Drake's beach directions...

[Katz]

Can someone give me quick directions to Drake's beach, or what to enter into MapQuest?

Also, is it worth fishing there in bad weather - rain, etc. (this weekend for example)?

Thanks in advance.

Katz

[Matt Frey]

Here is a map. See the road that heads west. This goes to the lighthouse. Take that road and then turn left (small black road on map) and head south. This road will take you to Drake's Beach. Once you get to Point Reyes it is actually very easy to find your way. Everything is fairly well marked.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i94/mattpfrey/map_area_285x248.jpg

Here is a link to a better map:
http://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/upload/map_park.pdf

Have fun and good luck.
Matt

[Katz]

Many thanks!

Katz

[Anne Vitale]

Katz...The maps Matt has referenced will get you there.

One of the biggest advantages of Drake Beach is that it is facing South East, tucked in nicely behind the Point Reyes headland rising abruptly on the west protecting it from the open Pacific. Another nice feature is the 200 ft high cliff directly behind the beach, providing protection from off shore winds which happen from time to time. In short, its almost the perfect bad weather fishing hole 8) . Good luck out there if you go.......Anne

[mike N]

Anne,

So that means if I take a detour to there on the way home Thursday and the weather is bad, I can still have an opportunity to fish the suds?

MN

[Anne Vitale]

Mike...Technically yes. However, if it is raining as hard as they are saying it is going to, the geography won't help much. The beach has no protection from above :wink: .....Anne

[mike N]

I was planning to bring a rain jacket anyway. :)
I hope I make it this time.
MN

[Katz]

Bill, do you sell some of the flies that work well out there.

I am short on vice time and hoping for a few flies that will do the job if the fish are there.

Katz

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

We have some surf perch flies but I see people using lots of different patterns now.

I think some Bonefish patterns work too.

Depends on who you talk to.

I think knowing the tides and locations that hold fish is the most important part.

Keith Kaneko took a surf perch class a few years back from Jay Murakoshi and Ken Hanley down near Monterey in the spring time. I guess he learned a lot in that one day class.

[lee s.]

Anne,
Isn't that beach subject to the brunt of a south swell and a south wind? Sometimes associated with storms? :roll:
....lee s.

[Anne Vitale]

Yes Lee...It is. Don't roll your eyes at me like that :wink:. If you reread my post, you will see that I said "ALMOST perfect". :D ......Anne

[mike-n]

Boy, you folks are optomistic. :)

MN

[fallriverfish]

dont worry about south swells until summer. that beach has a small window for incoming swells i.e, it needs to be gigantic on the west side(of pt. reyes) or it is a direct swell into the bay.

[PaulC]

Hey Katz,
You can always try some of the bugs on Gary's site. www.garybulla.com
The SurfRat works just fine for perch and is a very simple tye.
You can pump out a dozen of em in no time.
In the winter, I also tend to be fishing a sparse chart/white clouser size 4-6 and pick up corbina, perch, etc.
Another simple tye.

Summers I shift to mole crab patterns and shrimp for skinny water corbina.
Some of mark's worm imitations he had posted look like a good pile worm match. You don't get the bleeding effect of the bait guys tho unless you hook yourself. lol.

Perch really aren't picky. Keep it simple.

-Paul

[Darian]

Hey Katz,.... Bill, apprently, doesn't want to blow his own horn but has some of Jay M', patterns for sale in his shop. 8) 8) Look in the prepackaged flies on the peg board for 'em. 8) 8) This is in addition to the flies mentioned by Paul..... I've heard/seen people catching perch on Orange Comets and some Olive Shrimp patterns. 8) 8) 8)