CrabMan
09-20-2008, 03:27 PM
Thought I'd take no chances this week and cover all my bait bases. Serched for some clams and mussels, raked some fresh sand crabs, dug at low tide for sand worms and stopped by Big Fish in Seal Beach for ghost shrimp.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/ASSORTEDCLAMANDMUSSEL08.jpg
It was early in the morning not long after sunrise that I made it down to the beach. I found an area that looked promissing and started to walk to the surf. Just across the sand was blue water and a flotilla of chovey/sardine seiners. They were busiely setting their nets and the smell of chovey was in the air.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/BAITBOAT0908.jpg
It seemed the conditions were perfect and the fishing would be epic--with one big exception. The surf was head high and building and although the wind was calm, the side-shore current was so strong that a one-ounce sinker was swept down the beach in no time.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/SANDCRABS091908.jpg
I knew I had to find a spot that gave some protection so I moved down the beach and tucked inside one of the two jetties. Using the clam and some small ghost shrimp I matched them to a #1 thin wire split shot hook. These are the hooks I use all the time. If you get bites both don't always hook your fish--it's your hook. You need a very sharp thin wire hook. I like to use these hooks by gamakatsu.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/GAMAHOOKSSIZE1.jpg
The bite on both barred and walleye perch was excellent with all the fish no bigger than 12". Some days you can't catch the big ones. But it sure is a fun challenge baiting, fighting and landing perch on or near the rocks.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/WALLEYEONCLAM0908.jpg
Of course, throw in some overhead sets and that will keep you on your toes too!
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/PERCHONMUSSEL0908.jpg
Well, hopefully the waves will go down a bit in the next few days cause I can't wait to get out there again!
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/ASSORTEDCLAMANDMUSSEL08.jpg
It was early in the morning not long after sunrise that I made it down to the beach. I found an area that looked promissing and started to walk to the surf. Just across the sand was blue water and a flotilla of chovey/sardine seiners. They were busiely setting their nets and the smell of chovey was in the air.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/BAITBOAT0908.jpg
It seemed the conditions were perfect and the fishing would be epic--with one big exception. The surf was head high and building and although the wind was calm, the side-shore current was so strong that a one-ounce sinker was swept down the beach in no time.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/SANDCRABS091908.jpg
I knew I had to find a spot that gave some protection so I moved down the beach and tucked inside one of the two jetties. Using the clam and some small ghost shrimp I matched them to a #1 thin wire split shot hook. These are the hooks I use all the time. If you get bites both don't always hook your fish--it's your hook. You need a very sharp thin wire hook. I like to use these hooks by gamakatsu.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/GAMAHOOKSSIZE1.jpg
The bite on both barred and walleye perch was excellent with all the fish no bigger than 12". Some days you can't catch the big ones. But it sure is a fun challenge baiting, fighting and landing perch on or near the rocks.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/WALLEYEONCLAM0908.jpg
Of course, throw in some overhead sets and that will keep you on your toes too!
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii148/bvloans/PERCHONMUSSEL0908.jpg
Well, hopefully the waves will go down a bit in the next few days cause I can't wait to get out there again!