SJ,

Great report my friend. Die hard fisherman you are!!!!! Paying your dues is how you catch stripers. I will be glad to fish with you anytime. The bite everywhere is still scattered. It's just a matter of time here real soon when the fish start to congregate in large schools.

As for distance, the majority of the fish I catch are very close to shore if not at the waters edge. That's not to say I haven't caught fish further out but the "majority" of my hits are very close to shore.

When the bite is on I have a second 8' rod with a Mickey tied on. I use that for the passing schools that are a little further out. You can use only one rod and change lures but sometimes the schools are moving at a slow jog pace and you don't want to miss out changing a lure when they pass.

Some guys I know that are very successful with Fish Traps are on the move. They walk a steady pace casting...retrieving....casting....retrieving while moving along the beach. Once they get a hit they will spend a little more time fan casting and casting a little further out to make sure they cover all the bases before moving on.

I wouldn't change lures, rods or reels just don't cast so far and save your energy. You can cover a lot more water by making shorter cast. Remember that fish travel along the beach so when your lure/jig of choice gets close to the trough at the waters edge, let it sit there before pulling it out of the water.

Hope that helps SJ!

I'm gonna go out tomorrow I think to Marina. I've been keeping an eye on the weather reports and it looks like its gonna be nicer than today. Hopefully I can finally nail a fish. I'm gonna throw mickeys all day I think. Probably gonna work my way north from the parking lot (I've been fishing south and I haven't seen much...) Annyways, if anyone has any tips or if you want to go I'm game. Lookin for a 6 am start since I don't feel like fishing in the dark tomorrow. Glenn if you have any tips feel free to PM me or post up... I can use all the help I can get. Also... since Marina is such an open beach, do the tides matter as much there? I know at Santa Cruz and Pacifica the tide and timing can be very significant.

SJ,

You may want to hold off on coming to Marina or have a plan B. I just came back from Monterey Dunes Colony.
The tide was flat. About 100 yards off the beach there was a large....and I mean large patch of green grass/kelp of some type. It was all over the beach. That big mass was moving south with the tide. I'm not sure if it will make it to Marina Beach but have a plan B. That stuff gets all tangled up on your lure, line and everything.

You will definitely see it on the beach if it's there. If the green stuff doesn't make it down then be sure to bring some topwater stuff too. The ocean has been very calm which is great for throwing a pencil popper or topwater of choice.

Still hit and miss SJ. Guys are catching fish but it's here, there and everywhere. Just not in one spot. I've heard Santa Cruz and Watsonville area has been a little better than the Monterey end. Still spotty fish up there but bigger fish have been caught.

I'm off tomorrow but have a school play to go to for the little one. Let us know how you did. Good Luck SJ!!!!

Is a "mickey's" a spoon? I have heard them talked about before but never seen one.

Buck,

Mickey Jig is more in line with a Kastmaster than a true spoon. Depending on your gear 1 1/2 oz to 2 oz. Good lure to throw when the schooling fish are a little further out.

Hit Marina Beach this morning at 0445. No wind, no seawead, not green stringy grass and great wave action. Two bait fisherman just got on the beach and were setting up. From what I could see, the save actions was nice. The tide was stettling down because it was on its way out. Little fog rolled in but still good visibility considering it was dark. One of the Vietnamese bait fisherman walked over and tells me, "Everything is perfect. We are going to catch stripers this morning!"

Left my back pack up on the beach. There was a stretch of beach about 200' between the two baitfisherman. My plan was to work that water back and forth throwing a pencil popper. After about 20 mintues of throwing and walking back and forth I get slammed! I wait to make sure the fish has it before trying to rip its lips off......then nothing!!!!!!! Reeled in the popper the rest of the way and was getting to cast when I noticed a loop of line hanging from the popper. When the fish hit it tangled about 4' of braid round the hooks of the popper. Turn on my headlight and get to work clearing the nest...no problem I"ve done this before. That braid was pulled so tight into a knot I had no choice but to cut it. Re-tied and amped up....going to catch a striper. First cast with a re-tie and I hear, "SNAP"....bye....bye popper. Threw the fricken thing to China!

Being the seasoned striper guy that I am I don't bat an eye I just dig into my back pack and within minutes got another popper on ready to go. By not the sun is just starting to rise and I can see through the light fog. I let that popper fly...point my rod towards the ocean and cant' wait to retrieve. Out of the corner of my right eye I see three Pelicans coming my way. I try to dip my rod to lower my line but that braid had such an arch to it that dipping the rod did nothing. The fricken Pelican got tangled in my braid. First instict was to put heat on him to get the bird to land. I've done this many of times with seagulls. To my surprise the Pelican was not even phased by it and kept flying with his buddies.

I scurry backwards to get my cutters out of my pack pack for the braid before the bird spools me. I cut the line just in time......I thought! Turned the head lamp back on only to find I had about 100' of line left. I fished that way til 0700 with no other bites.

Needless to say I was bumbed. I haven't had a day like that in a long time. Tucked my tail between my legs and left the beach I was so dissapointed. Condiitions were right. I just wasn't prepared. I normally keep my spare spool with me. I took it out last night and forgot to put it back in....

Sorry for the long post but I had to vent. My wife just doesn't understand the frustration I went through. HAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAA!

Glenn

Good report Glenn...this year i plan on doing more surf fishing..lets go eurojett.

Fished Monterey Dunes Colony Beach this evening. Only saw one fish about 20" long. The guys was throwing a soft swim bait. The striper season is early and the fish are already showing up. June and July should be off the hook!!!!!!!

I didn't make it out for stripers at Monterey on Tuesday (I partied a bit too hard the night before). I went out today to Pacifica to scope out the scene at my favorite beach. Conditions look great and it seems that the fish are around. I'm still stuck at 0 for the year... but hopefully that changes soon. I don't like to catch small fish so... maybe that's why I havent hooked up yet =P. Anyways, I threw a 2 oz. hair raiser, my mickey, and it was a bit too choppy for a popper. I think with the size of the fish and the water the way its been I'd go with hair raisers or fish traps. Aaanyways, I'm gonna be fishing out in the bay tonight for rays and I'm goign to bring my trout pole for the baby stripeys in there. If anyone wants to roll let me know. Unfortunately I'm not goign to be able to get out again for awhile after this weekend. Work conditions are looking like 10 days straight... BTW, Glenn, when you fish the "Monterey Dunes" do you park at Marina or are you parking elsewhere? I'd love to know if you'd perhaps like to share. If not, I hope to see you out there soon.

I'm ready JimmyG. Can't wait to throw this one.

NICE ONE! I think I better walk over and have a better look at that one....nice work btw

Fished MDC for perch for a couple of hours this morning. The guy next to me caught a nice 24" striper on store shrimp!!!!! That was the only striper I saw this morning.

I get asked the "tackle/gear" question all of the time. I'm usually very vague....This is why. The guy that caught the striper is an older Filipino guy I've seen fishing for years. He always uses the same rod, reel and rod holder. Everything is old and looks like hell. The rod has electrical tape holding it together. The reel is beat up but obviously functional.

My point is, you don't have to spend a lot of money to fish on the beach. The only thing that I guarantee the old guy does is wash his gear down after every outing and oils down his reel. I don't care what type of gear or lures you use if you don't wash your stuff down as soon as you get home it's a good bet rust will be all over it by morning.

I always recommend if you are going to spend money, spend it on a good saltwater rated reel. Stripers are around just got to find them. Can't for June, July and August. Striper fishing should be in full swing next month.

Glenn

Went out to Monterey Dunes this morning. Fished the incoming tide. The water was clear of any debris. I was fishing for perch and was able to hook and land one small striper, 14". I fished Del Monte Beach in Seaside the day before. Guys have been catching fish but still hit and miss. Surfers coming out of the water said they saw big stripers cruising the beach right past them. A couple of us out there threw lures in the hole they were near but nobody got a hit.

The fish are out there. June is around the corner. It's a matter of time before somebody reports where the fish are schooling!!!!

Glenn, what time of year or what months do the anchovy run?

Hey Kev,

I'm not sure exactly when the true season is for anchovies. I have a friend who is a commercial fisherman in Monterey and I'll find out. I do know last year around mid June I would fish the wharf at Monterey early in the morning and catch anchovies on a Sabki rig and use them for striper bait. I usually have guys call me when that it happening. I'll find out for you!

Fished Monterey Dunes on Saturday. No stripers for me but ran into a guy who got an early morning start. He caught a nice fish in the 8-10 pound range using a swimbait. Guys using bait (sand crabs) have been doing well at Zumdowski beach.

Anybody else have any info!!!!

Went out to the surf after work. There was a run of fish shortly before I got there and there was a lot of people fishing the beach I was at. Hair raisers and bombers. Saw guys with fish am saw a couple come up. Im going to be hitting this spot wednesday morning and evening. I have a good feeling that it will be productive. This is the first 'real' sign of life I've seen this season... at least number wise but I'm not as well connected. If anyone wants to roll on wed lemme know. Spot is a bit up north but I dont want to spot burn. South of half moon bay and north of santa cruz