Solis On The Salt

Now Thats A Lot of Weed

Corey — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:49:38 +0000

Fished this morning with Isaac from Seattle, Washington. With the recent warming of the weather making it almost like a usual summer I expected that the fish would be on the chew. The number of beach goers may have spooked the corbina and spotfin but we were eager to hit the beach. We got to the beach a little after 6 am and found it covered with seaweed and decided to fish anyway. The surf was small, the tide was rising until around 8 or so and there were a bunch of good holes up and down the beach that were holding fish. The water is still a little chilly for this time of year but we managed a few perch from the surf in between bouts with seaweed and grass. Overall a great way to spend the morning. When we were leaving around 9.30 am the beach was getting packed. Ah Memorial Day at the beach in San Diego.

Good meeting and talking with you Isaac, hope to do it again someday!

Mid Week Corbina

Corey — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:16:46 +0000

Met up with Bill and Will from Fresno, Scott from Carlsbad and Rob from Sacramento to introduce them to fly fishing in the surf.

Even though we were harassed by an unusual amount of kelp in the morning, it did not take these guys long to start getting into a few small surfperch from some of the holes, troughs and drop offs left by the recent swells. Things got more interesting when Rob hooked up and started to back out of the water with something a little stronger. After a short tussle Rob emerged with his first Corbina. Congratulations Rob!

It was fun fishing with all of you.

Although we have had a very mild summer, with only a handful of days where the marine layer has burned off thus far, the Corbina are here and we can put you on them. Just drop us an email or give us a ring (858.531.1436 / 619.742.5888) to set up your beach fishing trip in San Diego.

Corbinas in the Surf

Corey — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 01:42:14 +0000

Check out the latest article from Jeff in the new issue of California Fly Fisher Magazine, here is the first page:

Jeff shares some of his tried and true methods for hooking Corbina from our local beaches. If sight fishing for Corbina has been on your list for awhile let the guides at Solis on the Salt show you how.

Memorial Day Weekend

Scott — Mon, 31 May 2010 15:18:01 +0000

Had the pleasure of fishing with Jerry from the Bay Area Sunday morning.

Although the fishing was a little slow, we had a great time getting him dialed in for future forays into the surf. The water is just about right to start ditching the waders, especially since the sun was out for the Memorial Day Weekend. We mainly fished the same hole I wrote about a few days ago and sighted a few Corbina in there among the Shovel Nosed Guitar Fish, rays and perch. We also had the opportunity to see the first sight-fished Corbina of the San Diego season caught and released by our good friend Jeff. The crab beds are getting ridiculous in size and the Corbina march is going to break wide open in the next few days. Come fish with us.

Crab Beds – Check, Structure – Check, We Are Ready for Corbina

Scott — Sat, 29 May 2010 20:31:07 +0000

Fished the rising tide with a few friends this morning for a handful of Barred Surfperch. Spotted lots of “dime-sized” mole crabs but didn’t spot any Corbina sliding up with the waves. The north county beaches are really shaping up for a great summer of sight fishing for Corbina and Spotfin Croaker. While walking up the beach I spotted this excellent example of a “hole”

You can see my buddies fishing in ankle deep water, but the water in the foreground drops off to about waist deep before it raises back up to ankle deep again. I pulled all of my fish out of this hole this morning and as the tide filled in the fishing seemed to get better. These types of structure allow fish to get a break from the strong currents and wait to ambush loose sand crabs or small clams, kind of like trout in a stream lining up behind a rock. Concentrating on holes, rips, troughs, etc. can increase your success and help you to find fish.

The Corbina and Spotfin Croaker should start coming into the shallows looking for sand crabs any day now which starts the real fun – sight fishing for the ghosts of the beach. If you are interested in sight fishing for Corbina or Spotfin this year, give us a call or drop us an email and we will get you dialed in.

Apex Fisherman

Scott — Sun, 02 May 2010 19:43:06 +0000

This morning Jeff and I met up with Stu from Salt Lake City, Utah for a little Sunday morning perching. For the first hour we fished under the watchful eye of an Osprey, the “Apex Fisherman”.

The Apex Fisherman

Stu and Jeff fishing under the watchful eye of the Osprey

Stu Fishing the currents

After having a rough time at our first stop we headed north and found a nice hole with a big drop off that kept Stu busy.

Stu casting for the drop off

We got into a few Walleye Surfperch right off the bat

Stu with a nice Walleye Surfperch

and then topped it off with a dozen or so Barred Surfperch, nothing huge today but we all had a great time.

Juvenile Barred Surfperch

The fishing really seems like it is ready to take off. Several people walking by this morning said they had spotted Corbina up the beach a ways and the last few weeks have been kicking out some of the larger sized Surfperch. If everything remains the same, we are expecting the Corbina to show up in force by the end of the month. If catching a Corbina is on your list of things you would like to accomplish this year, give us a call. Remember, there is no reason to drive hours to catch “native” fish when they are right here year-round.

Looking for Structure

Scott — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:57:22 +0000

The non-stop weather and large swell that has hammered the southern California coastline has left us with some nicely torn up beaches. Had the opportunity to fish my local beach this morning for a mixed bunch of small, large and extra large surfperch. Worked the rising tide for 30+ fish and had a blast. The famous “Bluegill on steriods” big perch are in and are ready to take some drag and break some hearts. These larger fish use their deep panfish-style bodies to work the currents against you and put a deep bend in your rod.

Biggest of the morning went 12.5 inches and put up quite a tussle.

Many 9 and 10 inchers also stopped by to say hello.

If you have been waiting to try the surf, waiting for the big girls to show up or just want to get out and practice that cast before the Sierra opener give us a call. It won’t be long before the Corbina start to show up hungry and willing to play.

We fish native fish all year.

Scott

California Fly Fisher – Springtime Fly Fishing in San Diego

Scott — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:32:29 +0000

Check out Jeff’s recent article on spring fishing in San Diego in the April 2010 issue of California Fly Fisher. If you can’t get your hands on a copy, you can at least check out Scott’s images here.

Mother nature finally gave us a break on the swell/weather and the fishing is picking up. Spring is a great time to fish the San Diego area and we are here to teach you how. Drop us a line and reserve your space.

Rip Currents

Scott — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:48:00 +0000

First off – the surf continues to be large and the weather less than desirable (by San Diego standards anyways). Here is the latest surf forecast for this week:

We have still been out several times a week to check on our favorite spots and have enjoyed some success. With a little luck the swell and weather will cooperate and the large perch will make their way into the shallows to give birth to the next generation. Along with them come the halibut and other predators looking for an easy meal. That is where we come in with a fly rod in hand.

Many of our clients come to us to “learn” how to read the water. We spend a considerable amount of our time “educating” clients on how to locate fish in rips, troughs, holes, etc. While checking out Wetsand’s surf forecast this morning, I noticed a great description of “rip currents”

with some great graphics and photos as well as some safety tips that I thought I would share. Enjoy the quick lesson and we look forward to seeing you in the surf.

Scott and Jeff.

Happy New Year – 2010

Scott — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 01:52:17 +0000

Eager to break in my new 2010 California Fishing License, and dreaming of the large Barred surfperch we took here on New Years Day 2009, I ignored the surf reports of chest to head-high surf and headed to the beach at sunrise. I had also noticed the night before while checking the tides and weather via Fishead that a huge tidal movement, accompanying our Blue Moon, would also be on hand to make things even more exciting.

Unlike last year when the beach looked more like the bay with small “waves” lapping at my gravel guards, the predictions of chest to head-high surf were spot on. But just like last year, the New Years parties were still going when I arrived at 6:15 with music playing, people dancing and taxis coming and going. As I headed down the beach, I stopped and talked to a good friend and witnessed a beautiful sunrise, before heading into battle. Turns out, staying vertical while the heavy tide surged to almost 7 feet was going to be the biggest chore of the day. I ended the day with a handful of small Barred surfperch, not the huge “bluegill on steriods” of last year but some nice tugs nonetheless and as a bonus did not need to practice my swimming in waders.

I love starting the year on the beach, witnessing the first sunrise of the decade with good friends.

Happy New Years everyone! Jeff and I are looking forward to fishing with all of you in the coming year.