photo courtesy of Larry Acord
Our good friend and local angler, Larry Acord had a great day flyfishing off the beach this past Saturday, just north of Ventura by landing three corbina on fly in 59 degree water. The fish were apparently cruising in deep water, way off the beach. Two of the three fish were caught on a Qs Beach Bug which is a good early season attractor pattern. What is really cool, is that we have been practicing our casting almost every week. Most of the time we work on short accurate casts which really are the money cast, but lately we have been practicing long shots of 80 plus feet, well it paid off for Larry. WTG dude!
flies, sand & surf 
👍👍👍👍👊🏾
H. Carl Crawford
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Glad to hear someone is getting some action!
Down here in North O.C. I’ve mostly been blind casting as it has been tough to sight fish the Corbina due to the local conditions.
I’ve been using similar gear and tactics, but with zero success. Waiting for the conditions to change so I can work on a more direct sight fishing tactic.
In the mean time, do you mind if I ask you what line set-up you are using for the long cast approach? Are you using a fast sink tip with intermediate running line, full intermediate, or sink tip with floating running line?
My current set-up is 8WT Rio In-Touch Full Sink Tip with Intermediate Running. I’m thinking it might be dragging too hard on the bottom, but not sure. Never the less, with 300 grains, I’m able to make the 80 to 90 foot casts, but regardless of the distance I’m achieving, I’m getting no love from the Ghosts or any other species for that matter (water temps still sub – 60 F).
Any suggestions you could throw my way would be greatly appreciated!
Fred, all good questions. First off this time of year most of the corbina are cruising just off the beach so the set up you have is fine for blind casting. A 300 grain line on a 8 weight is perfect. If the surf is light, you can even go a little lighter like a 250, as long as you can maintain contact and feel your fly without side current you are int he game. There might be a day where the wind in down and the surf is flat and you can sight cast these fish working parallel to the shore. We like to use intermediate running lines, .030 or .035 and easy to handle. You want your fly to be on the bottom so make sure you use a clouser style, hook up fly so you do not dull your hook. Keeping hooks sharp is key to catching corbina and maintaining a straight pull to the fly without drag is just as important. any slack and they can eat and spit the fly before you even knew they were there.
Pretty soon they fish will be up on the beach eating sand crabs. That is when you can drop your set up to a 5, 6 or 7 weight with a 200 grain line and intermediate or floating running line. Do not go in the water! Cast form the sand and try to forty five degree the fish of drop it on them if they tail. Use a surfin merkin in gray or salmon pink with rubber legs in the rear as feelers, this creates a “V” wake that imitates a crab fleeing and burrowing in the sand. Fish the minus low tides on the incoming, the fish are hungry. The most important part is have fun….
Thank you Al!
Well at least now I know I’m heading down the right path.
I’m equipped with assorted Clousers, Q’s Beach Bugs (Thanks for the recipe during LBCC lecture!), and I just tied up a bunch of surfin merkins – so I’ll keep trying!
Its funny…
I started fly fishing the surf about 2 years ago. Right off the bat I nailed two spot fin in a row. “Huh! This isn’t so hard!” Ever since, its been tough. So other then beginner’s luck, I’ve got nothing. So the expert advice you so eagerly and freely give is greatly appreciated!!!
Fred: Just remember its the journey that’s important, never stop learning, I learn new things every day. PS, the local surf fishing has been very spotty the past few years, so don’t feel like your missing out on anything. The fishing up north has been very good lately, all above Ventura to Pismo Beach…have fun!
-Al