THE LAST SPOT ON THIS FISH-OUT IS NOW OPEN TO ANY PAST OR PRESENT LTFF INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS. IF NOT FILLED BEFORE THEN, IT WILL BE OPEN TO ANY GGACC MEMBER AFTER JUNE 5.
This LTFF Step 3 Intermediate Surf Fish-out will be a joint event with the club's Surf Rondy on Saturday, June 18, 2016, starting at 6:00AM that day. Our guide, Bill Sharninghausen, is a very experienced Northern CA surf fisherman. He will be leading up to (4) LTFF Intermediate students and up to (4) more experienced anglers (8 total) to Palm Beach State Park, near Watsonville, CA. Fellow club member, and LTFF instructor, Rich Stevens will be in charge of the Intermediate students on this half-day fish-out and will help Bill in keeping track of you (John Murphy would join you if he wasn't going to be fishing in Baja then).
Everyone will meet at the entrance to Pajaro Dunes Resort, which is next to the entrance to the Palm Beach State Park, by 6:00AM and wader up & gear up on arrival. There is very limited free parking at this entrance so carpooling is advised. Bill will offer a brief talk between 6:15-6:30AM before leading the group down to the beach. You will only be fishing the incoming tide through the morning cycle before returning home in late morning or early afternoon.
Gear: Rod, either: 1) a 7-8wt single hand rod with either an integrated shooting head (250 to 300 gr.) or a shooting head set-up with type 4 to 6 heads; OR 2) a 7-8wt switch rod with sink tips (for overhead casting, not Spey casting). Leaders should be 10-15# mono or fluoro straight tippet. Go light when fishing in the surf and carry only the barest essentials such as hemostats, nippers, a spool of tippet, and your surf flies in a waterproof fly box, possibly carried inside jacket pockets or in a small chest pack, sling, or hip pack (no fishing vests).
Also bring your waders (booted-foot type is best if you have them); either scuba booties,Teva sandals, or "flats" boots (if using your stocking-foot waders, since saltwater will quickly corrode the metal eyelets in std. wading boots). Other gear includes: a wading belt (this is a "must have" -- and two belts are better); a good wading rain jacket (tied up tight at the bottom) or a kayak dry top; hat; sun gloves or a tennis/golf glove for your line hand to help land prickly fish; sunglasses with strap; stripping fingers or stretchy pet tape to wrap one or two fingers; and a stripping basket (optional, if you are comfortable using one). An inflatable PFD is great insurance. A wading staff is NOT recommended in the surf. Be sure to thoroughly rinse all your gear (flies, rods, and reels especially) in freshwater as soon as you can after fishing saltwater!
Anglers should have normal fly fishing experience, be able to cast a sinking shooting head or sink tip, and be comfortable wading in thigh deep water.
There may be a Surf Fishing clinic at the California Fly Shop in San Carlos, time tbd, to discuss what to expect, fishing techniques, gear, and other logistics. If not, we will distribute Bill's "Surf Presentation" via email. Surf perch, our primary target, eat a lot of mole crabs especially in the surf zone. But local surf flies (the best are usually tied in orange or rootbeer colors, or dark green with orange or rootbeer undersides, to imitate the mole crab's egg sac) can be hard to locate. Call Calif. Fly Shop (650-508-0727) to find out what they have in stock currently or ask Shawn there to tie some up for you.
The cost for this Intermediate Surf Fish-out is $60.
Register quickly for this very limited, but unusual fishing opportunity. There is no closer fishery to you than the ocean, which is open for surf fishing most days of the year. Learning to fly fish in the surf is a challenge -- but once you gain more experience and confidence doing this, there is a whole LOT of good fishing to be had on a great many beaches in our area.
For further information, contact either--
Rich Stevens 831-3384843 bldrcretin@gmail.com
Bill Scharninghausen billsch8@gmail.com