Think Pink for Barred Surfperch

     The barred surfperch in the photo is a nice fish, at about 3 pounds. Large, mature perch develop a big, square mouth, so, on the Central Coast, we refer to a perch this size as a ‘squaremouth’.

The 5/6 Spey pictured with the perch is not too big a stick, considering the conditions and the fish. A dark-bellied squaremouth will spin you toward the backing and make you bow. This one, kept for the table, was feeding on by-the-wind sailor jellyfish. Its stomach proved chockablock full of them.

It’s good to check stomach contents. Keeps things honest, informs and sometimes surprises.

This perch had nothing in it but wind sailors. Which are blue colored. Yet it and a whole bunch of its compatriots had diverted from the grape gummies to take the pink fly.

I’m not exactly sure why.

Might be that surfperch feeding on a jellyfish hatch aren’t as selective as trout feeding on a mayfly hatch. Evidence suggests.

One thing I’m fairly sure of though: barred perch like pink flies.

 Brown may be the color of the universe, but it's pink in the middle.

Here's a pattern I fish a lot:

Pink Krystal Shrimp for Barred Perch ~ tied by Steven Bird 

 Pink/Pearl Shrimp

Hook: #2-#6 stainless saltwater – mount a barbell or bead-chain to the top of the hook shank

Thread: pink

Tail: pink kip / 2 strands of red krystal flash

Body: red wire, or substitute red tinsel coated with thick cement

Topping: pinch of pearl/gray kip; 2 strands of red krystal flash; pink kip ~ & finish.