Steve Werlin speared this 9.5 pound vermillion at an undisclosed location near Fort Ross. He and the guys with him also got limits of nice abs and had 20'+ of visibility. Steve and his associates tried for abalone at Bird Rock on opening day but had difficulty seeing anything through the brownish murk. "Good for salmon, bad for abalone" was the verdict. The forecast looks questionable for the opener, at least for running out of Tomales Bay. 6 to 8 foot seas at 17 seconds could make the entrance bar unpassable but the ocean outside should still be fishable if you can get there. From the sound of things, most people will be trying out in 240 to 300 feet of water. The pier had 15 to 20 keeper Dungeness landed yesterday and the marker 5 hole had at least as many crabs for the guys that tried there.