Surf Fishermen Have a Reel Good Time : Low cost and plentiful supply of both beaches and fish in Orange County are leading to upsurge in the sport.

They are seen at odd hours, long before the tourists, bodysurfers and others have set up camp at the beach. Or, hours afterward, when the gulls are working the sand for the remains of the day’s sandwiches and chips. They quietly bend to their craft--standing knee-deep in the churning water, throwing their long poles overhead to cast lines out to the surf.

Surf fishing, a true locals’ sport, is enjoying a rise in popularity because of its low cost. And Orange County’s sandy beaches offer many locations for casting for surfperch, corbina and other species that feed in shallow waters. Prime spots include Bolsa Chica, Huntington Beach, the Santa Ana River jetty, 15th Street in Newport Beach south to the Wedge and San Onofre State Beach.

Entry-level tackle costs as little as $30, plus $18.10 for a salt water license for fishermen over 16, said John Doughty of J.D.’s Big Game on Balboa Island. An optional spike that anchors the rod in the sand can be had for $5 to $10.

“The rod and reel can be the same that’s used for fresh water,” Doughty said. “In the last four or five years, light-tackle fishing has come on strong. Because you’re primarily catching small perches, it’s not necessary to cast a long way out.”

Bait is cheap, too. Sand crabs, which can easily be found at the water’s edge, constitute 90% of the diet of corbina, a species of whiting that feeds near the shore during spring and summer. State regulations, however, limit the number of sand crabs used by any one fisherman to 50.

Most avid surf fishermen fish during the incoming tide, when most fish tend to feed. Mornings are preferred to afternoons, because winds often bring in kelp that interfere with casting.

“It can be a gorgeous day, but if the tide’s not right, serious surf fishermen won’t be out. They’ve found it’s a waste of time,” said Pat Kennedy of Baldy’s Tackle in Newport Beach. “The fish feed in low spots, so the fishermen will walk the beach at low tide and find the low spots, then fish there later.”

Because they follow the tide, beach anglers even work the surf at night. This is especially true when grunion are running, fishermen say, because that species tends to bring other fish with it, including kelp bass and California halibut.

Other staples of surf fishing are yellow fin croaker, spot fin croakers, rays and sand sharks (also called guitarfish because of their odd shape). The legal limit for any combination of finned fishes is 10.

In their search for sand crabs, corbina sometimes swim in water so shallow that their backs are visible. Otherwise, fishermen with polarized sunglasses learn to spot corbina and surfperch in the “rinse cycle” breakwater. The beach angler then performs sight fishing, casting to an individual fish.

“The fish are wary when they’re in water that shallow,” said Doughty, who fishes on the beach at least once a month. “If they see your profile, they scurry out to deep water. So you have to almost get on your hands and knees. There’s nothing to hide behind.”

The churning water of riptides, as it dislodges the crabs from the sand and traps them, is a primary feeding ground.

At beaches with severe drop-offs, the fish are within easy casting range, so the 11- and 12-foot rods, which cast out 75 yards or more and whose lines remain above incoming waves, are unnecessary for this type of surf fishing.

Saltwater fly fishing, a specialized form of beach angling, is a quickly growing segment of recreational fishing, said Doughty, who added that a high-quality saltwater reel and good graphite rod cost about $350. The flies, tied to resemble sand crabs or shrimps, go by whimsical names such as Surf Candy and Crazy Charlie and cost $2 to $3 apiece.

In beach angling, a lot of the catches are released, but many fishermen are hooking their food for the day.

In fact, according to “The Fishermen’s Sourcebook,” deep-fried corbina fillets “rate with the best of finned fish on a plate” thanks to their finely grained, mildly flavored meat.

“The beauty of surf fishing is that it’s easy and accessible,” Doughty said. “It’s fun in the morning--you can drive to the beach, park your car, walk down and in three minutes you’re fishing, and you get a whole new perspective.”