Third time’s the charm

[Matt B]

I didn’t feel like getting up for the tide this morning but I’m glad I did, because it took me three family vaycay early mornings, but I got them sumbitches today—our last day.



The first attempt was during fairly stormy weather. I don’t find it particularly fun to fly fish when loose line is constantly blown out of the stripping basket.
Try #2 was better weather but I was fishing during the early middle incoming and I just didn’t make it happen.
Today was an early little minus tide so I got out there about an hour before it bottomed out and walked toward the headland, in part so I could check out the arch.




Down at the water, birds of many feathers were active and vocal. I straightened some of the coily streamer express line and hooked up on my first cast!



I hooked eight and landed six in about an hour or so of the first part of incoming tide, including my PB surf perch. Good thing for these guys it was our last day, otherwise there’d be some filet action happening. What a great capper-offer for the trip!

 

[Breck]

How are they table-wise? I've never eaten one.

 

[adamcu280]

Looks great! Surf perch are so much fun.

IMO they're a basic white meat fish. Not spectacular but decent in taco form. Cook them well as they often have worms.

 

[Chris Bellows]

Kudos, one of those fisheries I always wanted to try since reading Shewey's book but never got around to.

 

[Matt B]

How are they table-wise? I've never eaten one.

IMO they're a basic white meat fish.

Pretty much this. I rate them above rockfish and below lingcod.

 

[SeaRunner]

Those fish are one of my personal pet peeves lol. Tried a half dozen or more times half heartedly and never got into them. I think I've hooked a total of one life time.

Nice report and fish!

 

[Bambooflyguy]

How are they table-wise? I've never eaten one.

They’re horrible…..rather eat bullheads……just kidding, they’re excellent tasting!

 

[Yard Sale]

Fatties! Nice work.

 

[Wadin' Boot]

Cool, haven't managed to figure them out. (Aside -for a minute there I thought that was an Ellen Degeneres album )

 

[Matt B]

Those fish are one of my personal pet peeves lol. Tried a half dozen or more times half heartedly and never got into them. I think I've hooked a total of one life time.

Nice report and fish!

Kudos, one of those fisheries I always wanted to try since reading Shewey's book but never got around to.

Thank you; I always think back to Shewey’s book too, and that image of fly fishing the windy surf, when I step out there casting into what seems like might be a fool’s errand. But I have had just enough success (before today) to keep me at it. Finding a group of them like that, though, with all the awesome bird life, sharing water with a surf scoter and four harlequin ducks, head on a swivel for waves and not letting the tide strand me, that was amazing. I do like that dynamic environment. It’s intimidating but energizing.