Surf fishing and be a bit intimidating to the uninitiated. It’s you against a vast ocean, and even though some lakes are huge, you still feel like the fish are confined enough that you have a shot.

In many parts of the country, surf anglers are always looking for the biggest and baddest players. Striped bass are a great example on both U.S. coasts. But in the West, surf perch offer year-round ...