Another Pt. Reyes Report for 12/29

It's about that time of the year when the bigger surfperch begin to show up along the NorCal coast to perform their annual mating ritual. The trick is to get in the suds & wet the flies between the series of storms & rough swells that usually hammer the beaches during the winter. Yesterday, the lumps & bumps of the open seas fell sufficiently for me to explore the sandy beaches of Kehoe & fish the afternoon incoming tide. The surf was relatively flat for this time of the year. Despite the recent storms that blew through the area, the water was fairly clean & exhibited excellent clarity. There was sufficient shoreline structure to poke during the brief ebbtide. I located a few channels & troughs to investigate along the shorebreak during the afternoon.

I spent the latter part of the day working the surf with the Sage 0-wt TXL & a triple-fly tippet of Slinky Seducers:




The action was sporadic, but there were several big redtail surfperch that lurked within casting reach. The fish fought like brutes with their broad bodies planing against the current & wave hydraulics. I managed to land a few slabs that fell for the Seducers...




I also caught a few BSP's & a lone silver surfperch during the half-day angling effort. The Pt. Reyes scenery was spectacular, as ever. While strolling down a desolate stretch of beach, I met one of the local inhabitants (from a far distance, of course) who was soaking up the late afternoon rays...




I don't know how many more storm systems are headed down the coast this winter, but days like yesterday were just stellar for spending a mild & sunny winter afternoon in the surf at Pt. Reyes.

TL's,

Mark

[Anne Vitale]

Great Report Mark. ..Thanks for posting those fly patterns. They look like real surf perch attractors.

Yesterday was a grand day indeed. I'll be heading back out to Drake's about mid day today, Sat. Hopefully I'll see you out there. If we do come across each other, I'll be the old lady wearing a tan wind breaker with a shock of long, white hair sticking out from under my large brimmed, floppy hat. I am looking forward to seeing you use that 0 wt wand. With your encouragement to go light, I'll be carrying the smallest rod I have, a great big 3 wt ....This surf fishing thing is really fun and I am kinda stoked to find an excuse to get away form the computer and while away these mild winter afternoons doing what I like best . Ciao.....Anne

[Loren E]

looks like you slayed em as usual mark, nice work, great shot of the elephant seal