Mission Beach 7/26

[jwacky]

Weird conditions at Mission Beach this morning. Woke up to rain, but quick weather check showed it was passing early. Line in the water by 6am.

Very calm, clean water. Small waves, but the occasional strong surge kept things a little interesting. Nothing nothing nothing then all of a sudden up to my knees in water. And then it’d pull back out for a while.

No sand crabs in sight

Managed to pull in 7 or 8 perch, mostly small. Dried lug worms and gulp camo worms were what I had and were what worked. Not the most exciting session but the quantity was there.

Any suggestions for other live bait in lieu of sand crabs to attract something other than perch? Of course whatever it is will still draw attention from perch but I don’t think I’ve caught anything of note on the gulp worms, and they take the lugworms too quick for anything else to get to them.

[Midnightpass]

Try blood worms... Quite a bit tougher... But the perchies still love 'em... Warning though $$$
Butch

[pseudoMoGil]

Thanks for the report! I was at Torrey Pines twice last week and where i was able to find sand crabs reliably for most of June, there was super slim pickings last week. thinking of doing some bay fishing, but its hard to stay away from the beach when i see huge corbina in the surf every time i go out!

[jwacky]

Thanks for the report! I was at Torrey Pines twice last week and where i was able to find sand crabs reliably for most of June, there was super slim pickings last week. thinking of doing some bay fishing, but its hard to stay away from the beach when i see huge corbina in the surf every time i go out!

Agreed!! I’ve moved to the bay a few times in the past year after slow going at the beach, but I just never enjoy it as much from the shore. Tiny perch will have to do in the meantime

[Nelson 1]

Thanks for the report! I was at Torrey Pines twice last week and where i was able to find sand crabs reliably for most of June, there was super slim pickings last week. thinking of doing some bay fishing, but its hard to stay away from the beach when i see huge corbina in the surf every time i go out!

I am not having much luck surf fishing. Just little ones . I am going out on Mission Bay Thursday. I need to feel the strong
Tug of the SBB.

[DarkShadow]

Warm water ain't gonna help things out with the sand crabs. Way too warm for them already in July.

[Andrew_WOT]

Got skunked Tuesday morning at TP, could only find micro crabs, gulp worms, dried lugworms, fishbites, plastic grubs, nothing worked, not even a nibble.
Saturday evening as some family beach time side activity were able to forage some medium sized crabs, good incoming tide, but no bites whatsoever, swell was too strong, pulling 1oz sinker to the shore in no time, some salad in the water, but manageable, other than that it was a washing machine, don't think fish would come close to the shore in such condition. Few fishermen I've met had just as much luck as myself.
Looks like swell gets doubled incoming week.
Also check out Bill Varney's recent report, talking about tough times in SD, water temperature and how it affects sand crabs.

[jwacky]

Got skunked Tuesday morning at TP, could only find micro crabs, gulp worms, dried lugworms, fishbites, plastic grubs, nothing worked, not even a nibble.
Saturday evening as some family beach time side activity were able to forage some medium sized crabs, good incoming tide, but no bites whatsoever, swell was too strong, pulling 1oz sinker to the shore in no time, some salad in the water, but manageable, other than that it was a washing machine, don't think fish would come close to the shore in such condition. Few fishermen I've met had just as much luck as myself.
Looks like swell gets doubled incoming week.
Also check out Bill Varney's recent report, talking about tough times in SD, water temperature and how it affects sand crabs.

Guess we can’t have it all here in San Diego! Tough times being very relative, ha.

Bad news on the incoming large swells, but glad I was getting some time in between storms. Better start looking for tee times and stick to golf for the next week or so

[DarkShadow]

I'm just dipping my feet into this salt water thing, so I have to ask.

How do large swells affect bays? Mission, San Diego? Can you escape them in there?

[Nelson 1]

I'm just dipping my feet into this salt water thing, so I have to ask.

How do large swells affect bays? Mission, San Diego? Can you escape them in there?

Large swells don't affect Mission Bay were i fish in my canoe. It's the wakes from boats and jetskis that get me. I always try to fish incoming tides.

[coconutknocker]

it's been while since I replied to a thread on sdfish.org.

During summer months, I prefer to do my fishing sessions in the afternoon. When I see a series of peak high tides around 5pm' to 7pm on the tide charts, I'll hit up anywhere between the stretch of south mission to pb. I'm always equipped with three things to carry, my rod&reel, my backpack with only necessary terminal tackle for SCs as bait plus a few plastic baits as backup and my homemade SC rake that I had for over 20+ years. so far, I really never had any problems locating SCs. My experience over many summer sessions collecting SCs, has been only when the incoming tide is at least 4+ feet and when the swash begins reaching the high tide shoreline. I'll walk a long the shoreline and search for SC beds with multiple black sand V patterns in the sand, where I can see SC two antennaes sticking out at the point of each of the v patterns. When the next uprush rolls in, I'll simply drag my SC rake on the SC bed against the shore uprush or just wait and drag my SC rake on the SC bed against the shore back rush. I'll pick out the keepers and dump the rest back.

You don't really need a SC rake. For me it's just easier, but the downside is lugging it around. Using a small colander to collect SCs will do just find. I keep this colander in my car just in case.

old SC rake needs a paint job

During my last afternoon shesh, I collected a lot of dime size SCs with eggs. Caught eight BSP two were nearly nine inches and the rest were six to sub six inches in a few holes a long the stretch of PB and north mission.

So far, this summer season, I caught only couple of beans, one SNGF, and multiple BSP. I'm still waiting to land a SFC or YFC.

Tight lines!

[pseudoMoGil]

it's been while since I replied to a thread on sdfish.org.

During summer months, I prefer to do my fishing sessions in the afternoon. When I see a series of peak high tides around 5pm' to 7pm on the tide charts, I'll hit up anywhere between the stretch of south mission to pb. I'm always equipped with three things to carry, my rod&reel, my backpack with only necessary terminal tackle for SCs as bait plus a few plastic baits as backup and my homemade SC rake that I had for over 20+ years. so far, I really never had any problems locating SCs. My experience over many summer sessions collecting SCs, has been only when the incoming tide is at least 4+ feet and when the swash begins reaching the high tide shoreline. I'll walk a long the shoreline and search for SC beds with multiple black sand V patterns in the sand, where I can see SC two antennaes sticking out at the point of each of the v patterns. When the next uprush rolls in, I'll simply drag my SC rake on the SC bed against the shore uprush or just wait and drag my SC rake on the SC bed against the shore back rush. I'll pick out the keepers and dump the rest back.

You don't really need a SC rake. For me it's just easier, but the downside is lugging it around. Using a small colander to collect SCs will do just find. I keep this colander in my car just in case.

1785438316759977541357057914198.jpg

During my last afternoon shesh, I collected a lot of dime size SCs with eggs. Caught eight BSP two were nearly nine inches and the rest were six to sub six inches in a few holes a long the stretch of PB and north mission.

So far, this summer season, I caught only couple of beans, one SNGF, and multiple BSP. I'm still waiting to land a SFC or YFC.

Tight lines!

thats a cool scraper! ive experimented with a few different options and am currently using a stainless steel kitchen colander. right there with ya, still waiting on a SFC. i typically fish in the mornings since its easier to get parking usually and less crowded, but maybe i need to go after the afternoon bite…

[Perch killer]

it's been while since I replied to a thread on sdfish.org.

During summer months, I prefer to do my fishing sessions in the afternoon. When I see a series of peak high tides around 5pm' to 7pm on the tide charts, I'll hit up anywhere between the stretch of south mission to pb. I'm always equipped with three things to carry, my rod&reel, my backpack with only necessary terminal tackle for SCs as bait plus a few plastic baits as backup and my homemade SC rake that I had for over 20+ years. so far, I really never had any problems locating SCs. My experience over many summer sessions collecting SCs, has been only when the incoming tide is at least 4+ feet and when the swash begins reaching the high tide shoreline. I'll walk a long the shoreline and search for SC beds with multiple black sand V patterns in the sand, where I can see SC two antennaes sticking out at the point of each of the v patterns. When the next uprush rolls in, I'll simply drag my SC rake on the SC bed against the shore uprush or just wait and drag my SC rake on the SC bed against the shore back rush. I'll pick out the keepers and dump the rest back.

You don't really need a SC rake. For me it's just easier, but the downside is lugging it around. Using a small colander to collect SCs will do just find. I keep this colander in my car just in case.

1785438316759977541357057914198.jpg

During my last afternoon shesh, I collected a lot of dime size SCs with eggs. Caught eight BSP two were nearly nine inches and the rest were six to sub six inches in a few holes a long the stretch of PB and north mission.

So far, this summer season, I caught only couple of beans, one SNGF, and multiple BSP. I'm still waiting to land a SFC or YFC.

Tight lines!

I like the late afternoon/sunset sessions as well on a rising tide but have all but given up on them during the summer months as to the beaches closest to me . . . Mission & PB. Single biggest problem is parking, mostly impossible to find anything close in or a short walk. Can't tell you the number of times I just quit & returned home. When I got lucky, you then have to contend with the hordes of beachgoers. Didn't mind that too much as its to be expected. I did mind being in an open spot & being told to move by a LG because some folks wanted to set up & picnic where I was fishing. Probably will do some late day outings after Labor Day when the schools are all back in session and crowds have thinned out. Re sand crabs, I haven't seen any visible beds on the open beaches over the past month or so during rising tides but once in awhile have found some beds further out during a deep low tide. You can also at times still find some under the pier in PB.