Fun in the surf

[Scott V]

The fish weren't big, but they were there and that is all I care about!







Always seem to catch a couple of these each time.

[BillB]

Want to send a few south to Morro Bay Scott?

[Larry S]

Scott,
What is the name of the second perch pictured? In San Diego, about 90% are the barred
and the rest walleyes. We've been having a very productive season - Glider Port.
Lots of perch, croakers, and misc. Incredible mole crab beds.
Best,
Larry S

[Scott V]

I have no idea Larry what its name is, hopefully someone like Hanley will come along and know.


Sorry Bill, they are all mine and I am not sharing!!!

[jbird]

I would guess its a barred... possibly a female?

http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.as...17&inline=true

[Loren E]

Hey good stuff Scott! There are some nice perch around the Marin coast right now, that is for sure. Saw a bait guy get a 15 incher the other day...I couldn't believe my eyes! Looks like you found some decent numbers, which was a struggle earlier this year.

I hit it this morning for a couple hours and fished up on top with a double hander, was able to land two stripers in the 12 pound range for the effort before the incoming tide pushed me off the water. Another late striper year but finally they are out there roaming the beaches. I am looking forward to our session on the 4th.

Hey Larry, the first two perch (as well as the 4th) are all barred surf perch. The first two photos are prime examples of the two different marking characteristics they will take on, with some being golden with faint silver bars, and others being silver with very obvious gold bars. It is not a gender thing. Mark Won believes the gold ones might be fish that spend more time in lower salinity zones around the golden gate, because once you get away from the vicinity of the gate they are almost all the silver body/gold bar variety.

The third perch is a calico surf perch.

Cheers -Loren

[Scott V]

Thanks for the info Loren. I am already having dreams about the 4th!!!!

I was blown away by all the bikini's in the water on Sunday, I need to go back.

[Larry S]

Thanks guys for the info - esp Loren. Jay's link does show the "unbarred" barred
perch. Don't remember seeing any before. We occasionally see what we think might
be hybrid perch. One of my friends ties a small (6) Clouser type that is so deadly
that I call it "percheron." Pun intended, which he doesn't seem to appreciate.
This morning, at the Glider Port, we caught the usual perch collection with
rays and shovel nose mixed in. At times, the bottom seems to be paved with
rays. Last Wednesday, at La Jolla Shores, 41 swimmers were treated for sting ray
encounters.
Best to all,
Larry S

[k.hanley]

Say hey Larry and Scotty,

Loren and Mark are correct. The "Golden phase" perch is a Barred. I always considered it a local variation found mostly around the Marin County locales. I rarely catch them south of the Golden Gate. I can't even recall getting any up north of Mendocino either.

Mark may have a point about the salinity levels.

Stay safe out there!
Cheers, Ken

[OceanSunfish]

I have caught the solid gold looking perch before in areas south of the Gate, including Monterey Bay. The lower salinity theory is something I've not thought about but come to think of it, I've caught the solid gold ones at or close to river outlets to the ocean during the winter when there is run off.

"2+2" every now and then......