Perch fishing is starting to look a little more promising. Bigger fish are starting to be caught. Still haven't hit the big schools but did get into some solid 2 lb fish off of Del Monte Beach. Pulled the hook on the first to hook ups then landed the next two. It's been cold but the fish are out there.

Remember not to cast to far out. Perch feed close to the shoreline.

Hello Everyone! Sorry I haven't been posting but I've been very busy at work and at home. I've been able to get out to the local beaches and yes, the perch are running around. I haven't run into any large schools which is odd for this time of year. Never the less I've been catching my fair share of perch. The guys that have been killing the bigger fish in the 2-3 pound range are the guys using "live" grass shrimp. There not catching large numbers but they are hitting consistent large perch.

Now for the good News! About three weeks ago a co-worker asked me why the boats were concentrated in the middle of the bay early in the morning. Being the smart saltwater angler I am I answered, Giant Humbolt Squid! and left it at that. Made sense to me since all the other fishing has been closed.

A week later I talk to a very reliable source (Monterey Bay Fisherman by trade) and said, Wow nice that they killed the giant squid last week..... I was wrong! There was a large school of striped bass hanging around the middle of the bay. More than likely chasing bait fish. The school never migrated to the shoreline and just hung around in the center of the bay. The guys all caught their limit and then some.

I guess that school was so big and concentrated in one spot that the boats were clustered close together. With that being said, 2010 may be a banner year for the striped bass. 2009 was "good" but I've seen better and last year a lot of bass were caught off of Marina Beach. I may try to get out and throw a pencil popper this weekend. You never know....Those fish could move to shore and we would never know it.

I'll keep you posted if I hear anything. It's a good sign. maybe El Nino has something to do with it. Hope the fish stick around to get fat. If that's the case you better have your favorite lure ready to go!!!!!

Thanks to you guys who keep checking in. Hope to be able to post more often now that things are back to normal.

great read Glenn and thanks for the report....Keep us posted and i just might try and test some new plugs out there too.

Im starting to get phone calls and e-mails.....There's a buzz in the air. Something is definitely happening on the beach! Not exaclty sure where but guys have been seen walking around the beach with pencil poppers and hair raisers at the end of their poles. Got some guys saying these guys were farther north by Watsonville and others say closer to home in Marina.

Pencil Poppers and Hair Raisers for perch? No! How about White Sea Bass? No! Maybe for Salmon? No!

I heard guys up north by Watsonville caught a striped bass and even a halibut off of the beach. I can believe it. Two years ago, I caught a striped bass in the 39 inch range at Carmel Beach with a perch set up. It was February! I'm wondering if the El Nino has heated up the waters in Monterey Bay. Guys in boats did find a school of bass in the bay about a month ago.

I'm off on Monday and will heat the beach with a pencil popper to see if there is anything to the stories I heard. I have to say the guys I talked to are "friends" and reliable sources of information.

Last season was a very good season along Marina Beach. Hope 2010 is even better!!!!!!

DIREGARD THAT LAST POST! I'm working today, Sunday, and it's pounding at the beach. High tide tonight is 10 pm something, and it's already pounding out there. Working today so we checked out the beach around 4pm. It was low tide but the waves about 200 yards off shore were huge.

Needless to say tomorrow will be spent the family sitting in the backyard smoking some ribs and chcken. Hopefully I can get out when the ocean calms down. Right now it's a beast and not worth getting caught by a rogue wave.

Thanks for checking in everyone!

Glenn

You're getting me excited Glenn. Lemme know when you go. I have a few days off coming up and I'd love to hit the beaches with you for some early morning action

are there any strippers at the fort point area? im always there but never tried to fish there.

I talked to a reliable source today. He said he has heard a few rumora about an early stiper run but that people have been catching smaller fish down in the southern areas. He thinks theyre going to start running in about 3 weeks so i'll be stocking up on my 3.5 oz mickeys and white poppers. I've been thinking about gping out but cant justify getting up at 4 am in this weather. For those of you who havent tried it surf fishing for stripers is one of the most exciting and exhilirating types of fishing out there. If youre like me and have trouble getting up that early just hit the clubs get something to eat and go straight there =P its definitely worth it though when you see a 30 lber flying thru the wave tryin to nail your lure. If anyone wants tp go PM me.

SJF,
Thanks for the post. I'm thinking the same thing to that it's going to start early this year. I heard of one solid fish caught in the Watsonville area last week. Last month a school was cruising in the middle of the bay. If they're in the bay it's a matter of time before they hit the beaches.

Last couple of outings for perch I found there were tons of sand crab beds all along the beach. Great sign! It's what the stripers are looking for. Went out last week to throw my pencil poppers to check them for weight. Added some BB's and not they're perfect.

Water was clear today of any debris. I was working so all I could do is look. Sometimes rough water bring in all kinds of debris but as of today everything looked clean....very clean. I'll keep you all posted if anything good happens. I suspect that the end of next month will bring some good news.

Glenn

Hello All,

I was able to hit the beach this morning for a couple of hours before starting the all to familiar "Honey Do List!" Haaaaahaaaaa....Just Kidding! The water was perfect. A little on the cool side with the time change but neverthe less It was in the middle of the rising tide. I knew the water was prime for fishing. Walked down to the waters edge and saw millions of sand crabs. Sand crab beds 50' long.

There were a couple of other guys fishing with bait. Another one grubbing like I was and one other throwing what looked like some type of top water plug. Fished the waters for two hours. A couple of nibbles and that was it. Granted, I just stayed in close proximity of the parking lot. If I took the time to venture further north by the sand plant I may have found some fish because the water was looking really good with no junk in it.

The guys fishing bait told me they caught some small striped bass on Saturday in the 14" range. That is great news. The bigger fish are soon to follow!!!!! I heard of smaller fish being caught from Seaside to Santa Cruz. The fish seem to be all along the shoreline which is great news.

Dust off you gear and keep checking in. I'll let you know as soon as I hear something or catch something!!!!

Can you guys piont out to me on google maps where you are talking about??? I have the next two weeks off with nothing to do...

Hey sidewazzz,

You can pick just about any beach access from Monterey to Santa Cruz and start fishing. There is no one particular place the stripers are concentrated at......YET! I've been getting reports of small fish in the 14" range being caught at Del Monte Beach in Seaside all the way up Sunset Beach in Watsonville. I can't confirm but I heard guys in Santa Cruz caught some keeper stripers which wouldn't surprise me.

I know that was a broad answer but I don't want to point to any one beach right now because it's very spotty fishing but it should start to pick up. Any beach along the Monterey Bay coast line will hold barred surf perch all year long. Great fun and you never know you could hook into a striped bass and or halibut.

The secret to being a successful striped bass fisherman is to just go out and do it. If you look back as some of the earlier post I believe it was Marone that went out and caught a very nice striped bass. I believe it was first off the beach and he included a picture.....

In that case I'll be out at Moss Landing on Saturday morning trying my luck... I'm not sure if I'm going with bait or Lure....

Go with lures. And let us know how you do. Hair raisers and mickeys sound fun. Give em a shot. Heard white and silver work wonders...

Just picked up a white 1oz hair razor and a pecil popper (damn that thing is huge)