I'm a terrible fisherman.

[Brian in Montana]

We've been in Southern Oregon for the past few days. I rented a surf rod and decided to try my hand at surf perch fishing. The guys on YouTube make it look easy. I fished a couple hours yesterday evening and most of the day today with only a few bites and one little redfin to show for it.

It's PERCH. it shouldn't be this hard.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

I haven't done that for 40 years but fish the incoming tide and keep moving until you find them.

 

[rtraverdavis]

They’ll be in clusters, rather than spread out up and down the beach. Look for troughs where the waves aren’t breaking. Have fun!

 

[Brian in Montana]

Maybe that's been the problem (despite me not knowing what I'm doing), its been really windy the past couple days and the surf has been violent. I got no idea how to fish water like that.

 

[gouch]

where were you fishing? there are really only a few places on the southern Oregon coast where the perch fishing is good.

 

[noharleyyet]

...beats a good day working. Reminds me of our first time lake fishing in Colorado...an elderly gent from Oklahoma finally walked over and mentored our flailing.

 

[Brian in Montana]

where were you fishing? there are really only a few places on the southern Oregon coast where the perch fishing is good.

Nesika Beach.

 

[gouch]

Just a little farther south at gold beach there is a little sand spit a few hundred yards up the river about where the south jetty starts that is usually pretty good for perch. My favorite spot is along a beach next to the Winchuck river right on the Oregon, California border. but its hard to get to during high tide because you have to walk along the river to the beach,

 

[dirtclod Az.]

I watched an old man catching perch one day,he caught a whole mess of em'
I went down later for 2hrs. and caught zero! what did he do? spit on the hook?