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NorCAL UPDATE: Big ‘but spots produce in main bay… Emeryville boats…Half Moon Bay update…and more
Big sevengill action on Fury
Western Outdoor NewsPublished: Jul 28, 2010
NORTHERN CAL WEEKLY SALT UPDATE
Western Outdoor News
LOCH LOMOND — While windy conditions hampered efforts on some days, the big halibut spots in main San Francisco Bay produced lunkers for anglers on the Morning Star.
“You don’t catch as many, but the fish are generally bigger,” said Captain Gordon Hough. He’s talking about spots like Alcatraz Island’s west side, Angel Island, and the Raccoon Straights, all natural ambush spots where halibut can pick off bait moving in with the tides.
Tuesday’s trip scored nine halibut and one striper for 13 anglers, while on Thursday, 12 anglers caught 10 flatties. On Saturday, 19 anlgers caught 11 halibut and one striper, but Sunday was the day the wind interrupted. “We were using 1-pound weights where we were able to use 8 ounces the day before,” said Hough.
Big fish caught included a 23 pounder whacked by Jesse Gomez of Sacramento at Alcatraz. That’s also where Mike Jackson caught his 14 pounder and Tom Gee of Berkeley put the hooks to a 17.5 pounder. Frank Lopez of Roseville dropped a 15 pounder on the deck while fishing Raccoon Straights, and Angel Island produced a 15 pounder for Dan Kelsch of Sacramento.
Emeryville boats tap Farallon Islands bounty
EMERYVILLE — Anglers fishing on board the sportfishing fleet out of Emeryville tapped a bounty of rockfish and lingcod out at the Farallon Islands, with limits of rockfish the rule, and a handful of lings most trips.
High count on lingcod was on the New Salmon Queen on Saturday, when 22 anglers caught rockfish limits and 15 of the lings topped by a 12 pounder. That same day, both the C Gull II and Captain Hook scored rockfish limits and 10 lings each.
Some of the boats stopped off to try for halibut on the North Bar, and picked up some flatty action. The New Huck Finn added nine halibut to 16 rockfish limits on Thursday, and 13 halibut on Friday to rockfish limits and five lingcod. The Captain Hook focused on halibut on Friday, putting 17 halibut to 23 pounds in the box for nine anglers.
The Marin Coast has been another option for the potluck trips, with the Talisman scoring limits of rockfish, then tapping the North Bar for eight halibut to 14 pounds for six anglers on Saturday.
Half Moon Bay bottomfish leads
HALF MOON BAY —Bottomfishing has been the main attraction for anglers fishing on Half Moon Bay charter boats, and with great ocean conditions, recent trips offered stellar results, and not just in fishing action.
Captain Tom Mattusch on the Huli Cat fished the Tunitas Creek area in 145 to 165 feet of water. “The anglers have been catching very nice brown spotted rockfish and vermillions. There is the occasional copper rockfish and a lingocd or two most every day.”
A run to the Farallon Islands offered incredibly flat seas. Even the fishing was remarkable in the drift was slow, there was no swell to speak of and the sea life made for a great bonus.
“Two blue whales swam extremely close to the boat while we were on a rockfish drift up by the North Islands. The anglers were amazed at the sheer size of those immense creatures,” said Mattusch. The fishing was slow but steady. The drift was just enough to cover ground and give anglers good variety to their bags. We took a run out 25 miles to check to see if the Humboldt squid were in. Nothing took the squid jigs this time, but Mattusch said the big squid should start showing up soon.
Big sevengill action on Fury
POINT SAN PABLO — The big sharks of San Francisco Bay are back, and Captain Frank Miller on the Fury is the first to know. His Monterey Aquarium research charter found exactly the fish they wanted, the sevengill weighing nearly 200 pounds.
“This is the fourth largest shark the aquarium has had in their tank,” said Miller. The 194 pounder measured 106 inches, nearly 9 feet long. It hit a squid bait in the deep waters of San Francisco Bay at Yellow Bluff. “We caught two others, but this one was their baby, so we quit early.”
The rest of the week, the Fury was on live bait potluck trips, finding a little less than one around on the average with a mix of striped bass and halibut. “We fished all over; Southampton, Paradise, Richmond Harbor,” said Miller.
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NORTHERN CAL WEEKLY SALT UPDATE Western Outdoor News LOCH LOMOND — While windy conditions hampered efforts on some days, the big halibut spots in main San Francisco Bay produced lunkers for anglers on the Morning Star. “You don’t catch as many, but the fish are generally bigger,” said Captain Gordon Hough. He’s talking about spots like Alcatraz Island’s west side, Angel Island, and the Raccoon Straights, all natural ambush spots where halibut can pick off bait moving in with the tides. Tuesday’s trip scored nine halibut and one striper for 13 anglers, while on Thursday, 12 anglers caught 10 flatties. On Saturday, 19 anlgers caught 11 halibut and one striper, but Sunday was the day the wind interrupted. “We were using 1-pound weights where we were able to use 8 ounces the day before,” said Hough. Big fish caught included a 23 pounder whacked by Jesse Gomez of Sacramento at Alcatraz. That’s also where Mike Jackson caught his 14 pounder and Tom Gee of Berkeley put the hooks to a 17.5 pounder. Frank Lopez of Roseville dropped a 15 pounder on the deck while fishing Raccoon Straights, and Angel Island produced a 15 pounder for Dan Kelsch of Sacramento. Emeryville boats tap Farallon Islands bounty EMERYVILLE — Anglers fishing on board the sportfishing fleet out of Emeryville tapped a bounty of rockfish and lingcod out at the Farallon Islands, with limits of rockfish the rule, and a handful of lings most trips. High count on lingcod was on the New Salmon Queen on Saturday, when 22 anglers caught rockfish limits and 15 of the lings topped by a 12 pounder. That same day, both the C Gull II and Captain Hook scored rockfish limits and 10 lings each. Some of the boats stopped off to try for halibut on the North Bar, and picked up some flatty action. The New Huck Finn added nine halibut to 16 rockfish limits on Thursday, and 13 halibut on Friday to rockfish limits and five lingcod. The Captain Hook focused on halibut on Friday, putting 17 halibut to 23 pounds in the box for nine anglers. The Marin Coast has been another option for the potluck trips, with the Talisman scoring limits of rockfish, then tapping the North Bar for eight halibut to 14 pounds for six anglers on Saturday. Half Moon Bay bottomfish leads HALF MOON BAY —Bottomfishing has been the main attraction for anglers fishing on Half Moon Bay charter boats, and with great ocean conditions, recent trips offered stellar results, and not just in fishing action. Captain Tom Mattusch on the Huli Cat fished the Tunitas Creek area in 145 to 165 feet of water. “The anglers have been catching very nice brown spotted rockfish and vermillions. There is the occasional copper rockfish and a lingocd or two most every day.” A run to the Farallon Islands offered incredibly flat seas. Even the fishing was remarkable in the drift was slow, there was no swell to speak of and the sea life made for a great bonus. “Two blue whales swam extremely close to the boat while we were on a rockfish drift up by the North Islands. The anglers were amazed at the sheer size of those immense creatures,” said Mattusch. The fishing was slow but steady. The drift was just enough to cover ground and give anglers good variety to their bags. We took a run out 25 miles to check to see if the Humboldt squid were in. Nothing took the squid jigs this time, but Mattusch said the big squid should start showing up soon. Big sevengill action on Fury POINT SAN PABLO — The big sharks of San Francisco Bay are back, and Captain Frank Miller on the Fury is the first to know. His Monterey Aquarium research charter found exactly the fish they wanted, the sevengill weighing nearly 200 pounds. “This is the fourth largest shark the aquarium has had in their tank,” said Miller. The 194 pounder measured 106 inches, nearly 9 feet long. It hit a squid bait in the deep waters of San Francisco Bay at Yellow Bluff. “We caught two others, but this one was their baby, so we quit early.” The rest of the week, the Fury was on live bait potluck trips, finding a little less than one around on the average with a mix of striped bass and halibut. “We fished all over; Southampton, Paradise, Richmond Harbor,” said Miller. |
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