WTB: ultralight casting gear - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

summers in kuwait · 08-18-2020, 09:53 AM

I love surf fishing and spent many days and nights fishing from Mission Beach up to Del Mar. Blacks to Torrey Pines has always been my favorite!

I have fished shark, halibut, etc. but honestly my favorite is spot fin, yellow fin and corbina. Great fighters and good table fare.

My main setup is a spinning combo with a shimano sahara and 8lb mono. Classic carolina rig with 4-8 lb. leader.

I also have a micro-lite setup with an old penn z set up with 4 lb. mono.
I once caught a 6-7 ft leopard that took 30 mins on 4 lb. test!

I will typically bring two rods down in a back pack and bucket.

Here is a trick that I came up with about 10 years ago. I take a stainless steel utensil holder from IKEA and use this like a sand crab rake.
Scoop it into the sand, collecting crabs. Spin it a few times and it sheds all the sand out. Then I hand select the quality crabs. You are looking for crabs that are molting (soft) and with eggs. Discard the others. Then place the keepers in a quart cup. with some water and you are good to go. The quart cup can pack back into the utensil holder when your done.

Then careful placement of the hook into the crab, so you still have good movement and don't paralyze the crab.

I hope this helps!

Oolie · 08-18-2020, 09:56 AM

Those roe laden softies are 1:1000. They are primo however.

Securing them to the hook with elastic thread will keep them from being short bit AKA sucked from the hook.

FullFlavorPike · 08-18-2020, 10:42 AM

Great tips here. LOVE the use of the spoon holder for a crab rake. I usually chase them with my mitts, which is slow going (although it works), and its easy to smash them.

Sounds like spinning gear is a more plausible setup. I just don't like fishing it that much these days. Maybe i'm just a snob lol.

Any of the bass specialists got an unused setup lying around that would do the trick?

Saba Slayer · 08-18-2020, 01:08 PM

Check out Bill Varney's web site...Tons of really good info here...

https://www.fishthesurf.com
And...Bill is a BIG supporter of CCA CAL...

As an example of his info...Here's a few pics on how to hook a sand crab from Bill's site...

King Saba · 08-27-2020, 02:27 AM

I have one if you're ever in the LA area I'll gladly sell it to yah for 30 bucks. It's a 2 piece with 2 different rod tip actions.

08-27-2020, 02:27 AM	#5
King Saba Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: SGV Posts: 848	I have one if you're ever in the LA area I'll gladly sell it to yah for 30 bucks. It's a 2 piece with 2 different rod tip actions. __________________ Baitfish catcher extraordinaire

08-18-2020, 09:53 AM	#1
summers in kuwait Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: East County San Diego Posts: 657	I love surf fishing and spent many days and nights fishing from Mission Beach up to Del Mar. Blacks to Torrey Pines has always been my favorite! I have fished shark, halibut, etc. but honestly my favorite is spot fin, yellow fin and corbina. Great fighters and good table fare. My main setup is a spinning combo with a shimano sahara and 8lb mono. Classic carolina rig with 4-8 lb. leader. I also have a micro-lite setup with an old penn z set up with 4 lb. mono. I once caught a 6-7 ft leopard that took 30 mins on 4 lb. test! I will typically bring two rods down in a back pack and bucket. Here is a trick that I came up with about 10 years ago. I take a stainless steel utensil holder from IKEA and use this like a sand crab rake. Scoop it into the sand, collecting crabs. Spin it a few times and it sheds all the sand out. Then I hand select the quality crabs. You are looking for crabs that are molting (soft) and with eggs. Discard the others. Then place the keepers in a quart cup. with some water and you are good to go. The quart cup can pack back into the utensil holder when your done. Then careful placement of the hook into the crab, so you still have good movement and don't paralyze the crab. I hope this helps!

08-18-2020, 10:42 AM	#3
FullFlavorPike Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 810	Great tips here. LOVE the use of the spoon holder for a crab rake. I usually chase them with my mitts, which is slow going (although it works), and its easy to smash them. Sounds like spinning gear is a more plausible setup. I just don't like fishing it that much these days. Maybe i'm just a snob lol. Any of the bass specialists got an unused setup lying around that would do the trick?