07-03-2013, 01:52 PM
[#0000FF]I used to live in Sacramento and often had business in Santa Cruz or Monterrey. Always carried tackle and fished off the piers or beaches whenever I could.
The beaches between Santa Cruz and Monterrey are mostly sand...with moderate surf. There can be some good light tackle fishing for several surf perch species as well as jack smelt and other smaller fishes. But sometimes stripers will be available if they are foraging inshore for the little fishes.
Use fresh water spin tackle, light line and small jigs for the perch and smelt. Tip with shrimp, mussel or clams to increase the bite. You can sometimes do well with small spinners and spoons. Some of the surfperch give live birth and predators eat them. Something small and flashy will get quick reaction bites in swirling turbid surf. Small tube jigs in either bright colors or in subdued shades of brown or green can be dynamite when fish are feeding on sand worms or other similar goodies.
For stripers you will need heavier surf rods and either big lures or whole anchovies or sardines. Large Rapalas work well as do big shiny spoons.
There are a bunch of different species available off the piers...depending on season and movements. Most of them have tackle shops either on the piers or nearby. They sell the right baits and rigs and can tell you what is running and how to fish for them. Most will also have rental gear.
Wind and tides can play a big part in both fishability and fishing success. Always best when you can fish a high tide early in the morning. That's when the surf species come in closest to the beach to forage on sand worms, sand crabs and other invertebrates. And you can often do well with short casts into the deeper troughs just off the beach.
The opposite scenario is low tide with big waves piled in with strong onshore breezes. Tough fishing then.
Have fun and good fishing. If you have the time try to get down to the big aquarium in Monterrey. Kinda spendy but well worth the visit. Some good seafood on Fisherman's Wharf too. One of my favorite places in the USA. Santa Cruz is nice too. But unless you get to the pier early there is a severe parking problem. You can always go play on the boardwalk. Disneyland by the sea. Great eye candy being on the beach...and I don't mean the water and the boats.
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The beaches between Santa Cruz and Monterrey are mostly sand...with moderate surf. There can be some good light tackle fishing for several surf perch species as well as jack smelt and other smaller fishes. But sometimes stripers will be available if they are foraging inshore for the little fishes.
Use fresh water spin tackle, light line and small jigs for the perch and smelt. Tip with shrimp, mussel or clams to increase the bite. You can sometimes do well with small spinners and spoons. Some of the surfperch give live birth and predators eat them. Something small and flashy will get quick reaction bites in swirling turbid surf. Small tube jigs in either bright colors or in subdued shades of brown or green can be dynamite when fish are feeding on sand worms or other similar goodies.
For stripers you will need heavier surf rods and either big lures or whole anchovies or sardines. Large Rapalas work well as do big shiny spoons.
There are a bunch of different species available off the piers...depending on season and movements. Most of them have tackle shops either on the piers or nearby. They sell the right baits and rigs and can tell you what is running and how to fish for them. Most will also have rental gear.
Wind and tides can play a big part in both fishability and fishing success. Always best when you can fish a high tide early in the morning. That's when the surf species come in closest to the beach to forage on sand worms, sand crabs and other invertebrates. And you can often do well with short casts into the deeper troughs just off the beach.
The opposite scenario is low tide with big waves piled in with strong onshore breezes. Tough fishing then.
Have fun and good fishing. If you have the time try to get down to the big aquarium in Monterrey. Kinda spendy but well worth the visit. Some good seafood on Fisherman's Wharf too. One of my favorite places in the USA. Santa Cruz is nice too. But unless you get to the pier early there is a severe parking problem. You can always go play on the boardwalk. Disneyland by the sea. Great eye candy being on the beach...and I don't mean the water and the boats.
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