On the central California coast, successful fly fishing demands a basic understanding of the web of life in
this unique marine habitat.

At first glance, the typical sandy California beach looks like a rather unproductive environment. A fly fisher facing vast expanses of golden sand might well wonder why any fish would bother swimming along such a seemingly sterile habitat. Like gold panned from a mountain stream, life on the sandy beach reveals itself only when the observer is prepared to work for it. However, once you know what to look for, the amount of fish food found along the coastline of California is astounding. A good fly fisher can turn this knowledge into fly-fishing success.

During the winter months, the Pacific Ocean seldom lives up to its name. Huge swells generated by storms off Alaska or Hawaii roll onto the coastline and, like massive bulldozers, rip through anything in their path. As they cross kelp beds, these powerful waves tear the stalks apart and even rip complete plants right off the reefs. Along the way they will also pick up the corpses of birds, sea lions, and even whales. Eventually, this weed, bird, and mammal soup ends up being driven onto the beaches. Much of it is thrown or blown onto the sands above the high-tide line. After several successive storms, a huge reservoir of organic matter is stored on or in the beachfront. This well-stocked larder and the plankton that thrive in these nutrient-rich waters are what drive the nearshore ecosystem and make the coast of California such a great place to fly fish.

The High-Tide Line
Many visitors to the beach are unaware that while they work on getting skin cancer, the earth beneath them is a wriggling mass of life. Most of the organisms that inhabit the damp sands above the high-tide line stay underground during the day. But if you get to the beach early in the morning, before the sun has crossed the horizon, a totally different sight awaits you. The upper beach is where you find the Talitrids, better known by their common name—sand hoppers. Dozens of different species inhabit these damp sands, and many are so well adapted to this sodden environment that they drown if they get washed into the water.