Getting Started
A few simple practices and gear choices can greatly enhance your enjoyment of Central California’s year-round surfperch fishing. Anglers also enjoy seasonal opportunities for striped bass, California halibut, jacksmelt and surf smelt, among others.
When to Go Fishing
You are more likely to catch fish:
- In the early morning or an hour before dusk
- On an incoming high tide. The rising water level dislodges small invertebrates in sand bars, stimulating fish to feed.
- During mild to moderate surf
EXCEPTIONS: Surf smelt and night smelt fishing are best in the daytime and evening respectively, on a falling high tide. Both species usually spawn on coarse-grained sandy beaches when the surf is mild.
Peak months for some favorite species in Central California
| Peak Months | October-June | April-September | May-August | April-August | February-August |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Surfperch | Striped Bass | California Halibut | Jacksmelt | Night/Surf Smelt |
Casting Tips
- When you are beach fishing, cast to the edges of sand bars and drop-offs and be on the lookout for fish “highways,” or channels with transiting fish in search of food.
- If you are surfperch fishing, try casting near sand crab beds.
- If you are striped bass or halibut fishing, look for signs of baitfish, such as feeding birds and marine mammals, and cast into these areas.
Rod and Reel Tips
- If you are heavy bait fishing or “plugging,” use a 10- to 12-ft rod rated for 2- to 8-oz casting, with spinning or conventional reels capable of holding 150 to 200 yds of 20- to 30-lb monofilament line.
- If you are fly-fishing, try a 9- to 11-ft rod, rated for a 6- to 8-weight line, with matching reel and sink-tip or shooting head lines. Stripping baskets help manage line in the surf.
- If you are light bait fishing or using Carolina-rigged grubs, try a 7- to 9-ft rod, with either a spinning or bait casting reel. Use a 6- to 12-lb test line that can comfortably cast a 1/2- to 1-oz egg sinker, depending on surf conditions.
Net Fishing
- For surf smelt fishing along San Mateo County beaches, try cast or “throw” nets in the 6- to 8-ft range, with 1 to 1 1/2 lbs of lead per foot and 3/8-in webbing.
- For night smelt fishing, try “A-frame” nylon webbing nets constructed of two rigid poles and a cross-member.
Equipment Checklist
- Waders, hat, polarized sunglasses and sunblock. Besides protecting your eyes, polarized sunglasses will help you see fish in the shore break and run-up. Wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation device if wading.
- Pack for fish, tackle, tape measure, and needle-nose pliers for removing hooks
- Bucket and scale to weigh catch, if fishing for night or surf smelt
READ MORE at wildlife.ca.gov
