how to avoid the surf salad??

[ZipperWurm]

so i don't get to go surf fishing all that often, but it seems like every time i go, the trip is ruined by the large amounts of kelp and seaweed that i can't seem to escape. i usually fishing in the afternoons/evenings because its hard for me to get down there real early, but is the early morning the best time to avoid it? or at least be fishable? are there ways of knowing where the salad is gonna be bad and avoiding it? i usually fish the samo and malibu areas because it's closest for me...actually spent the last 2 days down there and didnt do much fishing because i couldn't use my LC's or sandworms without fouling them on kelp every single cast, no matter what spot i hit

[bachiboy]

I wish there was a simple solution to this, but a lot has to do with a lot of recon. Certain spots, especially if there is a lot of structure (rocks, kelp, etc.) are prone to more salad. Those spots can be a little cleaner depending on the tide. There's a couple spots that I tend to stay away from unless there's an incoming tide, which seems to be the most fishable. I'd also avoid those spots after a period of heavy swells, at least for a couple days. One thing that you can do when fishing LCs is use a Carolina Keeper about a foot and a half above the LC. It's not gonna be a cure-all but will keep some of the eel grass from sliding down the line onto the lure "a little". As the water warms, like it's doing now, the kelp breaks off and causes a lot of mess in the surf. Not much you can do about it other than grit your teeth and bear it, or move on. Try to get a feel for when there's kelp on the line. Once it's on, reel up cuz you're not likely to get bit with that stuff wrapping up your lures. Cast out again and work the lure till you feel that hangup. Sometimes that short window when the lure is clean is all you'll need to get bit. Probably not the ultimate words of wisdom on how to avoid the salad bar, but there's no sure-fire cure for it.

Hope that helps, even a little...
Don

[A W Root Beer]

Nice post, didn't know a lot of those tips. Thanks.

[DockRat]

Some beaches get much more salad than others. If you go after a big swell there will be more junk in the water. Even a week later. If kelp get torn off a Channel Island during a swell it will take a few days to hit OC. Watch the tides and change spots.
DR

[Nipple Twister]

Bachiboy advised:

I wish there was a simple solution to this,

........stay on the couch........


sorry, couldn't resist......j/k