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Surf fishing is one of Oregon’s most underutilized fisheries. There are hundreds of places to fish along Oregon’s sandy beaches, and there are plenty of fish within an easy cast from shore.
The most popular and
abundant target for the
surf angler is surfperch –
slim, saucer-shaped fish
that can reach up to 2
pounds. Perhaps their most
unusual feature is that the
females bear live young
that look like miniature
versions of the adults.
There are nine different
species of surfperch found
off the Oregon coast, but
the most often-caught are
redtail surfperch. Schools of
surfperch often congregate
within 30 feet of the
shoreline, darting in and out
of the surging surf in search
of food, and presenting an accessible target for anglers.
A general Oregon Angling License is all that’s required to
fish for surfperch.
Although surfperch are available year-round, the most
productive time to fish for them is in the spring and early
summer when they school up along sandy shorelines for
spawning. The best fishing often occurs on an incoming
tide, especially an hour or two before high tide.
Take advantage of low tides to scout out good surfperch
water. Look for places where there’s a deep hole or
depression that could hold surfperch. These places
include steeply sloped beaches where the waves break
hard, rocky areas in the sand or sandy areas near jetties,
or places where the shore cuts inward.
Rod and reel
Surfperch fishing requires heavy tackle – not to land a
2-pound fish but to handle the heavy surf these fish live in.
Surf fishing is one of Oregon’s most underutilized fisheries. There are hundreds
of places to fish along Oregon’s sandy beaches, and there are plenty of fish
within an easy cast from shore.
While there are a lot of
personal preferences when
it comes to fishing tackle,
a good starter outfit for
surfperch could include
a long (9- to 11-foot) rod
capable of handling a 2- to
6- ounce weight, and a
spinning reel large enough
to hold 200-300 yards
of 15- to 30-pound
monofilament line.
If you’d like to try surfperch
fishing before you invest in
new tackle, some sporting
goods stores on the coast
allow you to rent rods and
reels by the day.
A popular set-up for
surfperch includes two #4
or #2 hooks, some swivels
and a pyramid sinker. Threesided
pyramid sinkers are
common, easy to cast and
tend to roll less in the surf.
The size of the weight will
vary with surf conditions and
the size of your rod – use
whatever it takes (usually 2
to 6 ounces) to keep your
rigging in one spot in
the surf.
About 12 inches above the
sinker attach a 3-way swivel. On one loop tie on the first
hook with 6-8 inches of monofilament. You want just
enough monofilament to keep your bait away from the
mainline. About 16 inches above the first hook attach a
second hook in the same way.
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Terminal tackle