San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

Started at CP at roughly 7am worked down to tower 15 by 11am.

Overcast, strong surf, Salad non existent at the pier but got progressively worse as I worked south.

Still crab beds under pier and between 20-21 at high to mid tide

Day started strong with a decent guitar and 4 back to back cast perch all 4-8". Perch were consistent all morning, ended with a dozen. All on crabs. Saw a guy land a huge SFC on a long toss set up. I'm terrible at size estimate but I would say pushing 3.5-4lbs, biggest i've seen.

Next week I'll be trying gulp sandworms and arti sand crabs. Thinking either orange powerbait or fish bites to simulate roe. Any thoughts?

Nice catching!

I've only caught croaker on gulp sand crabs and even then, only in the peak summer months.

I'd recommend using a device that allows you to sift a lot of sand and find something else besides a normal hard shell... soft shell, crab with egg, "crispy" crab, or a crab about to molt and help it out of its shell. i don't know about SD beaches, but the fish at my local beaches north of Palos Verdes are crab snobs.

Here's a photo of me and my homemade rake/sifter.

I haven't heard much good about the Gulp sand crabs, but to be fair I haven't tried them... I have a couple of packs of Fishbite Bag O' Worms that I'm thinking of trying, when the sand crabs dry up... Oh. and nice fishing...
Butch

Midnightpass wrote: Sat Oct 04, 2025 7:38 am I haven't heard much good about the Gulp sand crabs, but to be fair I haven't tried them... I have a couple of packs of Fishbite Bag O' Worms that I'm thinking of trying, when the sand crabs dry up... Oh. and nice fishing...
Butch

Yeah I haven't heard great things either which is why I'm trying to Dr them up slightly. Just getting harder and harder to find them.

Small 4 to 10mm orange bead directly above and inline with the hook to color any bait you use . Just a thought