FISH REPORT: Salty anglers turn to perch

Central Coast saltwater anglers are running out of options.
Thanks to recent rockcod closures, saltwater fishermen are stuck on the beach searching for spawning surf fish.
The wide range of winter tides has been perfect for larger spawners, especially feisty barred surfperch that can reach sizes of 17 inches and a couple pounds in some areas.
While most anglers from San Diego to Santa Cruz have resorted to pier fishing for the large perch with vertical bronze bars and spots on each side, wader-clad surf fishermen are having plenty of luck from the shore. That’s where the big ones are, swimming in schools along the breaks. Silver, calico, redtail and smaller walleye surfperch can also be caught up and down the coast, with your best bet for catching barred perch coming from Pismo Beach to San Simeon.
In Morro Bay, just north of Morro Rock at Morro Strand State Beach, anglers are hauling in barred perch on mud shrimp, sand crabs and plastic grubs.
Rubber lipped and rainbow perch can be caught further north in the Monterey Bay area with pile worms near rock piles and kelp beds.
If the wind picks up, or the weather turns sour, those perch often hug the shoreline of inner bays where the water is calm.
The go-to bait in all conditions seems to be motor oil grubs with gold or red flakes. Scented attractants such as shrimp- or crayfish-smelling baits can help pick up the action.
Fly fishermen are catching fish on streamers and various shrimp flies and always have a chance to hook up with stripers, steelhead or other sought-after species.
The larger barred perch that have been recorded have come from the waters above Morro Bay in Cayucos and Cambria.
Most anglers use spinning reels and seven- to eight-foot rods. Ten- to 12-pound test line and a leader with size 6 to 2 hooks and a pyramid weight work best. But the size and weight of tackle should correlate with conditions such as the drift, tide and wave height and frequency.
It’s recommended that anglers fish knee to waist deep in waders, but try to keep their line high off the water to avoid overshooting the surf zone. If anglers are fishing more than 50 feet out from a beach’s average low-water mark, they’re probably missing fish until later on in their retrieve.
Although surfperch can be caught all day long, it’s best to work breaks early when the conditions are calm. Those morning sessions are even better when tides begin to fluctuate from extremely high (7.0) to a consistent stretch of negative lows.
If the conditions seem perfect and you’re still not hooking fish, downsize to 8-pound test and keep walking the beach until you find a school.
If your timing is right, a five-fish limit could be reached within the hour.