San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

I went fishing several times over the past few weeks at several beaches in north county - ponto, beacons, grandview, tamarack, etc.

First thing I noticed is the perch bite is way stronger than usual at this time of year. I feel like it's usually at-most 2:1 at this time of year BSP to other species. Instead, it's more like 5:1. Anyone else notice this?

Second thing I noticed is that there are corbinas galore in the shallows, beaching themselves and then slapping their tails to get back in the water. Almost like they're teasing me. No matter what I do, I can't get one of these selective corbina to bite. I find my corbina hookups to be completely random. I thought they were hook/line shy, so I've tried fishing 6 lb test with a #6 mosquito hook and have had just as much success with that setup as 10-12 lb test and a #4 baitholder hook (which shows a very obvious shank sticking out of the sandcrab). Any tips from the corbina experts on here? Super frustrating seeing them swimming all around you with no takers, even on juicy, softshell SCs full of roe.

Throwing in a leopard shark pic with my son from this past week. Hope everyone had a happy 4th!

I tend to agree on the perch this year. so many around that its almost just luck if a bean or croaker get to your sand crab before they do. A lot of surf guys, including myself, are having the same experience trying to get the corbinas working the shallows to hit their presentation. As one member of this forum said, they seem to have lockjaw even when your bait is in front of their nose ! I've had better luck pulling a few out of the deep holes on a very low/minus tide. Keep after it !

Do you know if they’ll bite any lures, LC, CRANKS, SMALL SPOONS?

Soft shell crabs get the corbina to bite at my local beaches - RAT, Torrance, Redondo, Hermosa, Manhattan. I don't know about the southern beaches.

I agree with what everyone says here… I mostly fish NOC, and this is a very good year for perch here… Mike, if remember correctly, you said you get very few perch up there (correct me if I’m wrong), so you don’t have the “problem” of the numerous and aggressive perch bite… Our soft shell crabs will sometimes get devoured by perch ,before the corbs can get to them.. I don’t think we ever had a ratio of 2:1 perch to others, except for the few years where the perch seemed to disappear.. Now, sight fishing is different, your laying the crab on the corbina’s nose, with no perch around… I, like Perch Killer, like the deeper holes on a lower tide… I still get perch, but that’s where I find the corbina and SFC…YFC are in short supply for me this year.. They were the “nuisance” fish in the years when perch were MIA.. My 2 cents…
Butch

Thanks all for the great feedback! That's a beautiful corbina in your profile pic, Butch. Jealous!

cajunjacket wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2024 8:23 am Thanks all for the great feedback! That's a beautiful corbina in your profile pic, Butch. Jealous!

Thank you.. My personal best at just over 25”…. Caught just as Perch Killer described above, about a month ago…
Butch

Well, I finally landed one of those picky corbina this morning. I hooked up in a farther out trough, just like others mentioned on this thread. Put up a fun fight. CnR.

There you go !! Nicely done. I know that had to feel good.

Nice fish... Keep at it, It'll only get better...
Butch

Landed an 18" spotfin this past weekend. Put up a great fight. Also landed a few corbina that put up some nice fights as well. BSPs aplenty within 20 yds, while the croakers are biting further out.

Nice spottie. Sand crab ?