This just in: "Gavin Morgan holding 6 surf perch caught 2/25/2017 from shore just north of potato patch using Berkeley camo worms." Thank you Spencer Morgan for sharing. Gage couldn't catch any yesterday, I guess because Gavin caught them first. Nice job.

CDPH Warns Consumers Not to Eat Sport-Harvested Bivalve Shellfish from Tomales Bay and Humboldt Bay 

Date: 2/8/2017 

Number: 17-020 

Contact: Ali Bay or Corey Egel | 916.440.7259  

SACRAMENTO 

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) advises consumers not to eat recreationally harvested mussels, clams or whole scallops from Tomales Bay and Humboldt Bay. Dangerous levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins have been detected in mussels from this region. The naturally occurring PSP toxins can cause illness or death in humans. Cooking does not destroy the toxin.

This warning does not apply to commercially sold clams, mussels, scallops or oysters from approved sources. State law permits only state-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers to sell these products. Shellfish sold by certified harvesters and dealers are subject to frequent mandatory testing to monitor for toxins.

Since crabs eat bivalve shellfish they could accumulate some of the PSP toxin. While crab meat is not affected by the PSP toxin, consumers should avoid eating the viscera (the internal organs, also known as “butter” or “guts”) from crabs caught in the affected area.

PSP toxins affect the central nervous system, producing a tingling around the mouth and fingertips within a few minutes to a few hours after eating toxic shellfish. These symptoms are typically followed by loss of balance, lack of muscular coordination, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing. In severe poisonings, complete muscular paralysis and death from asphyxiation can occur. There have been no reports of illnesses related to this event.

You can get the most current information on shellfish advisories and quarantines by calling CDPH’s toll-free Shellfish Information Line at (800) 553-4133. For additional information, please visit the CDPH Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Web page.

    How's this for a report? "Hey Willy,just a quick report .Evan Peelen and me fished mid beach Sunday, incoming tide ,tough conditions with the South wind.Fishing was pretty good though.We caught a total of 17 barred surfperch and kept 3 for dinner,biggest taped 15 inches.Looks like the big fish are now starting to show. Later.Tim Peelen" I told Gage he should go, but he said it was too windy. I guess it wasn't.

If you haven't heard yet, the first meeting to discuss the salmon season will be held on March 1. Here's the press release from CDFW:

CDFW to Host Public Meeting on Ocean Salmon Fisheries

Salmon  CDFW photo by M. Elyash The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) invites the public to attend its upcoming annual ocean salmon information meeting. A review of last year's ocean salmon fisheries and spawning escapement will be presented, in addition to the outlook for this year's sport and commercial ocean salmon fisheries. The meeting will be held Wednesday, March 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Blvd. in Santa Rosa (95403). Anglers are encouraged to provide input on potential fishing seasons to a panel of California salmon scientists, managers and representatives who will be directly involved in the upcoming Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meetings in March and April. Salmon fishing seasons are developed through a collaborative process involving the PFMC, the California Fish and Game Commission and the National Marine Fisheries Service. Public input will help California representatives develop a range of recommended season alternatives during the PFMC's March 7-13 meeting in Vancouver, Wash. Final adoption of ocean salmon season regulations will occur during the PFMC's April 6-11 meeting in Sacramento. The 2017 ocean salmon information meeting marks the beginning of a two month public process used to establish annual sport and commercial ocean salmon seasons. A list of additional meetings and other opportunities for public comment is available on CDFW's ocean salmon web page. The meeting agenda and handouts will be posted online as soon as they become available.

    Shhh... Don't tell Gage. He sent me this picture with the message "I need more bait if you can". Turns out I could.

Also, if you happen to get an opportunity to fish for salmon in three years, and especially if you catch one, here's an article about some some heroes that made it happen: http://www.chicoer.com/general-news/20170211/amazing-engineering-feat-saves-millions-of-fish-at-feather-river-fish-hatchery

    Quite a few guys showed up to try for the perch today but they weren't biting very well during the high tide. Later, during the outgoing tide (around 2 to 3 feet of tide) I'm told that they may have bitten. My source on the surfperch texted me at 2:00 PM this afternoon and said "Quit telling people about my spot. I've had one bite and that's it." So I can't tell you about later on. But I had to take him some more Berkley worms, so....
    Also, for the guys dreaming about albacore, the local paper had an article about pelagic red crab washing up on Salmon Creek Beach. I hope it's a good sign. Here's the article: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/lifestyle/6597672-181/rare-crabs-deposited-on-sonoma?artslide=0

     Gage's secret spot is no secret anymore. These fellows caught 'em on Carolina rigged Berkley Power grubs in red. Then they went out to get ghost shrimp. No stripers, though.
      Even with all the fresh water the Dungeness crabbing has still been pretty good. Three guys braved the rain on Wednesday for better than half-limits from the pier. Last weekend boaters did pretty well in the bay.
      One other note. I was sent this information regarding the new lingcod regs:"From Dan Wolford past chairman PFMC;

"So here is my take on the Lings. Two years ago I fought very hard to get it to three, as did the DFW folks - it was the party boats that objected, based on fears of excessive rockfish by-catch issues. With DFW help we went to three in spite of the charter boat objections. When that decision was announced on this site - more than half the guys on this site responded that two was sufficient, and we really didn't need three anyway. I took note of that. This year the charter guys - especially the folks in the south, argued that they were encountering too many discards of other rockfish as they pursued their limits of Lings. The charter guys up here jumped on the same bandwagon. DFW didn't argue, and I remembered the comments that were made on this site two years ago - so I didn't argue either. We went back to two Lings. Perhaps it might matter to some, but not enough for me to fall on my sword over. So "they" didn't take it away - we "gave" it up.""

One more note, and a good one at that: There will be salmon smolts released from Bodega Bay this year, and if things work out, maybe more after that. Here's an article about it: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/6642842-181/bodega-bay-to-be-release?ref=most&artslide=0
Big thanks to the Golden Gate Salmon Association.

     Nick Strode caught this nice surfperch today, one of about 20 he and Gage Vogler caught this afternoon. The guys fishing near them were also catching fish. Most everybody was fishing with Carolina-rigged halved 6" Berkley Gulp Power Sandworms. The best bite was at and after the low tide. Here's a picture of one of the guys that were fishing near Nick:

   

   One more note: The green can (Number 03) has been replaced. You may commence navigating.

     The new 2017-2018 groundfish (rockfish) regulations are now going into effect on February 7 after a delay. What's that mean? Here's the bullet points for changes for the San Francisco Groundfish Management Area (Point Arena to Pigeon Point):

Boat season opens April 15 closes December 31. Shore or diving open all year.

You can fish out to the 40 fathom line as defined by 50 CFR, Part 660, Subpart G. Click the link or look here for a map with lat-longs.

Lingcod limit is 2, 22" minimum.

Black rockfish limit is 3 and are included in your limit of 10 rockfish.

Canary rockfish limit is now 1 (also included in your limit of 10 rockfish), but you still better move after you land one. There is more than one out there, I guarantee it.

Boccaccio has no separate lower limit and is included in your 10 rockfish. I caught on last year in 150 feet of water, and if you push out towards the new depth limit you will likely catch one (but probably more canaries than boccaccio).

For the full details, go here: http://fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2016/27_20regs.pdf