San Clemente Beach Skunk ,but new friends

[fish4life]

So i woke up at 5:30am,grabbed my gear and made my way to the beach(30mins to bike to the beach).I arrived at the beach at 6:00am. It was low tide, the sun wasnt up yet and the waves were only 1-2ft. Overall the surf was rather calm.I started off with my LC 100 auroa black(this thing has never caught me anything except for birds). I used the LC for about an hour for nothing. So i tried a caronlina rig with a white grub for another hour and still i got no bites. So i was gettting kinda desperate to catch any kind of fish to get rid of the skunk so i started to use cammo sandworms. However even with the cammo sandworms i didnt even get a nibble. So it was like 9 am and i decided to go check out the pier. When i arrived no one was catching anything so i just took a break and then left the pier. I walked all the way back to where i parked my bike and started throwing more sandworms to the surf out of desperation. Then these two vietmanese guys that i seen a few days ago asked if they could fish on my spot. Sure might as well let them use it I wasnt catching anything. These two vietnamese guys start pulling fish after every cast. They were using very long surf rods with clams and live sandworms. Man these guys were on fire! So i just started chatting with them and they were very nice guys. I could tell these guys were veterans fishing these beaches. They caught many spotfins croakers,yellow fin croakers, and i think a 2ft corbina. Anyways It was 10:45am and i decided to call it a day and farwell to my new fishing friends. Even though i didnt catch/get any bites at least i met new people and gained more information about surf fishing.(Note to self DONT USE slippers when surf fishing your feet get messed up) IF anyone has some other tips/baits for fishing the San Clemente area please post. Thanks :)

[DockRat]

We all get skunks, no bigge.

Go Barefoot on the beach

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee229/DaltonTiffin/228.jpg
DR

[smokehound]

Hit me up before you do the surf thing again, i can help ya.

BTW you should have much more luck with sandcrabs. Match the hatch ;)

[murrieta angler]

Definately use the sand crabs right now. Also use some mussels.
Good Luck nex time,
Robert

[Lunker1979]

How the hell do you hook the sand crabs............is there a certain way to do it so they don't die?

[smokehound]

Hold the tail against the crab's body, and push the hook into the tail, so it pokes through the back

then slide the crab all the way onto the shank of the hook.

take another crab, and do the same in reverse, pushing the hook into its back, and out through the tail.

The result is back-to-back sandcrabs, they kick wildly, and stay alive quite long.


Important: Do not use brass hooks, that may be why your crabs are dying quick, Lunker1979.

Brass is toxic to all crabs, because it contains Copper.

Use steel hooks instead. Gamakatsu octopus circle hooks, in size 1 are perfect.

[fish4life]

@DockRat Thanks man and Awesome picture :)
@smokehound i looked in every patch of fine sand for some sandcrabs didnt findy anything. Just a bunch of tiny rocks :(

[smokehound]

@DockRat Thanks man and Awesome picture :)
@smokehound i looked in every patch of fine sand for some sandcrabs didnt findy anything. Just a bunch of tiny rocks :(it's easier to find them during high-tide. Try bringing a small plastic colander, and a small shovel. That's what I use to get sandcrabs.