Author Archives: ondafly

another nice corbina fair hooked on a sparse grizzly hackle fly by the master, Glen Ueda. Photo by Jim Solomon

We had fish all around us for about forty minutes, last friday during the corbina magic hour. There were some bruisers mixed in. I threw everything at them, got bumped three times but had nothing to show for my effort, however I looked to my right to see my pal, Glen, rod bendo as this fish took off for the outer trough.  It was another beauty on the fly! Simply Awesome!

this is the pic of the day…

A twenty five inch corbina landed by our angling buddy and guitar hero , Bernard Yin. photo by James Dwyer.

|ˌpərsəˈvi(ə)rəns| nounsteadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success: his perseverance withthe technique illustrates his single-mindedness | medicine is a field that requires dedication and perseverance.

Matt Brown with a fine corbina on the fly. Photo courtesy of Matthew Brown

pink merkin by Matt Brown

this is how the Facebook IM went:

Matt: Howdy Al! I hope that this message finds you well! I’m on my back down to Oceanside this weekend. I’m so stoked to hit the beach again. I know that waters have been quite warm and I was wondering if there is anything interesting happening in the surf because of that? Any opportunities for different species or anything like that? Any insight you are willing to share would be awesome. I’m considering spending a little time chucking flies around the harbor bait dock and see what I can turn up as well. Thanks!

Q: I would consider putting on a surfin merkin fly and looking for corbina this time of year, they are everywhere. they are not easy to catch, but get out there on the early minus low tide, about an hour after the tide turns is when they get active. good luck

Matt: Thanks Al! I’ll let you know if I get into any.

Matt: Well, Neptune was smiling on me today! Was just about to call it quits today and then I spotted this fish. I led it by about 10 feet and then he pounded my fly while riding in on a little roller. Super hard fighter took me into my backing twice but I got it finally. Surfin merkin!

Q: Is that your first one, Matthew? Congrats, can I post your fish on my blog? what color/ size merkin?

Matt: It’s my first on this trip. Last summer I didn’t get one and the summer before was my first year and it was a jackpot of 5 landed corbinas. You steered me right on flies back then and I have been sticking to them.

Matt: If I remember correctly the hook is a mustad stainless size 4 but you can see it there in relation to a quarter. I use orange/black barred rubber legs with a sparkle fleck as antennae, a few strands of pink crystal flash, and then the body is shrimp pink senyo laser dub.

Matt: Please feel free to post my pic. I would be honored!

photo by Al Quattrocchi

photo by Al Quattrocchi

I had the good fortune to fly fish some southern waters with two of my friends, Bernard and Jon this past weekend while visiting family in San Diego. I found myself at dark o thirty, Torrey Pines State Beach, street parked on the fourth of July. With great structure exposed all around us it made perfect sense to hit it early before the crowds emerged. I met a nice fellow named Don, he came strolling up the beach with his fly rod and stripping basket, a welcomed site on this fourth of July morning. He looked like a local so we chatted a little and I asked him if he had any luck with corbina at this location. He replied that he hadn’t seen many beans but one of the bait fisherman the day before landed a nice striper on bait. I notice he had an anchovy colored clouser minnow attached to the end of his line. I told him that it was a great idea to start off with the clouser and if nothing happened switch over to corbina. Off he went far to my left, I saw him wading out chest high and bombing casts over the waves. Shortly after my buddy Jon showed up and we began to scan the skinny water for corbina. Around fifteen minutes passed and here comes Don walking up the beach with a striper in his net. The stars and stripes starting early on this fourth of July weekend. I congratulated him and took a pic. Jon told me the next day, he went out and he saw Don land yet another larger striper…that’s why I love flyfishing the beach, you never know unless your line is wet what can tug at the end of your line… Me and Jon did get some good shots on some corbina working the shallow water later that morning, they were doing headstands for around a half an hour window but the corbina showed us no love. Our buddy Bernard landed a nice halibut in one of the many deep troughs that lined the beach on a clouser. Just another day at the office, good times and great morning fishing with friends.