Today was a complete 180 from yesterday's beach conditions.

Yesterday, sunny, warm, chest to head high surf from the south. Today, fog, wind and a fading swell.

South swells over the past few days have really brought the water temperture back up. Before last week's rain the water was about 60degrees today it's 68. Warmer water has brought the sand crabs back to the surface with a vengence!

This will bring the corbina and croaker back in to feed--Although first, we will need for the trash and kelp to subside which will happen over the next few days.

Yesterday and today's fishing was slow with a handfull of perch on the sand crab and grub.

This weekend and into next week there are some great tides and a diminishing south swell. Take one last time to catch some crabs before winter and enjoy some great fall surf fishing.

This entire week provided beautiful morning beach conditions with small waves and calm winds.

The perch bite still remains strong and will only get better as the fall settles in. The water temp has dropped in the last couple of weeks and slowed down the bite on the corbina but perch and croaker are still biting well.

The very last of the sand crabs are making their way to the top of the sand. We probably only have a couple of weeks before they are mostly gone for the winter!

It's your last time to collect crabs before winter.

So, as the water cools, look for them mostly at high tide near the high water mark or at low tide out from shore on the first sand bar past the inshore trough. Use a rake, as you can see on my "Bait" page or dig with your hands and sift through the sand.

I like to put them in a zip top bag with a packet of hot sauce and freeze them for winter.

Next week has some challenging tides for fishing. There will be very small swings in tide movement so look for areas where the water is moving the most (around structure like jetties , points, etc.) and you'll find fish.

The following week, the last week of Sept., will have some fantastic tides. So get your bait ready this week and you'll knock them dead (or catch and release) next week!

I've been using the Carolina Rig with 6lb flourocarbon and a very sharp split shot hook (you can find these in my store) Take a look by CLICKING HEREMany of us lose fish or just get bites because our hook is not sharp enough. Surf fish inhale your bait, crush it, exhale your bait and repeat. To have any chance of hooking a fish while the bait is in it's mouth you'll need a very sharp, thin hook. If you've been surf fishing and you get bites but no fish this may be why.

The past two weeks have seen some wild swings in local water tempertures. Last week the water had dropped to about 62 then rebounded to 68, just to cool off again yesterday to around 66, because of a strong West afternoon wind.


This has churned the water up and kept the temps below normal. We usually see the water cool to the mid 60 in October in part because of the shorter days. But this year it has come earlier and knocked the fish off the bite.
















A brace of perch with parasites

Fishing today was good with a handfull of small barred perch, many caught on the motor oil Slider grub. Grubs are good to use to find the schools of fish and then change to crabs or mussel to target larger fish.



Another effect from the cooler water is the disappearance of sand crabs. It now takes about an hour to gather 20 crabs and each day they seem to be getting harder to find as the water cools.


But that is not always bad. Cooler water and less food means the fish will look for other bait. This time of year is good for crabs and mussel. Also, the 1 1/2inch grub begin to work well--now through spring--for perch, yellowfin croaker, hailbut and the occasional corbina.



The upcoming two weeks have some great morning and evening tides. If your thinking of catching some sand crabs before they are gone for winter--now is the time! Place a handful in a small ziplock and freeze them for winter. To give them an instant kick and you more fish--squeeze in a packet of taco sauce before freezing. I guarantee it will drive the winter perch crazy!


I've been using the Carolina Rig with 6lb flourocarbon and a very sharp split shot hook (you can find these in my store) Take a look by CLICKING HERE


Many of us lose fish or just get bites because our hook is not sharp enough. Surf fish inhale your bait, crush it, exhale your bait and repeat. To have any chance of hooking a fish while the bait is in it's mouth you'll need a very sharp, thin hook. If you've been surf fishing and you get bites but no fish this may be why.

Green Camo (left)

Motor Oil (right)

ORDER HERE