what bait were you using?

what bait were you using?

Bait: Clam necks picked up at the chamber of commerce/general store in Ocean City

I've also had good luck in the past with Gulp Sandworms and plan to try them and their Bloodworms out this year but didn't take any down to the surf with me. Honestly I didn't expect to catch anything. I just wanted to get out of the house and wet a line.

Glad you did O.K. perch fishing, although driving down on the flats where the tide goes out is illegal due to crushing those delicious razor clams that live there.Walking down is a better idea as it's a good fine for driving down there and if your rig won't start it won't be under water. just sayin'. Bob R

Bob,

I appreciate the head's up. I always obey the beach driving laws. I don't drive down to or in the surf zone. But I take my car down about half way to it. I've got a bad back and carrying my gear in the car as far as possible makes a big difference. The first two access points didn't offer the possibility. One was flooded, mostly with rain water I think but still I don't like driving on wet sand. The other had been badly eroded and I wasn't sure my Chevy Prism was going to make it in and out. Either would have left me parked a LONG way from the surf.

Driving in the surf or driving too far from it next to the cliffs are both GREAT ways to get your car stuck on the beach. And as Bob pointed out driving in the surf zone is illegal and bad for the environment. Read the regs before you go and remember no fish is worth losing your car in the tide.

Thanks for posting this report. It's interesting to read. Are surf perch tasty?

Lundegard,

I will find out what they taste like this evening. I've never eaten them before and I've heard opinions all over the scale about them. Even if they aren't what I want to eat they'd still be worth catch and release fishing. The larger ones REALLY slam for their size and the little guys are a lot of fun on ultra-light tackle in the summer.

Good for you JMpurser,, I was just out there on Thanksgiving weekend. YOu're right, it is amazing considering how far out your line is, and how you can't keep it exactly taught, that you still feel these things. It was my experience that the muddy water from strong waves made no difference in catching fish. NIce report.

I find that in the spring you can catch them on calmer days behind small jetties or rocky areas on trout gear,they come in closer during their spawning season and it really makes for a fight when you can get those dinner plate size ones on lighter gear. That braid is great for those long casts, my wife and I aren't the tallest folks so it's almost a necessity to reach the zone without getting over our waders. I also target the other species, the striped surf perch are also really good fighters and live in a different zone, generally in rocky areas, in 5 to 20 ft. of water.caught them upwards of 3 lbs. by La Push. Bob R

Okay, for me eating these fish isn't worth it. The taste is nice and mild but the flesh is mushy and I ran across a lot of fine bones. I HATE bones in fish. I broiled these which should have been a pretty dry way to cook them.

I'm disappointed since I'm on a fixed income and bringing food to the table would help me offset the cost of beach runs. And surfperch are both plentiful and clean unlike say sole out of commencement bay. But it is what it is. Catch and release for me from now on. Still a FUN fish to catch.

These fish are quite tasty when prepared properly, to deal with bones keep only the larger fish. Scale fish first, but do not skin. fillet carefully using a THIN SHARP fillet knife, cutting through pin bones but not rib (or stomach) bones. This can be done without gutting fish first, but takes a bit of a practiced hand to avoid cutting through to the guts.A flexible fillet knife can ride over the rib bones easily.On larger fish a bit of the meat alongside the ribs can be left on the fillet if careful. A slanted V- cut right alongside the pin bone (or lateral bone) line on both sides will remove that group of bones, flour or bread crumbs after an egg bath and pan fry 'till golden brown. Most fish will not "mush out" if fish are bled while alive by cutting a couple of gill arches on either side and not let them sit in water or warm temps. after that. If there is enough interest I can record a good instructional on advanced fillet techniques on some of the more difficult (but tasty!) fish species such as cabazon, irish lords, etc.and post it on this site if that is possible. I already have a vid of a great cabazon Melanie caught and I filletted on camera few years ago, GREAT fish and chips! I did it professionally for a while and still clean quite a few as you've seen. Bob