San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

Got out today about 7:30-10:30
Half hearted attempt for crabs under pier nothing larger than a rice krispy.Also was more interested in trying artificial so maybe 5 mins before giving up.

Incoming tide-middle
Surf very light
Salad was an issue but workable
Strong push to the south

If you needed someone to catch a perch to save your life I was your hucklebearer. I stopped counting at 15 and was choosing baits to avoid dinks and still ended between 25-30. Just some bait stats.

Gulp sandworm. Every other cast if not more on the perch.
Gulp sand crab naked. Few better quality fish
Gulp SC with fishbite orange to look like roe. Every other cast.

All perch every size from 3-10"

It’s always nice to see a report like yours, day of really helps.
Sounds like a fun day, keep it going.
Thanks

Nice! Always good to know who I can call if I need someone to catch a perch to save my life

It's been so damn difficult with these conditions lately that I suppose it makes sense that there are lots of perch out there clamoring for plastic food. Gonna try getting out there myself at least once this weekend though not sure when, exactly, that'll happen.

On days when the crabs are harder to find I always have such an internal struggle between spending my time searching and just getting something in the water (aka artificials). Isn't it funny that some days you can't catch a fish to, well, save your life, but others you catch them with such frequency that it borders on embarrassing?

Had a woman and her 2 boys walk up to me yell out are you having any lu.... As I caught one. Was pretty awesome because I threw a sandworm on asked the more interested kid if he wanted to catch one. Casted for him with like 5 words of instruction. Boom perch. Kid was stoked asked mom if they had fishing poles. Kept the day in perspective for me where I usually get tired of the perch, even the goldfish size can make someone's day

Nice report, thanks. Awesome to let the kid catch a fish too

Just got back from fishing the outgoing tide at south Mission Beach. Calm conditions and minimal grass, but also minimal fish. One small perch on Gulp sandworm. Had a few bites on clam and the fishbites bloodworms but no takers.

Better than no fish but nowhere near your morning bounty!

I started at the pier and went no further then T21. Maybe it's the southern side curse. I know everytime I get in the low teens (I measure the beach in lifeguard towers if you hadn't noticed) the on shore salad is crazy.

Maybe it's a proximity to food thing? Mussels off pier and sand crab nursery?

My whole strategy was find a spot in the farthest break that was still green not foamy and then work south or north of it where the wash was the least far out. Cast right on the edge of wash

Was the current still ripping south?

Jteo wrote: Fri Oct 10, 2025 8:26 pm

Was the current still ripping south?

Yes, very much so. I was casting about 45 degrees to my right, and within 5 minutes my line was 90 degrees to my left. It would’ve been behind me if I’d been standing farther out in the water.

Same experience with the current last weekend, too

Sounds about right cast right briskly walk with line briskly retrieve.
Was a total of 2 mins tops before recast lol

Also keep in mind the current direction on hard south the pier creates a break so you get less current closer to it. If the current flips north same concept with Jetty. I have found that fish especially as it gets colder prefer the "calmer" current areas

Nice fishing guys… And getting that kid on a fish is fantastic…
Butch