Need help with Corbina

[dmk112]

Tried 2 or 3 times to get out on the surf to try catchin some corbina or croakers. No luck. I use the large sand crabs and double up on the small one, only thing I got is a perch (off the pier). Couple of questions: How do you fish in the surf when the waves are crashing in and throwing the bain around and pulling on the line, I mean how do I know if its a wave or a fish?? What setup should I be using, I go with a carolina right with 1 oz siners and some of the red hooks of size 4 or 5. Any other tips? Thanks guys.

[kiwimark]

Hi
I use a very small bean sinker running on the main line, just enough to get the line out 20-30 feet. A 15" to 24" trace with a small trout hook. I tend to fish with sand crabs inside the breaking water close to the edge. The corbina just about beach themselves chasing the crabs so thay tend to strike hard and fast in the turbulent water. It makes it harder for them to detect your terminal tackle as well. Fishing in close you get fewer perch but may pick up guitars and rays. These are great sport on light tackle as well. I load up with 8lb main line and a 4lb trace shimano spinning reel and a 7' Silstar graphite comp fire stick that I have had for about 20yrs. It works for me. By the way, you will know when you hook a corbina as pound for pound they are one of the hardest fighters that you can hook in the surf.
Tight lines
Mark

[sansou]

Try fishing for corbs somewhere other than the pier. Pretty much any quiet sandy SoCal beach area holds corbs.

[CoffeaRobusta]

The last time I fished for corbs I was at Sunset beach, using sandcrabs. I forget when it was, last week sometime during the board bugginess (I couldn't even login). Anyway I tried searching for soft shelled crabs but only found a few hard ones and those didn't even have any roe. Well anyway I could see the corbies cruising the shallows, with their backs outta the water. And I cast out just short of the breakers but beyond the cruising range and slowly reeled it into their range. I actually got two strikes (one one I could see the fish hitting it), but they would immediately spit it out. Frustrating, but at least getting bites is more than i have before. All I can say is fish nibble feels different than waves. Wave action tends to be more of a steady pull while a fish strike is more of an impulse. I was using a c-rig set up.

[bsp]

Try using a 1/4 oz weight, a size 10 swivel, 2-3ft of 4lb flourocarbon leader, and a size 8 owner SSW hook. I use this set up paired with a 7ft ultralight rod and 1500 size spinning reel with 4lb main line. The fish generally are not far out, so you only need to cast 10-15 yards out at most. Find yourself a sandcrab colony, and you are good to go!

[KaliDawgFan]

Try fishing for corbs somewhere other than the pier. Pretty much any quiet sandy SoCal beach area holds corbs.

There aren't any of those in OC. I can tell you that much.

[SanDimasLMB]

Try fishing for corbs somewhere other than the pier. Pretty much any quiet sandy SoCal beach area holds corbs.

There aren't any of those in OC. I can tell you that much.

LOL, For sure on that.

714 all the way tho baby :2guns:

SanDimasLMB

[majesty714]

corbina are so fun to catch . squid , easy to use . leter, swivil , egg sinker (big enough to cast out ... ) i dont no technical mombo jumbo weight size hook size. but i like to use light line 8 to 15lb tess if your fishin peirs like balboa (good spot) just cast behind the surf .. i look for the waves to hit and make a rip current(the water will get brown with sand for some reson i have luck in this area) high tide is a good time to fish for surf fish.. and like to try other places other than peirs . i always do good on the shore .. i dont like to give my spots away but try places were the waves break close to shore so you can cast past the breack so your rig doesnt move around alot :wink:

[clem de la clem]

check out these two reports to see the beans caught this season...

http://www.fishingnetwork.net/forum1/vi ... php?t=6061 (http://www.fishingnetwork.net/forum1/viewtopic.php?t=6061)

http://www.fishingnetwork.net/forum1/vi ... php?t=5903 (http://www.fishingnetwork.net/forum1/viewtopic.php?t=5903)

and if halijedi's stickie is still up, that is a great "how to" last year...

but you have to hunt these guys. go to any nice sandy beach. i like anywhere between mdr and torrance beach. i like to go a couple of hours before high tide and just watch the surf for 'beans. if you don't see them, i wouldn't fish there... when you do see their fins swirling about and shooting back into the ocean, approach from the side but don't get too close. cast beyond the white water diagonally over the area where you spotted them and let the crab drift naturally. i like crabs about 1/2" long and a small mosquito hook, a little bigger than a single salmon egg hook. 1/4 oz sliding sinker. c-rig. light leader anywhere between 24" - 40" long (depends on water). work slowly but keep the line slightly tight. you will know a bite vs a wave so don't worry. if you don't get a bite, keep moving. that's the best approach i know of but it sure is fun...

good luck!

cdlc