PB and MB 7/1

[Perch killer]

Tough going this morning. Seaforth was totally out of fresh bait. Would have to make do with dried lugs & a few leftover frozen sc's if no crabs on the beach. On the sand at PB at 6:30, a nice trough between LG station & T 25 just below the pier. Incoming tide still real shallow after earlier low. No crab beds in sight or blind digging. Didn't look under the pier. Three other anglers working same area. Didn't see anyone getting into anything. Not even a perch nibble so after 45 minutes took off for Mission. A nice hole by T 13 but same scenario, no crab beds. Did find a few by blind digging but no takers on them or lugs. No bites and not even a perch nibble for just about an hour when a small guitar fish hit one of the crabs. That was it but avoided the dreaded skunk !

The inconsistency in finding crab beds this summer is real strange to me. Not like previous summers when once they appeared, the beds usually could be found everywhere all summer. Can someone explain what's going on ? El Nino effect or what ?

[Fullmetal37]

Tough going this morning. Seaforth was totally out of fresh bait. Would have to make do with dried lugs & a few leftover frozen sc's if no crabs on the beach. On the sand at PB at 6:30, a nice trough between LG station & T 25 just below the pier. Incoming tide still real shallow after earlier low. No crab beds in sight or blind digging. Didn't look under the pier. Three other anglers working same area. Didn't see anyone getting into anything. Not even a perch nibble so after 45 minutes took off for Mission. A nice hole by T 13 but same scenario, no crab beds. Did find a few by blind digging but no takers on them or lugs. No bites and not even a perch nibble for just about an hour when a small guitar fish hit one of the crabs. That was it but avoided the dreaded skunk !

The inconsistency in finding crab beds this summer is real strange to me. Not like previous summers when once they appeared, the beds usually could be found everywhere all summer. Can someone explain what's going on ? El Nino effect or what ?

I’m pretty sure it’s a sand thing. In SoCal we get sand crabs in the summer because our beaches deposit sand in the summer. Storms and whatnot strip the sand in the winter to offshore sandbars. Which is why you’ll notice reef structure and rocks on beaches that were previously sand come December.

Anyways I think with the weird swell behavior we’ve been having the sand has moved in and out. I’ve personally noticed that near me that beaches that were filling in in May with sand have had their reef structure uncovered again.

[Mike M]

Nice skunkbuster guitarfish.

At my local beaches, crabs are more difficult to find at low tide and are higher up in the sand. My 6'3" fishing buddy, uses his hand to shovel high sand into his rake and then carries it to the water to sift. He's also the same guy who "chums" handfuls of sand for corbina... I've seen this work many times.

[Midnightpass]

Bill, congrats on the skunk buster... Tough to believe the lack of crabs... There seemed to be a lot of the micros around Memorial Day... Guess they never grew???
Butch

[jwacky]

Tough luck today but at least the SNGF saved things for ya.

Agreed on the crabs, I'm really not seeing much out there. I know by this time last year I was definitely using them. In fact, I didn't really start showing up to the beach with alternative, "just in case" bait until maybe late July/early August? The crabs were everywhere.

Strange, indeed. Even when I've been finding them recently, they've been fleeting and they've been small. Not like last summer where you couldn't stand in the sand without them crawling everywhere. Since I'm just entering my second year of surf fishing, I have no real knowledge of what's "normal" or not, but I'm picking up on this lack of crabs not being the usual experience this time of year.

[Perch killer]

Nice skunkbuster guitarfish.

At my local beaches, crabs are more difficult to find at low tide and are higher up in the sand. My 6'3" fishing buddy, uses his hand to shovel high sand into his rake and then carries it to the water to sift. He's also the same guy who "chums" handfuls of sand for corbina... I've seen this work many times.

Yes, low tide usually more difficult for crabs although I've fished some deep minus tides where there beds everywhere. But not this year. Your buddy is resourceful, stick close to him when he's chumming !

[Perch killer]

Tough luck today but at least the SNGF saved things for ya.

Agreed on the crabs, I'm really not seeing much out there. I know by this time last year I was definitely using them. In fact, I didn't really start showing up to the beach with alternative, "just in case" bait until maybe late July/early August? The crabs were everywhere.

Strange, indeed. Even when I've been finding them recently, they've been fleeting and they've been small. Not like last summer where you couldn't stand in the sand without them crawling everywhere. Since I'm just entering my second year of surf fishing, I have no real knowledge of what's "normal" or not, but I'm picking up on this lack of crabs not being the usual experience this time of year.

The normal Joe is what you experienced last year (and prior years), this year seems to be an anomaly. The few I found yesterday were either micros or large ones with roe. No softies or the perfect dime size ones.

[Midnightpass]

I remember back some years, we had couple year drought of sand crabs…. The BSP did a no-show those years too… YFC became the new beach skunk busters.. I got way more YFC than perch those years… I still don’t think Bolsa Chica ever rebounded from those times… Used to be my go-to fishing beach…. Not so much anymore…
Butch

[pseudoMoGil]

Was up at Del Mar today south of powerhouse park, was able to find a few large beds of sand crabs. I feel like Torrey Pines and Del Mar definitely are showing crabs, but there arent as many beds as last year. With a nice sand sifter ive been able to get enough for sessions so far. I’ve also noticed them towards the high tide line, so I have to fill up my colander and run down to the sand to sift haha