SPORT REPORT

The ultimate challenge for most fishermen is surf fishing. What beats that? Flyfishing in the surf. Throughout the year, on any sandy beach from Ventura to Ensenada, fisherfolk can catch barred, walleye, shiner, black and pile surfperch, corbina, yellowfin croaker, spotfin croaker and white croaker on a fly rod. . Which beaches are best? The ones with the most sand crabs. Just about all fish in the surf zone dine on these tasty crustaceans, so the best fly you can use would be an imitation of the Emerita analoga . Dan Hoffman of Bob Marriott’s Fly Fishing Store in Pasadena says he has caught just about every species of fish mentioned above with his version of the crab fly. He recommends fishing at peak low tide at first light, or two hours before or after high tide. Using an eight- or nine-weight flyrod with a shooting head and 18 to 20 feet of lead-core line with a short leader should do the trick. Wear a stripping basket to keep your flyline out of the surf and chest waders to keep you warm in winter. Good luck and good fishing.