both of these occurrences have a big effect on surf fishing. Tidal movement and moon phase are two of the least understood natural phenomenon yet combined they have one of the most pronounced influences on surf fishing. Higher tides expose more food and provide more underwater structure than low tides. Full moon phases give fish more light to feed and can dramatically change the hours of day found to be the most productive. What Causes Tides It is important to understand…

The warm days of summer is a great time to get out for a surf fishing road trip but the truth is, I really enjoy hitting the road in fall with cool mornings, warm days, empty beaches and great fishing. Two of my favorite spots to camp and fish in fall have to be Leo Carrillo State Park and northern Santa Barbara’s Jalama Beach. Both offer great camping, wide open beaches and some of the best surf fishing for calico, barred, walleye and buttermouth surfperch along the Southern California coast. Leo Carrillo State Park is located just north of Zuma…

Just a few summers ago we were coming off the latest El Nino event where winter ocean waters were the warmest I can remember. Tuna fishing lasted all winter as the warm water drove fin bait north and the tuna with it. But one of the side effects of warm water was that it drove the sand crabs away too. Many surf fish including barred perch, calico perch, corbina and spotfin moved north too. With a lack of sand crabs surf fishing in southern California slowed dramatically. But as with just about every cycle in nature cooler enriched water returned…

Catch, photograph, and release is a great way to enjoy the beach and bring home memories. But what may be more important is the information an image captures and how it can help to make you a better surf angler. Each year, at least one month in advance, I review my photographs for the upcoming “fishing month.” Reviewing photographs from previous years gives me a great idea of what’s coming up that month. I can see what date fish were caught on, weather conditions, tides, moon phase, best bait, crowds and so much more…right from a picture! I can guarantee…

Over the last decade light-line surf fishing has become immensely popular. There are many reasons why this type of fishing has caught fire. Heavier surf setups have been replaced with light weight trout or steelhead gear. Matching the size of the equipment to size of fish has made surf fishing more productive and a lot more fun. The small investment needed in both equipment and time has also added to its popularity. Both light-line and heavy equipment rods and reels both have their places in surf fishing; each giving you an option to target the fish which are best suited…

I’ve always said that the most important thing in surf fishing is having a sharp hook. So, the second most important thing must be bait presentation. Presenting your bait in the most natural manner so that fish don’t know the difference between a bait with a hook in it and one without a hook is guaranteed to catch you more fish. More importantly, hooking your bait so it looks like it just climbed out of the sand will not only help you catch more fish but is sure to help you catch the biggest fish too. Here are a few…

Long warm days signal that summer is on its way and the biggest fish in the surf are spreading out along the beach. As summer approaches, surf fish will begin foraging on sand crabs and other food they find at the beach. With that in mind, here are three of my favorite summer baits for fishing the surf: . Sand crabs (Emerita analoga) tops the list as one of the favorite baits for surf fishing. Because crabs can’t be purchased in your local tackle shop, you’ll have to go to the beach yourself and do a bit of work to…

Surf fishing, as with any outdoor sport, has its dangers. Every time I go to the beach, I think about what bait, rig and spot I’m going to fish, but I also think about what dangers might be awaiting me and how to prepare for them. Walking along a gentle sand beach doesn’t seem to be the place where one might hurt themself, but you’d be amazed with how many ways you can get yourself in trouble. Just the right (or wrong!) sand berms, rouge waves, stingrays, slippery rocks and sharp hooks can all ruin your day. Being aware of…

I try to target specific fish in the surf but when it comes to fishing, I’m honestly happy catching just about anything. That’s why when summer rolls around I concentrate on three top surf fish: Yellowfin croaker, spotfin croaker and corbina. These fish only appear at the beach for a few short months and then head off to hide for the winter. So now that summer’s here it’s time to concentrate on croaker. Yellowfin Croaker (Umbrina roncador) Not unlike other croaker (corbina, seabass, etc.) yellowfin croaker are shiny gray and silver in color and have a distinctive goatee barbell they…

When it comes to summer, I like to pack the car and skedaddle out of town on a surf fishing road trip. The dilemma I’m always presented with is whether to go north or south. Summer offers great fishing in both directions with a better shot at slab perch up north while there’s always an eight-pound corbina waiting for me down south. We’ll look at four of my favorite summer surf fishing trips and everything they have to offer. Today, we’ll follow the swell and start down south with one of my favorite surf fishing spots in Carlsbad, then move…

We are off to a wild surf fishing spring already. Halibut—and some big ones—have been in the counts for months and fishing on both the beach and bay has been outstanding. To be ready for the upcoming surf fishing summer, here are a few tips I’ve put together to get you ready for the surf. Start preparing the night before. Being well organized and properly prepared will ensure that your fishing will provide you with the best opportunity for success. Check your reels for smooth operation (especially the drag, which is critical in maintaining control of the fish on light-line). …

There’s nothing better than live bait for catching surf fish. California’s beaches, estuaries and harbors are loaded with bait that you can collect for free. All it takes is a little time, patience and the right tide to collect what you need for a great day of fishing. One of my favorite rules when it comes to surf fishing is: Look for the bait that occurs naturally around the area you are fishing. If there are crabs in the sand or sidewinders on the rocks, you can be well assured that’s what the fish are eating. Take a few moments…

Earlier this week, we covered where to fish for halibut in the surf. If you have yet to read that, I highly recommend that you do. Here is the link. When it comes to halibut rigging, there are a variety of potential baits and lures that could help to entice that next halibut to bite. All of these fall into two general categories: bait (dead or alive) and artificials. First I will cover artificials because of the sheer amount of choices when it comes to fishing lures. Jerkbaits When it comes to lures and bait fishing for halibut the options…