My First Time Surf Fishing in Santa Barbara

My First Time Surf Fishing
in Santa Barbara

Blue Water Hunter Shows Me the Ropes
and Invites You to Try Too

by Tyler Hayden | June 8, 2023

Read more of our Blue & Green 2023 stories here.

It was a fight for the ages, a true test of man and beast tethered in primordial combat, neither willing to give any ground even as time and fate drew us together. Salt and sleet whipped my body as the great fish heaved below. Day turned to night and our muscles screamed. Our bones groaned. The sharp remembrance of my child’s hunger is what finally wrenched the leviathan from the depths, all of its ancient strength no match for a father’s stubborn instinct to provide.

That’s how I tell the story, anyway. Because fishermen are supposed to tell tall tales, right? I’m still tinkering with the hyperbole; I’ve got a long way to go with the fishing.

It was actually a pretty nice morning at the Santa Barbara Harbor, if a little gray, when I met Owen Scheid from Blue Water Hunter for a lesson in surf fishing. I’ve watched people angling from beaches and piers ever since moving to town and I’ve always wanted to learn. I did in fact catch something ― on my very first cast, no less ― but it was a six-inch perch that went straight back into the ocean. And I did feed my kid fish that night, though it came shrink-wrapped from Trader Joe’s.

Before we walked to the end of the breakwater, Scheid took me through the basics of my rod and reel as well as the sliding weight and grub lure that went on the line. We talked about where and how to cast and what kinds of fish one can expect to catch along Santa Barbara’s coast. Barred surfperch like the one I snagged are common but don’t make for great eating, he said, unless you fry them. Even then, watch for bones. 

The real prizes are California corbina and halibut, Scheid said, which at the moment are gathering especially close to shore. When the tide is going in or out is the best time to try, as the churning waters stir up prey and get the fish moving. Kelp can be a major pain, but you learn to avoid it. The beauty of surf fishing, Scheid explained, is how accessible and affordable it is, doable on a lunch break with just a couple of lures in your pocket. And it’s the perfect first step toward exploring the whole wide world of the sport.

I appreciated Scheid’s honest enthusiasm and patience, knowing he’d had this conversation probably hundreds of times before. Born in Santa Barbara, he started fishing at 5 after watching the pros on ESPN. All it took was one trip to the pier with his dad to hook him for life. Now in his thirties and a respected expert across Southern California, Scheid recently teamed up with Blue Water Hunter to expand its offerings of saltwater fishing gear that target local species. He’s also is in the process of starting his own line of custom rods, called Steady Drift Rod.

The shop has been a hub for diving and spearfishing since the 1960s, but under the relatively new ownership of Jethro Acosta, it is now stocked with a full selection of regular fishing equipment, as well as custom rod wrapping and repair. In fact, the whole second floor is plastered with line, tackle, and lures with brand names like Daiwa, Seeker, and Big Hammer. The store carries fresh-frozen bait as well, including anchovies, sardines, squid, and mussels. “We got you covered,” said Acosta. 

Acosta was also 5 years old when he fell in love with the ocean and catching things in it. His family had moved from Mendocino to Maui, where he learned to spear-hunt parrotfish and scoop up lobsters. At 16, his family relocated again, this time to his mom’s hometown of Santa Barbara, and from there he went on to earn a degree in business. In 2019, after a career in insurance and other fields, he aligned his lifetime passion with his work experience and bought Blue Water Hunter.

“As a business person, I was drawn to the fact that [Blue Water Hunter] was a diamond in the rough and had location, location, location,” said Acosta. “It also had a long history of serving the diving community but needed some new life breathed into it.” The shop has since been fully renovated, now carries a wide selection of ocean-themed gifts, and offers freediving and scuba instruction and certification, not to mention private charters to the Channel Islands. 

I’ll be sticking to land for the time being, but I’m excited to test my luck again soon. The bite from that one small perch was enough to make me want more. Maybe I’ll head to the Goleta Pier. Or Miramar Beach. No matter what, I’ll be away from my emails and enjoying some sand and sun. 

Acosta invites all levels of fisher to come by the shop, from newbies like me to vets wanting to expand their horizons. “If you are looking to get into diving or fishing, we can share what we know and give you tips,” he said. “And if you want to hear ‘big fish’ stories, we have endless stories to share.”