Surfperch are so much fun. If you like the beach and fishing than they are for you. I took the kids camping on last time at Cape Disappointment State Park. I had a fishing session on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Both were good fishing with different results.
Saturday - Incoming tide to high tide: I caught over 30 fish. 3 species, Redtail, Silver and Walleye Surfperch. They were all on the small side and wanted Berkley Gulp Sandworms in Camo. It was a nearly every cast sort of afternoon. I even got my 13 year old daughter to catch 2 on her own. I was planning on keeping some for dinner but the biggest was maybe 10 inches.
Sunday - Outgoing tide near low: I caught about 20 fish and released them all. This is not the "best" time to fish for these guys. The 2 hours on either side of high tide is often the best. This was an exception. I found a rip tide zone and caught a consistent bite on Big Hammer Perch Grubs in motor oil red flake (my standard bait). The fish we the bigs ones and all Redtails. What a blast. The fish in the picture was the biggest.
I fish a light set up for these fish. 8'6" medium action Steelhead rod, 3000 size spinning gear with 20# braid. I rig either either 2" Berkley Gulp Sandworms or Big Hammer Perch Grubs on a Carolina rig with a 3/4 ounce tungsten weight and a #6 bait keeper hook. The Grubs hold up better (and cost less) so I try them first. The fish will take one or the other most of the time. There were several anglers taking limits on Saturday and there are still tons of fish out there. The biomass of fish must be incredible.