A 10-pound yellow on bass gear is like hooking the bumper of a garage truck!

Though not a glamour species, longjaw leatherjacks on a bast on light gear!

Another appealing aspect of poking around the inshore shallows for the non-glamour species with light tackle is you’ll hardly ever see another soul. Let’s see: ton of action, awesome battles and no people. My kind of fishing!

Another promising morning of inshore action!

Species

It’s hard to even begin to cover the types of fish you may encounter. There are literally thousands of species that live near the shore and where you fish and when will determine what you may run into. Again, the charm of this style of fishing is not really knowing what you’re fishing for. I often refer to it as simply “fishing for stuff.”

Some of the more well-known varieties you could latch into include sierra, bonito, roosterfish, needlefish, halibut, yellowtail, cabrilla, pargo, lingcod, ladyfish, Pompano, jacks, surf perch, calico bass, sand bass, barracuda, corbina, assorted grouper, leopard sharks, rays, etc.

Bonito and sierra are the light tackle angler’s versions of wahoo and are a blast to catch.

Needlefish will give you all you want on 6-pound spinning gear!

Gearing Up

On my most recent trip, I used the same setup I use for throwing ½-ounce swimbaits for stripers in the Sacramento River Delta – a 7-foot bass stick rated for 10- to 17-pound line and a 200 size baitcaster spooled up with 20-pound braid and then ran a 4-foot section of 20-pound fluorocarbon leader. When toothy fish like barracuda, needlefish and sierra were around in good numbers, however, I bumped my leader up to 40-pound to avoid bite-offs.

No fighting chairs or belts; no wire leaders or broomstick rods; and no backing down with the boat – just me and the fish, toe to toe. Awesome.

Lures

Most of the creatures that inhabit the inshore shallows don’t exactly have the most sophisticated of palates and will often smack just about anything put in their path. If you could only use one lure down there, something like a Krocodile or Kastmaster would cover just about every situation.

Iron will catch anything that lives inshore

There are some toothy critters in Baja!

Techniques

In the early mornings, I like to walk the beach or fish close to if from a small boat and toss top water plugs. At the crack of dawn, there’s usually all kinds of surface activity near the surf as predatory fish off all persuasions push baitfish schools to the shore.

I’ve had some unforgettable mixed-bag mornings along the East Cape tossing Zara Spooks to boiling roosters and sierra and one session along Cerralvo Island where a frothing school of big jack crevalle was eating baitfish off the beach literally at my toes.

Blind casting along the beaches with swim baits or spoons will also produce some outstanding action later in the day and it’s a good idea to vary your retrieve speed until you find something that works.

Drop a spoon on a shallow inshore reef and there's no telling whay you'll hook

This way, you cover the entire water column and have a shot at several different varieties of fish. Along the bottom, you may encounter stuff like yellowtail, pargo and bass while the rapid ascent of the lure may also attract surface predators like barracuda, sierra and bonito.

Another situation where light gear can really make your day is in harbors and marinas. In late winter, there are some really nice corvina in some of the harbors on the Cortez side and I’ve also caught plenty of 3- to 5-pound snook between boat slips in La Paz. Marinas are best fished after dark – if they have lights. The baitfish will sit under the lights and the bigger fish will be just beneath them. It’s just like the crappie fishing I used to do as a kid off the docks at Clear Lake – only the fish are bigger and more exotic.

One of the best ways to fish the tight gaps between boat slips is to drop-shot with small plastics. Drop the rig straight down to the bottom and twitch away. You’ll be amazed by the cornucopia of saltwater species that you can catch with a method developed for freshwater bass.

The Essentials

When I’m doing my light tackle fishing in Baja, there are a few pieces of equipment that I always carry. One is a Boga Grip for weighing, landing, handling and removing hooks from sometimes toothy, spiny and otherwise hard to grip denizens of the not-so-deep. This trip, the Boga saved me from a potentially painful situation – those leatherjacks, I found out later, have venomous spikes that can inflict some nasty wounds.

Prospecting for the inshore mixed bag is a blast!

Finally, a nice waterproof point-and-shoot digital camera is a great addition to your tackle box. Pentax and Olympus are making relatively inexpensive models these days that you can grab, without worry, with fish slimed hands to take a quick shot of that strange fish for identification purposes later.

Give it a Try

So, next time you’re headed down to the Baja, don’t forget to grab some light gear and give the inshore mixed bag fishing a try. Be warned, however, that it can be so addictive that you may not even bother with the bluewater stuff.

Okay, so if you’ve ever used a Sabiki rig to catch baitfish, you know A) Sabikis are deadly and B) It’s almost impossible to get one out of the package without it turning into a useless, tangled bird’s nest. So, I got a good chuckle the other day as I was struggling to remove a Sabiki rig from it’s packaging…and noticed this little informative tidbit printed on the back side…

Want to be a better surf perch angler and have more fun doing it? If so, forget everything you know about the sport. Leave the 40-pound test and the 4-ounce pyramid sinkers at home and put that 14-foot telephone pole and giant coffee grinder you’ve been using on Craigslist once and for all.

We’re not chasing sailfish here, people…the biggest perch you’re going to find off West Coast beaches are going to be redtails, which rarely top 3 pounds…so why all the heavy gear? If you scale back your tackle you’re going to put more fish in the bucket — and have a way better time doing it!

Gearing Up

So instead of the traditional surf rod, I like to run a light spinning rod. When surf conditions are mellow — what I call “3/4-ounce water” — I like the 8-foot, 2-inch Lamiglas X82MS
. Though only rated up to 5/8-ounce, it’s got enough punch to toss a 3/4-ounce lead no problem, but still gives the prech a fighting chance.

When the seas are a little larger, you can jump up to a longer rod to give you more clearance over the wavetops — something like Lamiglas’ MBS 86M or, if you prefer a casting stick, go with the big dog — the ten and a half foot HSR 1263 by GLoomis. In reality, however, if the surf’s up enough that you need a big rod and more than about 1.5 ounces of lead, you’re kind of defeating the purpose of going light anyway.

As far as reels go, pick something that has a waterproof drag and anti-corrosion bearings, like Diawa’s Tierra 2500 or 3000. There are plenty of other companies that make fully-sealed reels — it all depends on how much you want to spend.

For line, I’ve really been liking FireLine Crystal in 8-lb. test, which has the equivalent diameter of 3-lb. mono. The cobweb-like thickness allows me to cast further and it also cuts through the surf better so my gear stays in the strike zone. It’s also super-sensitive, so I can distinguish even light bites from surf and kelp.

One of the real beauties of perch fishing is the inherent simplicity: you can pretty much fit everything you’ll need into your pocket — a few hooks, swivels and sinkers and whatever you’re using for bait and you’re in the game.

Though there are many ways to skin this cat, I’m pretty partial to the Carolina-rigged GULP! Sandworms. I’ve had success on clams, mussels and motor oil grubs, but for good ol’ simplicity’s sake, you can’t beat this rig. There are times when the fish will eat real bait better than the GULP! — but not often enough to make it worth the hassle.

In most situations, I’ll break the worm into thirds (or quarters if the fish are small) and thread it onto a No. 4 baitholder or Rebarb Hook. Next, add a 24-inch section of 8- or 10-lb. flouro leader and a 1/2- to 1-ounce tungsten bullet weight and you’re good to go…

Where to Fish

When chasing surf perch, you’re generally looking for beaches that are steep. As waves toss up onto the sand of a steeply-sloped beach, they wash food like sand crabs into the water. There’s usually a trough that forms close to shore (it will run parallel to the beach) and, guess what…that’s where all the goodies displaced by the wave action end up. Not surprisingly, that’s where the perch (and corbina & croaker if you live in Southern California) hang out. Waves also break closer to shore on steep beach like the one below, so the fishy water will be much easier to reach.

In addition to the deep feed troughs near shore, you’re also going to want to target shore rips and “holes” — deeper spots that can be identified by the lack of breaking water…

Technique

Again, the sweet thing about this whole program is it’s super simple. Take a look at which way the water’s moving (tide & current) and throw “upstream”. In other words, if the water’s moving right to left, toss your rig to the right of the water you want to fish so that the current will push it right into the zone.

When your gear’s on the bottom, start a slow-and-steady retrieve with the rod tip held high to keep the line off the waves. When the current’s really ripping, you can cast upstream and then allow your rig to bounce through the zone as if you were drift fishing for steelhead, reeling only to pick up slack.

In either case, bites usually come in one of two styles: dink..dink…da-dink — semi-subtle raps of the rod tip typically signify a small perch has come calling. Larger perch like redtails in the 1- to 3-pound class most often inhale the worm on the run and those are the no-doubt, can’t miss ‘em type of grabs that we love.

Tides

As with all saltwater fishing, tides do have a big influence on perch fishing. Generally, it seems the hour leading up to and after the change is best. However, the overriding factor in light tackle perch fishing is you need the surf to be down and manageable. So, I’ll base a trip more on ocean conditions than individual tides. In other words, if she’s flat, get out there!

Related articles:
Spring Surf Perch Fishing

Wahoo (or “ono” if you’re hanging out in the Hawaiian Islands) are one of the baddest fish in the ocean. They can reach speeds of nearly 50 mph, have some seriously nasty teeth and can grow quite large — the world record is 184 pounds. They are a top-notch game fish in tropical and sub-tropical waters around the globe and are divine table fare.

Some folks say that the name Wahoo is a derivation of the name of the Hawaiian Island Oahu…while others say “Wahoo” is what you shout when you hook one. Their Island name, Ono, comes from the Hawaiian word for delicious: ‘ono.

Whatever you call ‘em, wahoo are a blast to catch and even more fun to throw on the grill!

Here’s how to catch ‘em:

Water Temp & Tides

Wahoo are taken mostly when the water is in the 70- to 80-degree range, but that can very a bit depending on the location you’re fishing. You’ll find your best action during the part of the tide that pushes bait across structure and out into deeper water.

Lures

Take a quick glance at a wahoo and you’ll see that they are designed for hunting. The streamlined body is built for speed and their big eyes help them locate and follow prey. And those teeth…well…we know what those are for.

Wahoo lures need to imitate large-sized baitfish and have to be capable of being trolled at high speeds. Wahoo are not accustomed to eating slow-moving targets, so the faster you troll the better. Marauders and similar styled baits (think giant Rat-L-Traps) have long been the staples of ‘hoo anglers and they can be trolled effectively up to at least 13 knots (don’t forget those wire leaders!).

There are also several bullet-style lures such as Black Bart’s Wahoo Candy that can be trolled up to 28 knots.

Super-high speed trolling has gotten really popular in recent years and has been producing some incredible wahoo catches. The only downside to trolling that fast is you start to eliminate other species like marlin, tuna and dorado from you list of potential catches. That’s not to say those fish won’t hit a bait going that fast, but if you’re “potluck” fishing for variety, keep the speeds down. When fishing for a mixed bag of species, drop one Wahoo lure well back in the spread…these wolf-like predators seem to like the bait that’s different and isolated from the rest.

Location

Though you chase Wahoo in blue water, you need to locate some structure — look for ledges, shelves, oil rigs, pinnacles and reef lines. The fish will prowl just off the edges of this stuff, looking for baitfish pushed over the edge by the currents.

On the Grill

Wahoo flesh is extremely tasty, but you need to be careful not to overcook it…it dries out quickly. Take it off the grill earlier than you normally would. Or, make Baja-style tacos out of it.

If you need some inspiration, check out the recipes page at my good pal the Sporting Chef’s website (www.thesportingchef.com and www.huntfishcook.com)

Rockfishing doesn’t have to be just about the meat. Instead of dragging bloated, bug-eyed bottomfish up from 50 fathoms, try busting out some bass gear and hitting the shallows…it’s a blast!

And it’s not just fun…shallow water rockcoddin’ is also very productive. In fact, some of the best fishing you’ll find these days for lings and assorted other rockfish takes place near the beach, away from where the commercial draggers and big party boats fish.

How Shallow? If you’ve got nice weather (fall’s a great time for it!), you can catch rockfish all the way into 10 feet of water, but I do most of mine in 20 to 60 feet.

As with fishing deep, you want to target structure when working close to shore. Look for rock piles, reefs, pinnacles, the outside edges of kelp lines and rocky ledges. Since you may often be working close to rocks, you’re going to want to pick a day with very little swell and wind. Even when you’re working away from hazards, ground swell days suck because the wave action is much more pronounced in shallow water and the fish have a tendency to hunker down.

A 6 to 7 ½ – foot trigger handle rod with a moderately fast action works well for shallow water rockfishing (think bass rods, here). The stick I most often use is the GLoomis MBR844, which is nice and light but has enough backbone to yank a 20-pound ling out of his house.

In the reel department, pick something that’s got a durable thumb bar (which allows you to quickly play out more line if the water gets deeper), good cranking power and a tough drag. Spool up with braided line in the 20- to 60-pound range and run a 3- to 6-foot section of 15- to 30-pound fluorocarbon or mono between your jig and the braid.

You don’t have to get too technical when it comes to bottomfish lures. I like to run two basic types of jig — rubber swimbaits with 1- to 4-ounce lead heads:

iron like Hopkins, Crippled Herring, Buzz Bombs, Revenge and Bomber Slab spoons (to name a few) also work well in the same size range:

I keep my jigs in the 1- to 4-ounce range because heavier lures simply end up being too much work on light gear. Plus, light lures are easier to impart action into and don’t get snagged as much. A simple rule of thumb is pick a lure that’s just heavy enough to keep down in the strike zone but doesn’t pound the bottom.

To get started with light tackle rockfishing, simply freespool the jig to the bottom, reel up a couple cranks and then use a sharp upstroke of the rod tip to get the lure to hop. The upswing doesn’t need to be super aggressive – a quick 1- to 2-foot snap of the rod is all you need. Next, drop the tip back towards the water so that the lure will fall back to the seabed.

When the lure’s dropping back towards the bottom, it’s important to keep some contact with it. Let it fall as quickly as possible without having slack in the line. Most bites occur as the lure is fluttering back towards earth and you’ll miss a lot of them if you don’t maintain some tension between the jig and the rod tip.

While I’m happy to throw some tasty rockfish in the cooler, I also release a ton of them. Fishing for them with light tackle is so fun and productive that you’ll catch far more fish than you can possibly eat.

Most rockfish hooked in shallow water on light gear can be released without any problems. However, there are times when a fish comes up with pressure damage — a distended belly is the most common sign, though fish from deeper water may also have bulging eyes and part of their stomach coming out of their mouth. The old school way to release these fish was to poke a hole with a needle at an angle behind the pectoral fin to relieve the pressure. That can more harm than good, though, if you don’t know how to properly do it. Luckily, there are easier and safer methods…

For years, we’ve kept a milk crate on board for releasing rockfish. The crate has a 60-foot line tied to it and some lead sinkers to weigh it down. We flip it upside down, put a fish in it and start lowering slowly. The fish will stay in the crate until the pressure has equalized – at that point, it swims off on its own. Usually, about 30 feet is all it takes.

If you search around online, you’ll also find that here are also some products on the market designed for releasing fish from deep water. One that looks interesting and very simple is the one made by Shelton Products.

While live bait drifting has always been a popular method for hooking California halibut from Baja to Oregon, trolling is really gaining a good following and its easy to see why: it allows you to cover lots of ground quickly and locate fish…plus, it’s deadly!

Here’s how to do it:

Getting Rigged Up

Most trollers drag some sort of natural bait — sardines, herring or anchovies — behind a flasher. Obviously, fresh bait is best, but frozen will also work. To rig up, a good place to start is to go with the rig used by Northern California charter boat skipper Jay Lopes of Right Hook Sportfishing. He runs runs a trap rig and dodger off a three-way swivel setup (though wire spreader bars can be used instead).

The foundation of his trolling rig is a heavy-duty 1/0 three-way swivel tied to his main line. To the second eye of the swivel, he’ll attach an 18- to 20-inch section of line for his weight dropper. The remaining eye of the swivel is dedicated to the leader.

“I like to run 24 to 26 inches of heavy 60-pound mono from my three-way to a 0/0 or 1/0 dodger,” he says. “The stiffer the line, the better so that everything stays straight. As far as dodger color goes, I use a lot of chartreuse and silver with fish scale tape inserts.”

Check out the teeth marks in the dodger!

Lopes notes that there are times when the halibut will bite the dodger instead of the bait, so if you keep getting strikes that don’t stick, look for teeth marks in your blade. In some situations, you may have to pull the dodger off so that the fish key in on the bait.

Behind the dodger, he’ll run 24 inches of 25- to 30-pound leader to the trap rig, which consists of a 1/0 single octopus hook snelled so that it will slide and then a fixed 1/0 treble at the end of the leader. Lopes runs the point of the forward (single) hook up through the chin and out the top of the head of the bait and then buries one point of the treble into the side of the ‘chovy on the lateral line, just aft of the dorsal fin. Putting a slight bend in the bait will give it a nice rolling action — and be sure to change baits often.

By the way, in addition to bait, there are also times when a straight hootchie will work wonders. In fact, commercial halibut trollers have been dragging rubber squid around for decades with great success.

Hali Calamari

Rod Placement

Lopes likes to pound the bottom with his sinkers, and runs different sizes off the rods, depending on where in the boat they’re positioned. The rods straight of the stern get the lightest weights, while the stern corner rods get heavier lead and the ones off the sides get the beefiest sinkers. How much lead depends on location, depth and tides. Just make sure you’re hitting the sand!

The...um...'butt spread

Location & Tides

In general, the best halibut fishing in San Francisco Bay takes place on either side of the tide, as the water movement starts to slow down. Here, slower tides are better because the water stays cleaner.

You can catch halibut anywhere from 4 to 40 feet down, though 7 to 15 feet seems to be the area most people work. Look for sandy flats with structure — humps and/or drop-offs and troll 1 to 3 knots. Keep an eye on your graph for structure and bait balls but don’t expect to see too many flatties on screen — they simply don’t show up well.

Halibut...It's what's for dinner!

Spring’s here and that means it’s surf perch time all up and down the West Coast. From Baja to Washington State, these little bad boys will congregate along sandy beaches and you can have a ball catching them on light gear.

Here’s how to do it…

Where to Look

Your primary targets will be redtail, barred and rubberlip perch. Steeply-sloping beaches, particularly ones near stream or river mouths are best. The best perch fishing takes place on days when the surf is small and you should concentrate on the slots that run perpendicular to the beach and troughs and holes that are parallel to the beach. Look for rips and cast inside the first line of breakers — a lot of people make the mistake of casting too far You may also find them in bays around docks, pilings and warm water outflows.

Rigging Up

For light tackle perching, I like a 7- to 9-foot rod rated up to 8-pound test and a spinning reel with a long-stroke spool loaded with 10-pound braid. Run a 3/8- to 2-ounce tungsten worm weight up the line add a plastic bumper bead and then tie off to a crane swivel.

Add a 3-foot section of 8-pound leader and No. 6 baitholder hook.

You can use a wide variety of baits like fresh mussels, squid or pile worms, though live sand crabs are number one. I prefer, however, to go with artificial. Three-inch curly-tailed grubs with the tails cut off (to make them look like sand crabs) work great as do Berkley GULP! sand worms in the new penny and cammo patterns. Simply cut the worm in half or thirds and thread it up your hook and onto the line.

Keep ‘er Steady

With the Gulp worms or grubs, cast out and let your rig hit bottom. Then, just retrieve it with a slow, steady grind. The bites are the solid tap-tap-tap variety. If you’re using bait, just let it soak until the fish find it.

Related articles:
Light Tackle Surf Perch