This week produced the complete gamut of surf and weather conditions at the beach.

(Monday's beach conditions)

The week started with cool offshore winds and medium to large surf. Early in the week there was a strong long-shore current running downhill that made fishing tough. It was essential to find protected pockets where fish could congregate and eat. As the week progressed the surf subsided and then built up again.

Most of this week's fish were small with a good steady bite of 8" -10" inch perch. The best bite of the week came on Thursday evening when I found a "ball" of shiner or walleye perch. It was a fish-a-cast using the lug worm or the lug worm grub combo.

The most frustrating day of fishing came on Jan. 2, when I ventured down to the beach, on the most awsome fishing day of the decade, and realized I needed a new license. No Problem--I'll just go to the tackle store and buy one. Two stores later and no license all I could do was watch the sunset and hope for better luck tomorrow.

(Wednesday's perfect conditions)

This weekend we'll just wait for the sky to clear and the wind and surf to drop off. We have some great tides starting today and running all the way through the month. The weather prognosticators don't really know what will happen this week but if it clears up the fishing will be good.

Birds working the surf mean yellowfin croaker, halibut or stripped bass are not far away

Surf fishing is always good after a storm. Most fish get blown off their usual feeding grounds by the surf and wind. Once the storm passes the current calms down and they settle back into place. Having been starved because of the storm, fish look for areas of circulating water, like the edge of a rip tide or a current area (like where rocks meet sand).

(Thursday's conditions)

Take this weekend to clean up your gear and get ready for the calm-between-storm--That's when the surf fishing will be good--I guarantee it!

Look for me at the Fred Hall Show, March 5-9, 2008, where I'll be having several seminars on light-line surf fishing and a great booth with all kinds of surf gear. Also, surf over to my website, if you haven't already, and view the new slide shows on many pages.

Check out the beach conditions and CHEAP surf tackle at: www.fishthesurf.com