Southern California Surf Zone Fly Fishing Primer · Southern California Surf Zone Fly Fishing Primer 1.Introduction The surf zone is an ever-changing environment where the best locations

Southern California Surf Zone Fly Fishing Primer

(revision 1, February 2018)

by Craig Smith

for the

San Diego Fly Fishers

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Contents1. Introduction 1 .............................................................................

2.Reading the water 2 .....................................................................

3.Casting and Line Management Tips 4 .................................................

4.Gear Recommendations 6 ...............................................................Fly Rods 6 ..........................................................................................Fly Reels 7 ..........................................................................................Fly Lines 7 ..........................................................................................Leaders 9 ...........................................................................................Flies 9 ..............................................................................................Ancillary Gear 10 ..................................................................................

5.Safety Considerations 11 ...............................................................

6.Not So Final Thoughts 13...............................................................

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1. Introduction

The surf zone is an ever-changing environment where the best locations on a beach can change from day to day, tide to tide, or even during a tide. Storm surges or heavy surf can alter beaches quite rapidly. Some beaches, or even sections of beaches, will fish better on outgoing tides and others on incoming tides. Some beaches will fit a particular pattern fairly regularly and others will not. Some fly lines will work better than others. Experience on the water is required to sort out these trends. However, there are some guidelines that can be used to narrow down productive times, locations, and gear. In the following paragraphs, we will cover basics of the Southern California surf fly fishing game. We will leave some of the more specific techniques, such as sight fishing for corbina, for you to research or learn on your own. You may find with experience that you learn things that may be different than described here. That’s great! There is often more than one right path to success.

First some guidelines - to which there are always exceptions of course. Just to be clear, there will be exceptions. My best single day of surf fishing in terms of numbers fish caught during an outing occurred during the middle of a partly cloudy winter day, and dead slack low tide. I found a deep hole at Blacks Beach that was loaded with barred surf perch. I got a fish on almost every cast for an hour and a half. That’s not typical.

• Surf zone fishing can be good any time of the year. Some of the best perch fishing occurs December through March when larger females come into the surf zone to give birth to their fry.

• Low light conditions are usually better as with many other types of fishing. Perch especially are very light sensitive. On a clear day, the perch bite can end as soon as the sun hits the water.

• Surf perch will make up the bulk of your catch over the course of the year. Perch school up. Catches often come in bunches.

• Incoming tides are often better as food is pushed up from deeper water and the incoming tide stirs up edibles in the previously dry sand. Outgoing tides can be productive too. Some beaches may fish better on one or the other. Slack tides are usually poorest since less food is dislodged and stirred up.

• Cobblestone beaches are usually not very productive. In fact, I have never caught anything from a cobble beach.

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• Many structures are often most productive only at certain times during the tide. This will depend on current force, depth etc., much like spots in a river will be more or less productive as the water level and current speed change. Each structure will be different.

• Your fly line is more important than the fly. If you fly is not in the right place then the pattern will not matter. You want your fly on the bottom.

• If you are not catching fish in a spot within 10-15 minutes then move on. Experienced anglers may cover a couple of miles during an outing.

• Watch the bait and lure anglers who are fishing near shore. They will usually have shorter rods of seven feet or less and will be moving frequently searching for fish. You might learn something about where fish are.

• Scout beaches during minus tides. Minus tides bring lower than average low tide water levels allowing you can locate potentially productive areas that are normally covered with water. Make mental or written notes or audio memos of what you see and wait, or come back and fish when the tide comes in.

• Keep at it if you don’t catch fish in your first outings. You can have a lot of days with skunks, and then a bunch of great outings. Over time you will learn how to read the water better and your catching will improve. One of the things I like about the surf zone is that I never know what I might hook up with: perch (primarily barred surf perch but also walleye surf perch and occasionally some other types), corbina, sand bass, spotted bay bass, rays, shovelnose guitarfish, leopard shark, striped bass (rarely), opal eye (rarely), spotfin croaker, and halibut.

2.Reading the water

Reading the water can be a challenge at first. To the novice, the surf can appear uniform at first. But just as with careful observation of water in a river or lake, careful observation of the surf will reveal numerous features of the bottom and the water flowing over it. Some of the key things we look for include:

• Sandbars and troughs - Running parallel to the beach are sets of sandbars and troughs. Shallow grade beaches usually have more sets of these than steeper grade beaches. Fish use the troughs as highways up and down the beach. If you look at the breakers on a beach, there will usually be one or more sets of larger breakers farther out with some smaller lines of breakers of mostly white foamy water closer to the beach. The troughs are usually in flat water sections between the forming breakers. Those troughs close to the beach can be very productive.

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• Channels - Channels usually run roughly perpendicular to the beach. Fish use them to move from deep to shallow water and vice versa. They can often be identified by the flotsam that collects in them as waves receded. Usually you can see a well-defined current with obvious current seams on both sides, though one side is often more noticeable. Rip currents often form over the larger channels. From an elevated vantage point they are usually quite easy to see - kind of like looking for current seams in a river. Surfers often ride these currents out to sea. From beach level, you will notice that waves over a channel often do not break as high and/or break closer to shore. Food and fish are often concentrated in these channels, especially on outgoing tides. They are worth working on any tide. Work them from the points close to the beach or from the sides as far out as you can safely wade. Sometimes you will find deep channels with adjacent shallow sand bars or sand points that you can wade out on to access deeper parts of the channel. I have found channels four feet deep or more within a few feet of a spot where I was standing where the waves were only calf high. Work your fly in and adjacent to the channels. Swing your fly in the current along the edge and into it like you would a downstream wet fly or streamer presentation. Feed extra line into strong currents and allow them to pull the fly into deeper water.

• Pockets - Pockets and small holes often form behind (on the seaward side that is) of isolated rocks, small rock piles, or man-made structure such as pier pilings. Food collects in these areas and fish may hold in them like trout behind a rock. They are always worth a few casts.

• Holes - Heavy surf often pounds deep holes into the beach. These are always worth a few casts if you find one. Scouting from an elevated vantage point will sometimes reveal them, especially when the sun is high. Look for areas with a darker coloration. Even in low light conditions you will be able to see subtle changes in coloration with some practice.

• Longshore Currents - These currents run parallel to shore and are caused by waves hitting the shore and an angle closer to parallel than perpendicular. You can often find them by observing debris moving roughly parallel to shore. Fish them like you might work a streamer in a trout stream.

• Rock Piles and Jetties - Neap tides, when water movement is less and the environment more stable is often the most productive time to safely fish these structures. When the environment is less volatile baitfish and then game fish will be more likely to hold on these structures. Sometimes you will find a channel right adjacent to a rock pile or jetty and this is an ideal fishy situation. Rock piles and jetties will sometimes produce at slack tide when other areas are dead.

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• Sand Crab beds - Ok, sand crab beds are not really a structure. But when you find sand crab beds you have found an area worth working your fly. The Pacific mole crab, commonly referred to as “sand crab”, can be found on sandy beaches from spring through fall and are a principle food item for barred surf perch. Numbers may vary from year to year. They are about ½ to 1 ½ inches long and can be found in small patches or over fairly large expanses. Look for slightly bumpy areas of sand as the last of the water recedes following a wave. You will see a lot of telltale and fairly close together “V” shapes with the open ends facing the sea. If you look closely you may see crabs tumbling until they get purchase on the sand and then dig in as the water washes out.

3.Casting and Line Management Tips

Casting and managing fly line in the surf introduces some challenges not typically present on less turbulent waters. With a little bit of practice these challenges can be conquered, or at least mitigated to the point where you can have an enjoyable angling experience.

• You don't need to cast far; 40-60 feet is plenty. The longer you can cast the longer you can keep your fly in the water though. I rarely cast more than about 70 feet. If you include the nine feet of the average fly rods plus six feet of leader that’s only 55 feet of fly line! Fish are often right up on the beach, even big ones. During the summer months, you will often see the exposed backs of corbina as the waves recede. The observant angler wading to calf deep water will often see perch or schools of baitfish scurry by, or the tell-tale puff of a halibut that jets off just before you step on it.

• A great place to cast your fly is right behind the wall of white foamy water rushing in or into the less turbid water between two lines of foamy waves.

• It is very important to remain in contact with the fly. Otherwise you will not detect strikes. Keep your rod tip down and pointed along the fly line while retrieving.

• Don’t try to pick up a line and make a back cast while the waves are pushing the line back at you. The slack will cause all sorts of problems. Use a couple of quick roll casts the lay the line out straight and then quickly make a back cast.

• To avoid having the waves push your fly line right back at you when it hits the water, wait to make your cast until the breaking foamy water gets to about 2-4 rod lengths away. Then by the time the time the line hits the water they surge will be a rod length or so away and will not grab as much of the line after the cast is made.

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• Don’t limit yourself to casting straight out from the beach. Also, try angles where you can work the fly more parallel to the shore. This will often put your fly in a trough longer.

• Fish will pick up a fly rolling in the current but you may not detect the strike before they eject the fly. If you are continually stripping the fly you are more likely to remain in contact with the fly and detect strikes. You do not usually need to strip very fast; but it sometimes pays to move the fly as fast as you can. You cannot move a fly faster than a perch or any other predatory fish can chase it. Include long and short pauses. Vary your retrieve to find what works. This may vary from day to day and spot to spot. Sometimes you can just swing a fly in the current.

• Learn to double haul when casting. The haul on the back cast will help pick the sinking line up off the water and the haul on the forward cast will help you generate line speed to cast a bit farther or into the wind.

• Avoid false casting heavy sinking lines. This leads to trouble more often than not. To cast a sinking line, after the retrieve roll cast the line to get it to the surface. Then pick up and make a back cast and shoot some line out on the forward cast and lay it back down on the water. When you get about 30 feet of line laid out on the water without any slack, pick up into a back cast then make your presentation cast, shooting additional line. If you don’t get the slack out of the line you will not be able to make a good back cast. Picking up the line and laying it down a few times will not disturb the fish in the surf (unless sight casting to very spooky corbina).

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• When casting heavy sinking lines with a weighted fly don’t wait until your back cast fully straightens out before your start the forward cast. If you do, the fast moving weighted fly will quickly come to a stop as the line and leader straighten out. The fly will then rebound a bit and introduce slack in to the line and cause problems on the forward cast. Instead, start the forward cast just before the line straightens out when the line looks like the letter “J” on its side. With a bit of practice, you will learn to feel when to start the forward cast without watching your back cast.

• If you are uncomfortable making an overhead cast with a heavy sinking line, learn the Belgian cast which moves the rod tip in an oval path and keeps the line under constant tension.

• If the wind is coming from your casting arm side and you are uncomfortable, turn around and make a back-hand cast presentation.

• If your casting technique still needs work don’t get discouraged. If you can get the fly out there 40 feet from your feet you have a chance to catch fish.

4.Gear Recommendations

We can read the water, cast reasonably well, and be fishing the right tide but we still need the right gear to be successful. Fortunately, a wide range of products fall under that category of “right gear”. Even some trout gear will suffice provided you have the right fly line.

Fly Rods

6 wt. to 8 wt. rods work best over the widest range of conditions. Some anglers will use a 4 or a 5 wt. rod, but remember that powerful surf hydraulics can make a small fish feel much larger. Hook up with a three to four foot long shovelnose guitarfish or a legal halibut on a 5wt. or 6wt. and you may wish you have a heavier stick. Rods should be at least 9 feet long and of medium-fast to fast action. Slower action rods do make for a bit more work lifting heavy sinking lines from the surf. That nice Orvis Superfine full-flex 6wt. rod may be great for dropping trico spinner imitations on a spring creek but will be less and ideal in the surf zone. On the other hand, most graphite rods made today are suitable for the surf as are some of the faster modern fiberglass sticks. More and more anglers are experimenting with longer switch rods or even longer two handed rods so don’t be afraid of partaking in your own experiments. I usually use a 9 ft. medium-fast or

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fast action 6 wt. rod - it works for me, though I used a 8 wt. rod for a few years before downsizing to a 7 wt. then a 6 wt. rod.

Fly ReelsFly reels for the surf should hold at least 75 yards of backing plus your fly line. Just about any fly reel will work. It does not need to have a sealed drag. However, if it does not have a sealed drag consider a reel that is easy to disassemble and clean out any sand that gets in the works. You can get a reel that will work in the surf for as low as $50. However, there are reels that cost much more that would not be a good choice for fly fishing the surf. Check with your local fly shop, friends, or online for recommended reels. Regardless of how much a reel costs, I strongly recommend that you clean your reel after every usage in saltwater. If your reel without a sealed drag gets completely submerged in the saltwater consider disassembling and cleaning the reel. Getting splashed by a wave doesn’t usually necessitate disassembly though. When in doubt, follow the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations.

Fly Lines

Most of the species we are targeting in the surf are hunting for food items stirred up from the sand so you want your fly on the bottom for maximum effectiveness. Sinking lines are the best options. Some anglers like full sinking line (a line that sinks at about the same rate along its entire length); others prefer integrated shooting head lines or traditional shooting head systems. A fast sinking line will stay on the bottom while waves roll over it. I am only going to discuss lines for single handed rods here.

Floating lines are of limited usefulness in the surf. Currents and wave actions make it very difficult to keep contact with the fly except in the mildest of surf conditions.

Integrated shooting head (or taper) lines have a 24-30 foot fast sinking section factory mated to a thin floating or intermediate (slow) sinking running line. Traditional shooting head systems loop the sinking head to the shooting (or running) line. The shooting line may be of a floating or intermediate sinking type. For most situations, it is better to avoid any line with a floating section. The churning surface wave action can lead to line management problems and make it difficult to stay in contact with the fly when you have floating sections in the fly line. Any type of floating line in your setup will impair the ability of the sinking portion to stay on the bottom, though this is mitigated somewhat if the sinking section is at least 24 feet long.

If lining up with an integrated shooting head lined sized in grains, get one that matches your rod and has a sink rate of at least 4 inches per second. Generally, a 200 grain line

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will match well with at 6 wt. rod, a 250 grain line with a 7 wt., and a 300 grain line with an 8 wt. rod. Depending on your casting skill you may be comfortable using a heavier or lighter line on your rod. When purchasing an integrated shooting taper line for the surf, make sure that it has a fast sinking head. There are also integrated shooting taper lines with intermediate (slow) sinking heads. The advantage of using an integrated shooting head line over a traditional shooting head line is that you do not have a connection in the line system. The advantage over using a full sinking weight forward lines is that the integrated shooting head line will be easier to cast for distance. The major fly line makers such as Rio, Scientific Anglers, Orvis, AirFlo, and Cortland market integrated shooting taper lines suitable for the surf. These lines retail from around $55 to $100.

Note there are some integrated shooting head lines that are not labeled in grains on the box. Instead they are labeled like a regular fly line. Examples are the Rio Outbound Short and the Scientific Anglers Titan Taper. These lines should be matched to the rod using the label on the line box. For example, an 8 wt. Rio Outbound Short line would be matched to an 8 wt. rod.

When choosing a full sinking weight forward line, I recommend going up two lines sizes. For instance, use a WF-8-S line on a 6wt. rod. The first 30 feet of a WF-8 line will weigh 210 grains, so it would load the rod about same as a 200 grain integrated shooting head line. The rod will not be overloaded and will cast much better for you in the surf zone (the explanation behind this would require a separate article). The primary benefit of a full sinking line is that they cost less compared to integrated shooting head lines at the expense of being a bit more difficult to cast. Full sinking lines retail from $40 to $60. The costlier versions usually have a density compensated tip that sinks a bit faster than the rest of the line. In deeper waters like lakes and bays the density compensated tip ensures that the fatter belly section of the line does not sink below the tip section. This is usually not much of a factor in the surf zone.

Traditional shooting head systems have fallen from favor except for a few die-hard users as a result of the convenience of integrated shooting taper lines. With a shooting head system, you can get a set of shooting heads with different sink rates (floating through very fast sinking) that can be quickly changed. This allows you to cover different depths and situations with only one rod and reel without needing a bunch of spools loaded with expensive full length fly line. You can also utilize different types of shooting lines. Shooting heads for single handed rods are much more difficult to find today with Rio and Scientific Anglers shooting heads being the most commonly available. With Scientific Anglers shooting heads you would select a head two line weights heavier than your rod. So you would use a ST-9-S head (which would weigh 240 grains) on a 7wt. rod. Rio has factored this into the weight of their shooting heads so you would use a Rio ST-7-S (head weighs 265 grains) on a 7 wt. rod. Traditional shooting heads excel at long distance casting.

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Sink tip lines with 10-15 ft sink tips commonly used for freshwater situations can be used in the surf but are not ideal since the floating portion of the line will cause the sinking portion to loft towards the surface and out of the feeding zone during the retrieve; however, they can be effective at times when the surf is very mild. The bigger the surf the less effective this type of traditional sink tip line will be.

Make sure you avoid lines optimized for tropical conditions as it will behave like a slinky in our cold-water environments.

Leaders

There is no need for expensive tapered leaders. Just use 4 to 8 feet of 8 to 12 lb. test nylon mono or fluorocarbon mono. Tapered leaders are useful for accurate or delicate presentations for some types of fishing but in the surf hitting the water is good enough. I tend to use 8 lb. most often since it is easier to break off if I snag some floating kelp, but many anglers use 10 or 12 lb. line. Fluorocarbon is not necessary. In the turbulent surf with all the stirred-up sand and debris any supposed visibility benefit would be greatly reduced or eliminated. Also, the combination of sinking fly line, weighted flies, and turbulent eliminate any significant benefit in sink rate that fluorocarbon materials may possess. Fluorocarbon may provide some durability advantages with respect to abrasion resistance but I have not found that to be significant since I check my leader frequently and replace if there is something about it I don’t like.

Flies

Flies from about 1.5 to 3 inches long will suffice most of the time. These will be tied on hook sizes 6 through 1. Clouser minnows, crab patterns, bonefish flies, Lefty’s deceivers, woolly buggers, and a host of other patterns will work. Fish in the surf zone are opportunistic feeders so exact imitation is not necessary. If hunting halibut then do not be afraid to go to larger fly. I always crush the barbs on my hooks at the tying bench. Barbless hooks make it easier to release fish and often you do not even need to touch them. It is easier on a bird (or yourself or a buddy) if you happen to accidentally snag one.

Red and orange are good attractor colors. Many types of crabs have similarly colored roe sacs. I try to incorporate these colors into many of my patterns. Yellow and chartreuse are also good colors. Black or root beer colored flies are productive too. A black fly will have excellent contrast with the background in low light conditions making it easier for fish to pick it up visually compared to lighter colored flies. Olive/white and grey/white

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match many of the baitfish found in the surf zone. I like to incorporate gold flash into my flies. I’m not sure if it is any better than silver or pearl or other colors, but I have confidence in flies with some gold flash. In twenty years of fly fishing the surf I have probably caught more fish on chartreuse/white and red/yellow Clouser minnows than any other color combinations. Maybe that’s just because that’s what I use most often. Lots of other colors work too.

Ancillary Gear

• The water in San Diego is rarely above 72° F and usually cooler – as cool as the mid 50°’s during winter. Cool water and breezes can lead to a chill even during summer mornings and evenings. I wear a waders, booties, and water resistant/wind proof light jacket to keep dry but many anglers wet wade. Diver’s booties when found on sale can suffice as inexpensive footwear and are much lighter than traditional fly fishing wading boots. If worn over neoprene wader feet buy a couple of sizes larger than your regular size. Bootfoot waders are also a good option.

• Most anglers like stripping baskets but a few don't. You want to remain in contact with your fly and keep from getting tangled up in line. Having waves wash the line around your legs can make surf fishing a frustrating chore rather than a relaxing time on the water. Most fly anglers who try a session without a stripping basket soon go out and make or purchase one. Good commercially made stripping baskets cost from about $50 to $80. Look for something that is rigid. Most of the mesh stripping baskets that are on the market can collapse under the pressure of a wave and tangle your line. You can make a serviceable basket for less than $15. Plenty of examples can be found online with an internet search. Be sure to incorporate some sort of spikes, cones, or posts into the bottom. This will help keep coils of line from tangling.

• Keep a hook sharpener handy. The sand will dull even an expensive Gamakatsu or Owner brand hook quickly. I check my hook point every 10 minutes or so, or any time I get temporarily hung up on a rock. I prefer to use non-stainless steel hooks as they are easier to sharpen on the water. Many of the best quality hooks are not stainless steel – they are coated with a nickel compound or some other protective coating. I rinse my flies in freshwater after an outing. I have flies that have lasted many outings. Usually the materials get chewed off or ground off by the sand before the hook goes bad. My favorite hook sharpeners look like a fat pen with a retractable diamond dust file. These have a clip that will clip onto a pocket just like a pen.

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• A pair of forceps (hemostats) or needle nose pliers will help with hook removal.

• Waterproof fly boxes will keep your flies dry if you get dunked.

• Vests can be weighty and clunky in the surf. Waist packs will likely get wet except in the smallest of surf conditions. A small chest pack or sling pack will suffice to carry what you need for a surf outing. I often just put a small fly box with a half dozen or fewer flies and an extra leader in a shirt or jacket pocket.

• I carry my phone with me in a waterproof bag or container. There are several types of small waterproof containers designed to handle small electronics.

• Use the internet to your advantage. You can do this from home or on the go from your smartphone or tablet. Weather and surf forecasts can help you plan your day before you leave home or make adjustments during the day.

5.Safety Considerations

The surf zone can be a dangerous place to fish. Every year we see news of people drowning at the beach. With some basic precautions, we can fish the surf safely.

• I always wear glasses of some type; eyes are more valuable than a pair of glasses. I used to wear safety glasses at dawn and dusk. Now I wear yellow tinted polarized sunglasses designed to be worn in foggy conditions. Yellow shooters glasses also work. They allow me to see well in dawn or dusk conditions even if overcast.

• When wading, shuffle your feet to encourage sting rays to get out of the way. Watch where you put your feet. When winter storms pound holes in the bottom you can go from 12 inches deep to several feet deep in one stride. Rocks can trip you.

• Wade cautiously. Even in low surf conditions an occasional set may come in that is higher than average. If most of the foamy water around your legs is at calf height expect some waves to bring in water at waist level or higher. If you get to the beach and the surf looks bigger than you are comfortable with, go do something else for the day. I tend to avoid the surf if the forecast is for waves of five feet or higher. This will be the wave height out at the main break; the foam water we want to fish will be closer. The exact locations of the highest waves will

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depend on the gradient of the beach. The steeper the gradient the closer to the shore the bigger waves will break.

• Be wary of losing your footing as receding water (undertow) pulls sand away from your feet. If you fall it may be difficult to get up. Steeper gradient beaches are more dangerous with respect to the effects of undertow.

• Don’t turn you back on the surf. If you need to retie a fly, sharpen a hook, or remove a tangle, step up on to dry sand. I got knocked over by a wave once when sorting out a tangle in my fly line and got a good scare. I didn’t see it coming.

• Lean into the surf. Leaning away from the surf is an invitation to a fall. If you observe a larger set of waves coming, turn sideways to it. The smaller cross section presented will reduce the impact having two feet planted perpendicular to the surf will improve your stability.

• Do not wade deeper than your knees. This will leave a safety cushion for the occasional set of higher waves.

• Stripping baskets should have drain holes. Test your basket. The water should drain freely. If the holes are too small the water will not drain quickly. A gallon of water weighs about 8 pounds. A typical stripping basket may hold 2-4 gallons of water. That’s 16 to 32 pounds. If a wave fills it up you get a sudden change of center of gravity that can cause you to lose your balance.

• Look behind you to watch for people, dogs, etc. Assume non-anglers will not pay attention to what you are doing and walk right where your back cast is going. You don’t want to deal with the ramifications of snagging a person or a dog. People always seem to want to stop right behind you when watching. This is where you back cast goes. It is also the worst angle for an observer to watch you cast and also where you are least likely to see them. Look behind you frequently.

• Wear your jacket over your waders. It will keep a high wave from filling your waders.

• Watch out for kelp being washed in and out with the waves. It can tangle in your legs or even knock you over. Especially if it hits you from behind while being carried out by a receding wave.

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6.Not So Final Thoughts

There is much more to learn about surf zone fly fishing. I hope this primer has provided a solid foundation for you to begin or improve your surf zone game and begin your own personal journey. Some of the more advanced topics include the use of two fly rigs, sight fishing for corbina, two handed rods, moon phases and the effects on tides, knots, additional casting techniques, and the best breakfast burrito stands. As you research surf zone fly fishing in publications, on websites, with conversations with other anglers you may find information or opinions that are different than has been covered here. I have presented information here based on my experiences, and to be honest, personal preferences and biases. Others will have different preferences and perspectives. That does not mean that anyone is incorrect. There are many ways to go about most aspects of fishing with any type of tackle. Some may be better than others. Many are often equally effective. In your adventures, I encourage you to find what works best for you. I also encourage you to keep trying if you are not at first successful. When I started fly fishing the surf in 1995 I made about a half-dozen trips before I caught a fish. The more I fished the more successful trips I had. Today, I still get skunked sometimes. The sights, sounds, and smells of the ocean keep me coming back.

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Documents

Southern California Surf Zone Fly Fishing Primer · Southern California Surf Zone Fly Fishing Primer 1.Introduction The surf zone is an ever-changing environment where the best locations