Introduction:

Surfperch fishing with soft plastic grubs like the 1¾ inch Big Hammer perch grub is some of the most accessible and fun fishing available along the Pacific Coast. Besides various species of surfperch, anglers can also catch croaker, corbina and halibut on these super-small baits year round. Here are some basics for surfperch fishing along with some updated ideas designed to make your outing more fun and productive.

New Outfit?:

For gear, you probably already have an outfit you can use. Both baitcasting and spinning setups can be used but most prefer spinning as it's easier to cast the terminal rig described below. A fast to extra-fast graphite rod that's 6-6 to 8 feet paired with a spinning reel that holds 120 yards of 6 to 8-pound mono is perfect. Speaking of outfits, I wear chest waders in the winter and shorts and Tevas spring through fall here in Southern California.

It's Terminal:

The standard terminal rig to use is the Carolina Rig. Personally, I use 6-pound mono main line but switch to 6 or 8 pound fluorocarbon for the leader. The reason for this is that fluorocarbon is stiffer than mono so it better resists getting those pesky loop knots from the rig being tossed in the surf. Its low visibility in cleaner water doesn't hurt either. First, slide a 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2 oz. sliding egg sinker onto the main line. Next add a small glass or plastic bead to keep the sinker from running over the swivel. Tie a #10 or #12 barrel swivel to the main line. For leaders, I use a 18 to 24 inch length for most surf conditions. I will shorten down to a 15 to 20 inch leader if the surf is a bit larger so the bait stays down in the strike zone better. Long leaders tend to ride too high when the surf is up. After tying the leader to the swivel, it's time for your hook. There are two choices below. We are having incredible success with the Hammer-Hooking method-try it and believe.

Carolina Rig

Old School:

Traditional hooking typically utilizes a #4 baitholder-style hook threaded through the grub body. While this works and has been the standard for many years, there are some problems with this method. One of these is line twist-usually the leader alone or sometimes both the leader and the main line. Many times it's so severe that a barrel swivel isn't enough to counter the effect. Another problem is having the grub slide down from wear or short bites to the bend of the hook, thus preventing a good hook set. Lastly, smaller than desired perch are caught on occasion and it is sometimes difficult for the angler to get to the hook with this threading method.

Traditional hooking using a #4 baitholder-style hook.

New School:

The new Hammer-Hooking or open nose-hooking method uses a technique adapted from freshwater bass fishing where drop-shot baits are commonly hooked the same way. For this method, use a size 8, 6 or 4 Octopus-style hook like an an Owner Mosquito or Hayabusa Octopus. Simply run the hook point up through the body about 1-2 ribs back from the nose. Be sure that the hook is in line with the tail, not across it. This method of hooking allows greater action as the grub is able to swing on the hook bend. Line twist is virtually eliminated because there is no curve to the bait as with the traditional method mentioned previously-the curved hook is what causes the bait to spin.

New Hammer-Hooking using a #4 Octopus-style hook.

Although short bites will still occur, we actually hook more of those fish as there is no hook to "bump into" and they just keep biting their way up the grub until they are hooked. For this reason, it is important to keep winding in the grub once you're bit. Many times you will actually reel the fish onto the hook. Deep hooking is virtually a thing of the past. As the grub slides up out of the way on a hook set (sometimes even up the line like a marlin lure), the hook tends to set just behind the upper lip or in the corner of the mouth. Perfect for easy releasing.

Even small perch get hooked with the new method. Note how the grub slid up out of the way for a perfect corner of the mouth hookset.

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