beach fishing on a fly

Ela · 05-07-2007, 06:04 PM

i have been doing some reasearch about fishing the surf with a fly. I've seen alot of people talk about tillamook, but i am headed to seaside/cannon beach area this weekend. Any spots people have luck with? I dont care what type of fish, just would like to catch something new. I have a 4wt and a 6wt rod, and floating lines and intermediate sinking. Any advice would be great! thanks

Fish Mode · 05-08-2007, 09:51 PM

Bump...

I'm sure someone here goes surfperch fishing on the fly! I haven't any experience to speak of, but I'm very sure it can be done

2/0Dee · 05-09-2007, 05:57 AM

I have done it a few times. Never had any luck but had fun. As for rods the 6 wt would be a little light espically if the wind kicks up. If you go use the intermediate as you will want your line under the waves. it is much easier to fish that way.
MIke

TillamookChinook · 05-09-2007, 12:14 PM

A stripping basket would be handy. The time I tried flycasting into the surf I was frustrated by the swirling water around my feet taking the line every which way.

TC

Fervent Forager · 05-09-2007, 12:29 PM

I fish with an 8 weight. I like some places around Tillamook and around Newport. If you want specifics pm me. I would recommend Jonh Shewey�s book "Trout and Beyond." Last weekend I was out fishing off the jetty at Barview and did well. the jetty bite is great right now if you are looking for success. I even ran into another surf fly fisherman on a small beach in the Tillamook area last weekend which was an exciting first. Unfortunately neither of us caught any surf perch, but we both got rockfish last weekend. The surf perch are schooling and can be tough to locate, but well worth it one you get into them. They will bight almost anything reddish/orange. Also try a mole crab imitation. Most beached could hold surf perch. I would look for two things. Find a beach with mole crabs and razor clams. Those are indicators of food sources which attract fish.

Good luck.

gordy · 05-09-2007, 12:33 PM

You will likely be casting into the wind so as was said before you may wanna leave that 4 wt home.

patp · 05-09-2007, 03:13 PM

i have fished for surf perch a couple of times and only had luck once. but when i got into them i got 5 or 6 and missed as many more strikes. best advice i know is cover a lot of water do not stay in one spot. alot like summer steelheading cast and move if no action. use a 7 or heavier weight rod unless you can double haul well into the wind or worse, cross body wind casting. very eye opening. oh and watch out for the waves i usually fish after i am done diving off the jetty so i have a wetsuit on. if you do not have a wet suit use chest waders with a wading belt cinched tight and a over jacket in case the waves hit you "they will sooner or later" and remember ankle deep water one minute can be chest deep the next. it is alot of fun so enjoy yourself.

Mo Outdoors · 05-09-2007, 03:40 PM

Never done it. Sounds like fun though. Keep us informed. I would think that a 8 wt. 10' with a type II line would be key and a stripping basket too. Hope it works out and watch those tides.
T Mo

SteelieD12 · 05-11-2007, 01:42 PM

I have been out off the beaches near Tillamook several times recently with the flyrod to no avail. In fact, Fervent I believe it was you that I ran in to on the small beach that you referred to in your post.

I have been able to fish fairly easily with a 7 wgt., small stripping basket, and an intermediate line as long as the surf is relatively calm and the wind is not too heavy. I wish I could give advice on finding perch but I have yet to find a taker. I think it is a game of finding bars or other structure with deeper water nearby and efficiently covering water.

I may head out this weekend to fish the morning low tides, so hopefully I can give more info on catching perch soon.

D

D3smartie · 05-11-2007, 04:15 PM

i have never fished OR for surf perch but when i was in college i did down in CA. I used an 8wt rod with a sinking line to keep my fly right on the bottom and in the feeding zone. Short leaders too so that the wave action couldnt drag my fly up and i would lose contact with it.
I like mole crab imitations but gremmies and puff balls also worked well. Clousers in chartruese, olive, and orange also caught me some fish. The perch down in socal really liked orange.
Look for the rips in close to shore... you should be able to spot the deeper troughs and current seems that will bring the food to the fish. I never wasted time fishing the flat spots. find those deeper areas, depresions and troughs and you should find fish.
Make sure you have a stripping basket, wading belt and dont turn your back on the ocean. i have been knocked down a couple times and it is not fun.
good luck
david

SteelieD12 · 05-13-2007, 04:36 PM

I was able to get out this weekend with the flyrod for surfperch on the beaches near Tillamook. I fished both the outgoing and incoming tides with a double fly setup and an intermediate or sinking line. Unfortunately, once again I was not able to find any perch. The outgoing tide was definately easier to fish due to less water and easier wading but from researching some of the archives many people seem to like the end of the incoming tide. I fished at this time as well but had a much harder time dealing with the increased water and wave movements. I was able to fish some nice rips on the incoming but just could not find the fish.

Earlier in the year I read of good flyfishing reports from the southern Oregon coast which made me wonder if the beaches down there are more suitable for flyfishing. Anyone out there know? In John Shewey's old book he mentions of fishing for surfperch on the beaches near Newport. I have yet to explore beaches in that area to see how easy they are to flyfish in relation to the beaches near Tillamook.

Next time out I think I may try some of the beaches north of Tillamook. Anyone out there interested in meeting up to dodge some waves? The way I see it the more flies in the water the better.

SD

Fervent Forager · 05-17-2007, 03:30 PM

I am always up for some saltwater fly fishing (fish or no fish). Depending on the weather I am going to fish the jetty at Barview this Saturday and Sunday and possibly a few beaches too.

On another note, if you are looking for a steep beach I just remembered that Gleneden beach just south of Lincoln City seemed pretty steep about 2 years ago when I walked it. It reminded me of some east coast beaches. It could be worth a shot.

Has anyone every used a floating device of some sort to get out just past the breakers? I have been contemplating using a float tube or sea kayak to get their. I think the way in and out could get pretty harry and wet, but I bet the fishing is good. I am leaning more towards the sea kayak idea just so I can get back to shore easily.

patp · 05-18-2007, 03:58 AM

say fervent i would go with the sea kayak idea. it is much safer and quicker then a float tube in the ocean. use a shooting head set up with some lc-13 heads and fish by the jetty for rock fish and perch, but be carefull of the wave action as it almost always pushes you into the rocks. enjoy the feeling of being on the big blue in a yak it is superb.
pat

SteelieD12 · 05-19-2007, 04:13 PM

Last evening I got out for redtails once again with the flyrod and finally got my hands on several fish. I caught all three redtails within 25 feet of the beach where large waves were breaking as the depth shallowed. After the third fish I thought I had found a fairly large school but could not find any more fish after that.

I tried again today but could not buy a fish. I saw quite a few fisherman on the beaches this morning but did not see anyone else catch any fish either.

Well, I guess at least now I know they really do exist!

SD

Fervent Forager · 05-19-2007, 10:49 PM

Nice work. What fly did you catch them on?

SteelieD12 · 05-20-2007, 08:41 AM

I caught two fish on a simply fly with bright orange crystal flash on a number 6 hook with bead chain eyes. The other fish was caught on an unweighted fly with a red marabou tail, bright pink chenille body, and red marabou over and under wings. I have been using a tandem fly setup to give the fish more flies to look at and for added weight. At least one of my flies is always weighted. Honestly, I think as long as the fly is fairly small but yet easily visible to the fish, I don't think the fly pattern matters all that much. The hardest part to me is finding the fish in an area that can be efficiently covered with fly tackle.

I may spend more time in the surf with a spinning rod to get a better feel for when and where the perch are during various tides. I figure this might give me a better idea of what times and places the flyrod might be most effective. It'll be hard to put the flyrod down but should speed up the learning curve.

As a side note, I know we are all aware that the surf can be a dangerous and unpredictable environment, but we all take ill-advised chances sometimes. This weekend I was fishing on a bar at the edge of a deep hole in fairly rough surf. A large wave broke in front of me but sent a rush of water around chest height over the bar and directly at me. It swept me off of my feet and sent me swimming toward shore. Other than getting completely soaked and shortening my outing I was fine. I learned my lesson.

SD

Fish Mode · 05-21-2007, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelieD12

As a side note, I know we are all aware that the surf can be a dangerous and unpredictable environment, but we all take ill-advised chances sometimes. This weekend I was fishing on a bar at the edge of a deep hole in fairly rough surf. A large wave broke in front of me but sent a rush of water around chest height over the bar and directly at me. It swept me off of my feet and sent me swimming toward shore. Other than getting completely soaked and shortening my outing I was fine. I learned my lesson.

SD

Very glad you are OK

skaha · 05-21-2007, 06:04 AM

--When you get home, soak everything in fresh water, line, reel, and rod etc.
--I always tell my friends I clean my line and gear after fresh water fishing (not always telling the truth) but cannot get away with it in salt.
--I set up an old sink with sprayer outside.

Abalone · 05-21-2007, 10:07 AM

Some basics:

Target beaches that have razor clams. (More perch)
Pick days with a very low surf.
Fish incoming tide, preferably the low end of an incoming tide.
Perch run the surf, they are looking for anything that looks edible, pecking away as they swim. Use brite colors like hot pink, chartruse Greens etc.

a 4 wt. will work fine in the right conditions.. August and September are good months. There are days when there are hardly and waves at all.
Those a good days to toss a fly.....

SteelieD12 · 05-21-2007, 08:10 PM

Thanks Fish Mode. The day before I fished the same hole easily but the tide was lower and the surf was calmer than when I got hit with the wave the next day out.

Skaha, the first thing I did when I got home was wash all of my tackle. In fact, everytime I fish the salt I wash my tackle thoroughly as soon as I get home. Fortunately, I usually don't have to dry out the entire inside of my waders (lol!).

SD

TillamookChinook · 05-22-2007, 12:04 PM

Thanks for the reports. Glad you got into some fish.

TC

Fervent Forager · 05-22-2007, 03:22 PM

I bought a 13' kayak this weekend and can't wait to get out and try ocean fishing from it. Any suggestions on where to go? I do not want to get into an area tha is too dangerous at first. HAs anyone ever taken a kayak through the breakers?