Author: Nick Heid

When I arrive at a fishing spot, that first moment is filled with anticipation. Whether I’m walking around a bend, pulling up and looking over a cliff, or just making my way onto the sand to try and get a good view of the water, there’s always a bit of excitement and a moment of uneasiness. “Will conditions be good today Or will seaweed rue the day? I hope the current isn’t too bad”. There’s only so much you can plan for and even if you have access to live surf cams and up-to-the-minute forecasts, there’s no way to really…

No bite is identical when it comes to the feel of a fish picking up your bait, but it’s safe to say each species has its own tendencies. Many seasoned anglers can actually identify the type of species they have on their line just by the feel of the bite and the fight. Can you? Yellowfin Croaker We’ll start with the most obvious (in my opinion). Yellowfin croaker have a tendency to hit way harder than their size, but they lack fighting strength. They often show no hesitation in taking your bait and they absolutely crush it! After a good…

You’re not alone if you think the bite is off to a slow start this summer. You’re also not alone if you think it’s off to a great start. Why are some people doing well while others are hardly catching? Well, it could be your location, your timing, your target, and/or tactics, or it could be something completely different. My bet? It’s just the unique signature every year’s seasons bring along with the fact that some fish are biting better than others at the moment. Let’s take a moment and talk about what the bite has been like in the…

It’s funny. Every angler craves a good fight, but not many target the biggest category of fish in the surf. With all the love that corbina and surfperch get, there’s little room for sharks in the spotlight. Are they worth a try? That’s for you to decide, I’m just here to tell you about them. What’s the Best Fighting Fish in So Cal’s Surf? Ask any surf angler. “What’s the best fight you’ve had from the beach?… What’s the strongest fish you’ve hooked?” Whether it’s one they’ve landed or one they’ve lost, the likely answer is a bat ray. I…

It’s May, the waters are warming, and the near-term forecasts are signaling that the surf and wind might finally be mellowing out. What’s all that mean? It means peak season is approaching and we should be seeing big spotfin croaker and California Corbina cruising around, scouring the ultra-shallow waters as they hunt for their prey… sand crabs. Sand crabs are already back, and the yellowfin croaker bite is heating up dramatically, but we’re still waiting for corbina and spotfin to show up in large numbers. So, while we wait, here are a couple of underrated tips that will increase the quality…