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Fish to Target in Northern California
Here's a list of fish to target in the NorCal Shores, Surf and Rock - from easiest to hardest:
SURF PERCH
Easiest fish of all to catch from shore. Throw on a Hi-Lo Rig, size 4-2 hooks, some shrimp, sand crabs, Berkeley Sand Worms or pile worms and you will likely catch a perch. Striped Surf Perch are found mainly in rocky, kelpy areas. Barred, Red Tail, Calico and many others are found on sandy ocean floors near the surf. Find a "Hole" cast in, let your line soak for 10 minutes and then pull in your perch. A Carolina rig works well for Perch too. Use a 2oz pyramid weight with a 3ft leader and slowly troll the bottom. Emphasis on SLOWLY.
STRIPED BASS
Most likely to catch from May-November in the ocean. Other times they are up in Sacramento. Bucktails/Hair Raisers, SP Minnows, occasional plugs and poppers will pull these game fish out. Stick with the first two for an overall higher chance to hook up. Besides lures, good ol' soft shell sand crabs from the wash zone in the surf make excellent bait paired with a 5oz weight and Fish Finder Rig. I've caught 90% of my Stripers this way.
ROCKFISH (LINGCOD, CABEZON, GREENLINGS)
Swimbaits!! Best time to practice your swimbait skills are when going for rockfish, lings, and cabs. Find a remote rocky area on the coast. The water should be calm (low swell, low wind) and rocky. Careful not to let the jig drag bottom or you'll lose more tackle than you'd care to admit. If swim baits aren't working, use squid with a Hi Lo or 3 way swivel. Shrimp works too but squid weeds away the Perch. If you're going for RCG (Rocks, Cabs, Greenlings), use a lighter line to attach your weight so you don't lose your entire leader. A lost weight is better than a lost weight, two hooks and a leader.
HALIBUT
Live bait (IE: anchovies or smelt) slowly trolled or left to soak should entice a Halibut from shore in SF Bay. Lures like bucktails will get 'em to strike too.
BAIT FISH
Sabiki! Grab the sabiki, 1- 1.5 oz weight and let er rip into the school. When the line drops you will feel a constant pulsating. That's when you know your right over them. Keep your line near the top column of water. Either slowly jig it or let it sink and pull swiftly to snag some bait (or dinner!).
SHARKS & RAYS
Squid. 60-90lb steel leader shark rig. Fishfinder. Get 'em in Bays.
SALMON
On a charter boat, you can troll for them with a 2-3 lb ball to keep your line down. The charters in the Bay Area use a Salmon Release Clip that will drop your weight once you hook into a fish. Bait is thawed anchovies on a Super Flex Baiter that will give the bait a nice "roll" in the water as trolled.
On rivers, you can back bounce a size 2-4 teardrop or cannon ball weight depending how fast the current is flowing. You want to feel bottom every second or two. Bait and set up is normally an eggloop knot tied to 1/0 to 3/0 barbless hook. 2-3 ft leader is below the weight.
MISC
Sand dabs, lizard fish, true smelt, sturgeon, sea bass, midshipmen, monkey faced prickle backs. They're out there... somewhere.
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