Page 1 of 7
North County trips.
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2025 1:41 pm
by Everydog
I've gotten four of these in three trips and pulled the hook on about the same number. Frustrating. Using bigger-than-average sand crabs, which are a lot of work to find. But there doesn't seem to be an alternative.
Lots of other fish to catch. This morning, I tried the negative tide with a stronger setup, with shrimp... the window of safely fishing off the reef is very small. I caught miscellaneous fish, about half a dozen, with a good sargo, and got a big fish hooked that broke off near where my hook was tied to the swivel.
It ran about 30 yards, and I thought it stopped and I could work it a bit, but it was also perched on some rock and seaweed. Maybe it rocked me, but I don't think so. I was holding pressure, not pulling, and it broke. Maybe sawed off, not sure. It was a great opportunity.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2025 3:28 pm
by Perch killer
Good size spot fin. Seem to be a lot more of them this year in the surf. They love those bigger crabs with roe, corbina too, if the perch don't get the roe first, LOL ! Bummer about the break off, always disheartening. Have you tried ghost shrimp ? Croakers & beans love 'em.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2025 4:05 pm
by Everydog
Hi PK. I purchased ghost shrimp somewhere around OB about 40 years ago, along with bloodworms at that time as well. I can't remember where because I was dabbling at the time. I am sold on market shrimp for what I'm doing so far, and I credit Werfless for making that a confidence bait for multi-species fishing.
Is it the perch doing surgery on the roe? It's crazy how they can blast that stuff out of there. There are a ton of fish out there...I never put that together before. I just realized one of my sargo was a black croaker! One could sense that there was something off.
Are you getting yellowfin croaker at your beaches?
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 1:01 pm
by Mike A
Nice fish
New to area. 1st trip out was this morning.
Fished from about 6:30 - 9
Caught some perch and 1 halibut.
Perch on crabs, probably should of had a few more but was using a size 2
Halibut was caught on LC
Saw/spoke w/ 1 other guy fishing, he caught perch and YFC
Have pic of Hali but don’t know how to add it
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 3:28 pm
by Midnightpass
Mike A wrote: Fri Jun 27, 2025 1:01 pm
Nice fish
New to area. 1st trip out was this morning.
Fished from about 6:30 - 9
Caught some perch and 1 halibut.
Perch on crabs, probably should of had a few more but was using a size 2
Halibut was caught on LC
Saw/spoke w/ 1 other guy fishing, he caught perch and YFC
Have pic of Hali but don’t know how to add it
Nice 1st post… To post a pic… Go to full editor and preview, down below.. Then hit ATTACHMENTS below… Then add pics.. Welcome to the forum…
Butch
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 3:29 pm
by Midnightpass
Everydog wrote: Thu Jun 26, 2025 1:41 pm
I've gotten four of these in three trips and pulled the hook on about the same number. Frustrating. Using bigger-than-average sand crabs, which are a lot of work to find. But there doesn't seem to be an alternative.
Lots of other fish to catch. This morning, I tried the negative tide with a stronger setup, with shrimp... the window of safely fishing off the reef is very small. I caught miscellaneous fish, about half a dozen, with a good sargo, and got a big fish hooked that broke off near where my hook was tied to the swivel.
It ran about 30 yards, and I thought it stopped and I could work it a bit, but it was also perched on some rock and seaweed. Maybe it rocked me, but I don't think so. I was holding pressure, not pulling, and it broke. Maybe sawed off, not sure. It was a great opportunity. IMG_0010.jpg
Nice spot fin….
Butch
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 4:17 pm
by Everydog
Mike A wrote: Fri Jun 27, 2025 1:01 pm
Nice fish
New to area. 1st trip out was this morning.
Fished from about 6:30 - 9
Caught some perch and 1 halibut.
Perch on crabs, probably should of had a few more but was using a size 2
Halibut was caught on LC
Saw/spoke w/ 1 other guy fishing, he caught perch and YFC
Have pic of Hali but don’t know how to add it
Nice outing, you did your homework, and it paid off. Welcome.
Posting photos:
I usually go from my phone to email and download. Then I add it the way Butch said. However, that's because I don't currently have social media on my phone, where a couple of steps can be omitted.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 6:17 pm
by Mike A
- Thanks the help
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 6:18 pm
by Mike A
Thanks Butch.
Sorry about the double, it’s the same fish obviously
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 6:28 pm
by Mike A
Everydog wrote: Fri Jun 27, 2025 4:17 pm
Mike A wrote: Fri Jun 27, 2025 1:01 pm
Nice fish
New to area. 1st trip out was this morning.
Fished from about 6:30 - 9
Caught some perch and 1 halibut.
Perch on crabs, probably should of had a few more but was using a size 2
Halibut was caught on LC
Saw/spoke w/ 1 other guy fishing, he caught perch and YFC
Have pic of Hali but don’t know how to add it
Nice outing, you did your homework, and it paid off. Welcome.
Posting photos:
I usually go from my phone to email and download. Then I add it the way Butch said. However, that's because I don't currently have social media on my phone, where a couple of steps can be omitted.
Thanks, I thought the hook was maybe a size too big. I was using I think a 1oz or more weight. That might have also contributed to missing a few more. Maybe I’ll learn alittle more from you guys
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 3:25 pm
by Everydog
What happened to the croakers? This won't be new to anyone except possibly to Mike, if so. But was it ever good?
Delicious.
https://keviniscooking.com/baja-style-b ... ish-tacos/
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 3:58 pm
by Everydog
Would any lurker or participant on this thread like to comment on kastmasters and crocodiles in the surf?
First, please, do you go with a single hook? A longer one or standard inline if so?
When to throw them, I saw and was surprised it is a tool for catching yellowfin croaker, not astonished for halibut.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 5:04 pm
by William Ritchie
Krocodile is one of my favorites . You can use the single Siwash as supplied . I use a dressed treble that I tie that is almost the same length of the spoon . Just make sure the treble as it came from the factory has the single hook portion pointing to the concave of the spoon . Less snags . 5/8 oz silver is all it takes .A mackerel pattern also works . Some of the lures from the factory , about 1 in 3 will have a distinctively better action , kind like a bell ringing on the end of the line . Thats the one to throw examine the packages before purchase and look for nice sharpe die stamping . Just my $.02 , Add , if I had only one lure to fish , for almost any spiecies it would be the Kroc. . WR
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 9:02 pm
by camobass
Ah the Krocodile…..Baja staple. I like them when the surf is mellow, if the surf or currents are ripping, they still work but you can’t get that consistent sweet spot kick. I like trebles on the small ones either a feather or blank. Chrome with the chrome foil is my favorite. I’ll like j hooks on the jumbo krocs because they are usually brain pinning a jumbo Mac and being dropped down off the side of a boat.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2025 7:04 am
by William Ritchie
camobass wrote: Tue Jul 01, 2025 9:02 pm
Ah the Krocodile…..Baja staple. I like them when the surf is mellow, if the surf or currents are ripping, they still work but you can’t get that consistent sweet spot kick. I like trebles on the small ones either a feather or blank. Chrome with the chrome foil is my favorite. I’ll like j hooks on the jumbo krocs because they are usually brain pinning a jumbo Mac and being dropped down off the side of a boat.
Hambeguesa rig has taken a lot of WSB and Big yellowtail . Bigger Krocs seem to be a bit hard to find since Luhr Jenson stopped production of a number of sizes and weights . Tight lines .
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2025 7:56 am
by camobass
William Ritchie wrote: Wed Jul 02, 2025 7:04 am
camobass wrote: Tue Jul 01, 2025 9:02 pm
Ah the Krocodile…..Baja staple. I like them when the surf is mellow, if the surf or currents are ripping, they still work but you can’t get that consistent sweet spot kick. I like trebles on the small ones either a feather or blank. Chrome with the chrome foil is my favorite. I’ll like j hooks on the jumbo krocs because they are usually brain pinning a jumbo Mac and being dropped down off the side of a boat.
Hambeguesa rig has taken a lot of WSB and Big yellowtail . Bigger Krocs seem to be a bit hard to find since Luhr Jenson stopped production of a number of sizes and weights . Tight lines .
Someone copied the big ones, you can find them on eBay. Some guy up in your neck of the woods. They make some jumbo ones. I’ll try and see if I can find the link.
Not the same shop but here ya go.
https://ebay.us/m/rlA0wk
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2025 10:58 am
by Everydog
Thanks all, going offline for a few days. I appreciated your feedback and comments based on your experiences. Have a nice 4th of July weekend.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2025 10:40 am
by Everydog
Going surf fishing this afternoon. Not much strategy, but mostly sand crabs and shrimp, either in the troughs or shrimp flung out on the reefs.
Butch has me hoping it will be a corbina day for me, or my son. 20 inches or better, please!
A full moon and rush hour traffic might be a temptation to make it a long outing.
This is what I have for spoons, and I have changed hooks on several since then. In a pinch, bass lure stinger hooks are a lot like siwash hooks; perhaps they are the same thing.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2025 10:54 am
by Everydog
Speaking of North County. There is a nice trough at Jake's in Del Mar right now.
Courtesy of Surfline.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2025 11:06 am
by Mike A
Fished North County yesterday. Fished from 5:15pm until 8 pm . Still a good amount of people in the water. Caught 4 perch and 1 corbina (9”) all on crab. All were caught in the 1st hour of fishing. Current was strong to the north. Bite slowed, switched to LC, nothing caught. Waves seemed pretty big, but, newbie me has never fished at that tide. I think it was about 7’ at high. After 8pm when I was leaving, the surf seemed to be laying down.