Northwest Fishing Reports

What's your standard surfperch rig?

I had great hopes for a rig used in Florida pompano fishing but field trials showed me it won't work. I liked it because the hook lines (leader? snood? trace?)(12# mono) are tied directly to the main body of the rig (30# mono) with a barrel swivel at top and a snap swivel at the bottom for the weight. This made it as simple as the standard two dropper surf rig but with lighter traces. Unfortunately when using offset hooks these traces twisted up so badly as to be useless.

Looks like I'll have to go back to using three way swivels in my hi/lo rig.

I'm also using #2 Gamakatsu offset circle hooks (Gamakatsu 2084 Octopus Hooks, Circle, Offset Point, Ns Black) snelled onto my trace. I find I deep hook many fewer fish this way and since I'm letting them all go that's a big deal for me.

I'll go back to my old standard of a barrel swivel, 30# mono to a three way swivel, a trace and hook on the side arm with more 30# mono below to another three way swivel down to a snap lock to a sinker. I used pyramid sinkers in the surf last year but I like to use as little weight as possible. This year I'm going to try some claw sinkers to see if I can drop the weight an ounce or so.

That's my "heavy" surf rig. I also like catching them on light spinning gear while wading but that's a whole different game.

Have you got a favorite? Have you found any reason to go to lighter lines? I haven't seen any evidence at all that surfperch are line shy at all but I'm still a rank amateur.

John

I switch back-and-forth between a drop shot with two hooks trailing off, and a Carolina rig. Last time I went out, I had to switch to a Carolina rig after first trying to drop shot. There was a lot of seaweed floating around and all the drop shot was doing was collecting seaweed. The minute I switched over to the Carolina rig, fish on. The time before that the drop shot performed better. So if one isn't working, switch to the other.

For both of my rigs, I use 30 pound braid as my main line and 15 to 20 pound mono leader. Haven't had any problems. I started with number two hooks, but I have found that I've had much more success with number six hooks. Have even used number eight and done well with those, but number six seems to be the sweet spot for me. And i've had much better luck with octopus hooks versus bait holder hooks. Also when running the Carolina rig, I've found best success with about a 2 ft leader. Much longer than that and I've not done nearly as well.

The real difference in success that I found is bait. I absolutely knock them dead with sand shrimp, or nightcrawlers. I've tried artificial's and all other kinds of bait and always come back to sand shrimp and nightcrawlers. Only 2 baits I'll use. Pump shrimp for free at low tide, and night crawlers are a couple bucks per dozen and I usually get 3 usable chunks per night crawler.

Oh, and I've had the best luck with 2 ounces of weight. Pyramid for the drop shot, and cannonball for the Carolina.

If your tracers are wrapping around your mainline, shorten the tracer. I use the store-bought pre-tied Snells, and they are 6 inches maximum. Don't have any issues with those wrapping up.

Use a heavy mainline (30#) and tie the pretied snells on it with an overhand knot. I run them about a foot and a half apart. About 3 feet below that, tie on a rock. Doesn't have to be too heavy, it can drift around. Square rocks are easier to tie on. If you're having trouble tying them on, use a zip tie around it, tie onto the zip tie. Will save you at least a buck per rig, lead is expensive. Fish sand shrimp or pile worms, they're free if you dig them yourself, you will catch 300% more fish. Nightcrawlers are a decent replacement for pile worms, but they don't last as long. Clam necks stay on the hook better, but they will not catch you as many or as big fish. Perch are not line shy. I've recommended this rig to my fishing buddies, and when they on't use it, I outfish them 3:1 everytime. Simple is the key when salt fishing.

I don't think we can legally harvest pile worms in Washington.

I tried store bought sand shrimp but couldn't keep them on the hook. I didn't know to use the thread to hold them on. I've been looking for sand shrimp burrows but I've never seen one. And yeah, the pile worms are illegal to collect in WA. I've used clam necks as well as Gulp and both worked fairly well. I've caught a few on rubber grubs as well.

Pretty sure pile worms aren't going to get you in trouble. The guys at Westport have been using them for years. I guess you could contact WDFW to find out if you're worried about it.

Sand shrimp will stay on the hook just fine as long as you cast easy. Dig your own so that you can have plenty. Use more than one hook, because if they bite one off the hook, they'll come back for the second one for sure. If you're interested in digging your own here's an article I wrote - http://www.natetreatfishing.com/pumping-sand-shrimp/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You're going to catch way more fish with sand shrimp than you will with any other bait. Trust me, I know.

Sand shrimp is where it's at. As soon as your gear hits the bottom you better get that line tight because they are going to nail it immediately. You get one shot pretty much. When they hit it, you either hook them, or they got your bait and you might as well bring it in, re-bait and get back out there.

Don't mess with the store bought shrimp, unless you have no other choice. And even then, you need live shrimp. The cured ones are garbage.

Go get a $15 PVC slurp gun and slurp them up at low tide. Their burrows look like little volcano mounds with a hole in the middle. Sand shrimp are candy to those fish. I use the tails, and if I run out of tails, I'll resort to using the body/heads. And yes, you'll need to learn how to use stretchy thread unless you want to re-bait almost every cast. Plenty of instructional how-to's on the net.

And pile worms are definitely illegal to harvest in Washington...verified it. Page 129 and 132 under unclassified invertebrates.

mizm05 wrote:Sand shrimp is where it's at. As soon as your gear hits the bottom you better get that line tight because they are going to nail it immediately. You get one shot pretty much. When they hit it, you either hook them, or they got your bait and you might as well bring it in, re-bait and get back out there.

Don't mess with the store bought shrimp, unless you have no other choice. And even then, you need live shrimp. The cured ones are garbage.

Go get a $15 PVC slurp gun and slurp them up at low tide. Their burrows look like little volcano mounds with a hole in the middle. Sand shrimp are candy to those fish. I use the tails, and if I run out of tails, I'll resort to using the body/heads. And yes, you'll need to learn how to use stretchy thread unless you want to re-bait almost every cast. Plenty of instructional how-to's on the net.

And pile worms are definitely illegal to harvest in Washington...verified it. Page 129 and 132 under unclassified invertebrates.

Yep. remember when you came out with me and I told you to use shrimp? I knew you'd come around. Did you end up getting a pump after that?

As for pile worms being illegal, that's dumb. I guess WDFW has to have their fingers in everything. Apparently it's a new-ish regulation. We've been using them for years and years. Sand shrimp work great though. As for the berkley plastics, they're a waste of money. If you want to spend $$$ on your trips, go ahead, but they don't work nearly as well, and they're like 7 bucks a pop. Lead sinkers are also a waste of money. So are those bottom fish spreader bars. Use rocks, they're free. The only big money I spend out there are the steel leaders I use for lings and the 14/0 circle hooks I use for fishing live bait for lings. And you usually don't lose those to the rocks. A big beater rod works great, the wilderness downrigger rods are ten bucks, and have no problem slinging big weight. A spool of 40-50 pound maxima or 100 lbs power pro will last you years, and you don't need a fancy reel either. Like I said, you can spend as much money on gear as you want, but you won't uup your catch ratio any more. If you bring out expensive gear in the salt, sand and rocks, you're going to wear out your expensive gear fast. I limit out on everything nearly every time I hit Westport, even when others go home skunked. Been fishing Westport jetty since I was a kid, the tackle I go through costs me 5 bucks, not a buck a piece of lead. Save your money for gas and pizza on the way home.

Yeah, I WANT to use sand shrimp. I just don't want to buy the half dead ones in the store and I've never seen what I thought was a hole for one. I got a slurp gun this year. I figure any time I see a hole I'll give it a shot and eventually I'll learn what I'm supposed to be looking for.

They're in the estuaries where you would dig steamers. Tons of them. Lots of beaches in puget sound have 'em too.

Apparently none of the estuaries I've been to. But then I don't dig steamer clams. I really don't LIKE clams.

Anyway, I've seen photos of their burrows. I've seen a few holes in the sand. This summer I'll see what's down them.

If you're headed out to Westport, which is your best bet for fish, hit the sand around the fishing pier at low tide. Can't miss.

natetreat wrote:

mizm05 wrote:Sand shrimp is where it's at. As soon as your gear hits the bottom you better get that line tight because they are going to nail it immediately. You get one shot pretty much. When they hit it, you either hook them, or they got your bait and you might as well bring it in, re-bait and get back out there.

Don't mess with the store bought shrimp, unless you have no other choice. And even then, you need live shrimp. The cured ones are garbage.

Go get a $15 PVC slurp gun and slurp them up at low tide. Their burrows look like little volcano mounds with a hole in the middle. Sand shrimp are candy to those fish. I use the tails, and if I run out of tails, I'll resort to using the body/heads. And yes, you'll need to learn how to use stretchy thread unless you want to re-bait almost every cast. Plenty of instructional how-to's on the net.

And pile worms are definitely illegal to harvest in Washington...verified it. Page 129 and 132 under unclassified invertebrates.

Yep. remember when you came out with me and I told you to use shrimp? I knew you'd come around. Did you end up getting a pump after that?

LOL...yeah my buddy went out and got supplies and made us a couple pump guns. Sand shrimp are the key. I could see how well they were working that day...but didn't want to impose and use too many of your shrimp...even though I know you were offering. But yes, sand shrimp are hands down the best bait for those fish.

Pile worms are not illegal. I personally spoke with Dan Ayres, He is the Lead Biologist for Coastal Shellfish in Region six. He told me that the words "Marine Worms" do not include Pileworms. I have a letter from him that he downloaded,
http;//wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/statewide_rules.html

If you have questions please contact him at Daniel.Ayres@div.wa.gov.

Thank you.

natetreat wrote:If you're headed out to Westport, which is your best bet for fish, hit the sand around the fishing pier at low tide. Can't miss.

Thanks. I might go by there just to be sure I know what I'm looking for.

I visited Westport once. I missed the finger jetties entirely and there were a ton of surfers as well as fishermen and visitors on the beaches South of the main jetty. I REALLY don't like fishing in crowds. Fishing always meant quiet and solitude to me. It's one of the reasons I started chasing surfperch instead of the combat fishing on the piers when the salmon were in.

I'm looking forward to a learning summer. I fished a summer or two and then missed two summers for various reasons. I'm anxious to get back to it.

I appreciate all the help.

Unfortunately, where the fish are, there are fishermen. The Westport jetty is one, if not the number one, best places in the state to get fish. Getting away from the crowds means chasing cutthroat and dollies on salmon less streams, hiking into alpine lakes and driving long distances.

That being said, we don't bite! Most guys welcome the company. The reason I fish is for camaraderie, nothing beats making new friends at your favorite fishing spots. I'm naturally a social person, while I enjoy peace and solitude, fishing is just as fun when there are other people. Especially kids. I love teaching families how to fish together, whether they hire me, or happen to be at the same place as I am.

That's why I'm after surfperch. Low pressure, good numbers, and LOTS of empty beaches.

I'm not allergic to people. But when it gets to be shoulder to shoulder I'm having about as much fun as if I was standing on an elevator.

This spring and summer I get to take the girlfriend's grandkids (3 and 6) fishing. I'm really looking forward to it!