Fueled by many factors, anglers are heading to the beaches in search of perch.
Many fishing seasons are closed at the present time; however, perch fishing is open and good during the winter. Anglers are also encouraged prepare for the upcoming perch tournament.
Ed Burrell of Capitola Boat and Bait reported, “We are seeing a variety of perch coming in off the wharf, including barred, black and walleye perch.”
Most are caught using shrimp for bait. The barred surf perch are taken on the edge of the surf line, while the other species are caught halfway out along the pier in deeper, calmer water. The days with larger swells and overcast skies are best for perch fishing.
Anglers fishing the beaches off Aptos have been catching barred perch. The perch are taken off all the beaches with public access that have good sandbars bordered by holes. The barred perch bite has seen larger fish with less numbers. Most anglers are catching one to five fish per outing, but the fish range from 1 to 2 pounds. These are big barred perch. They are biting rubber grubs, shrimp and soft-shell sand crabs fished in the surf line.
The eighth annual Sand Crab Classic Perch Tournament approaches. Anglers are pre-fishing to find big fish and to claim their favorite holes. The event has raised more than $13,000 over the past seven years — all of which has been donated to the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project. Entry is limited, so those who are interested should go to Bayside Marine or sign up online at www.theletsgofishingradioshow.com. This is a family event for a good cause.
Other fishing interest at this time includes crab, sand dabs and river fishing for steelhead. Crabs are still caught locally in 200 feet of water throughout Monterey Bay, and sand dabs are caught in 200 to 240 feet of water in the sandy areas of the bay. Steelhead fishing has mostly been in the rivers of Northern California for now, as we need more rain locally.
– Mike Baxter has fished in the Monterey Bay Area since he was a boy and has been a licensed charter boat captain for more than 15 years. Contact him at
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