Here's another picture from yesteryear :"Hey Willy,
Me and my son Paolo have had many a great adventures out in the bay. You’ll never know what’s going to be pulling on your line until you bring them to the boat. Hopefully big bother will set us all free and we can get back to doing what we do best, soaking up the splendor of Tomales Bay! My freezer is getting low on Halibut.
Warmly,
Andrew Forchini"
    I think a lot of freezers are getting pretty bare. The Bay Area counties have issued a press release saying the Shelter In Place will remain through May, but the"new order will include limited easing of specific restrictions for a small number of lower-risk activities." While it seems like access to the water for fishing in your boat should qualify as a "lower-risk activity" it remains to be seen in the final order, due out later this week. Sonoma County is not part of the group of counties and will make their own decision (which will probably look a lot like everybody else's).  A vocal portion of coastal residents really don't want all the icky, virusy people from inland coming for a visit, even if everyone is performing their social distancing properly. The Coastal Commission has agreed and allowed your coastal access rights to be temporarily waived. So while I am hopeful that Lawson's Landing and other access points will be allowed to open in some limited fashion by this new order, if it doesn't happen I won't be showing my surprised face (it'll be hidden by a mask, anyways).
     I tried a morning halibut trip on Sunday. It was windy and foggy, but as a lot of you can sympathize, I just needed to get out. I caught my jacksmelt in about 15 minutes. I should have stuck with the smelt fishing. No bites in two around the turn of the low tide in 61º water. As the tide turned to move the same way as the wind I tried trolling for an hour between the red barn and Cypress Grove for a big batch of seaweed but no fish. As the wind freshened and my desire to be there waned I stacked the gear and went clamming. At least I went home with something (a sore back).

     Salmon season opens next Friday, so to prepare for it the wind has been practicing all week. I gotta say, she's doing a great job. About a week ago things were starting to look very interesting with some warmish water, schools of bait, whales feeding and birds diving. All those things still exist, just not here anymore. I guess it's better for them to set up in places where the boat ramps may actually open. Santa Barbara is far, but what else are you doing? I realize that there's still a few ramps open in San Francisco/San Pablo bays. Gentlemen, please do not overwhelm them and force their closure. Especially before the bite gets really good. The only thing worse than wrecking it for everyone is doing it for a bunch of skunks. The fish are coming. So are the opportunities to get them.

   So, for the moment at least, you may fish in the ocean. There's pretty much no way to get your boat to the ocean, but should you find yourself there, you may fish. During the nice weather this week there were a few halibut caught. Gage would like you to know that he caught four of them on Thursday. My job, apparently, is to be present and allow Gage to start filling my "boat limit." Oh, and to net. We trolled and had zero bites until the water hit 61º and 13 feet depth. Then we (Gage) caught our fish in about 20 minutes. No big ones but all 23" to 28". This was back by Inverness. There were a couple of others caught (I hear) by Hog Island. There's squid eggs washing up on Dillon Beach which would seem to indicate that a squid spawn happened nearby. The weather is back to "spring-like conditions," which translates to wind. The wind can't last forever and neither can the shelter in place. Both shall pass (probably one long before the other) and when that time comes the wait will have almost been worth it. I'm hoping that wearing a mask will improve my fish catching. It sure makes taking withdrawals at the bank much speedier.

    Gage tells me the surfperch bite is really good right now, not that anybody can actually do anything about it. The newest rules for coastal Marin are $100 parking tickets and mandatory court appearance (so, what, $500?) if you are parked someplace besides in front of your own home or an essential business. See, we are all worried that the Fish and Game Commission is going to close all fishing and the reality is that your access to fish has already been removed. What is funny is that the Department of Fish and Wildlife has issued press releases telling us to go fish (so long as we social distance) but local municipalities are the ones shutting things down. From the March 16 press release: "Outdoor areas will remain open and available for the public to enjoy. CDFW is responsible for over one million acres of public lands that will remain open. These lands include Wildlife Areas and Ecological Reserves that provide an opportunity to recreate and explore the rich diversity of fish, wildlife and habitats that California has to offer. CDFW recommends that all visitors follow guidance for social distancing (of at least 6 feet) when visiting our public lands. To explore the outdoor opportunities on CDFW public lands, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/Lands.
As the situation continues to change, please check with your local public health agency and adhere to guidance they provide. Please stay healthy and safe." The California FGC will (try to) meet for their emergency agenda item on April 15 to allow them to selectively shut down some areas to fishing. This power would expire on May 31, 2020. I believe that they may be selective in their approach, and why not? Local governments have already closed access to fishing to all but a very select few. As far as the coast is concerned they can sit on their hands and be the good guys while still accomplishing the same result.

    I was sent this picture this morning just before Gage ran out of the house with his perch rod. I don't know if this is from today and if it is, I don't know how he got to the beach. We literally have locals walking the streets looking for "strange" cars in front of houses and peering into windows looking for out-of-towners. If you decide to come you might consider affixing a yellow star on your sleeve. Probably don't come. It is too difficult to maintain social distancing with people in your face, yelling. Besides, there's pretty much no parking in Dillon Beach. Both parking lots are padlocked. EDIT: Just found out that this fellow ended up with a parking ticket, making for some very expensive perch.
   With business being on the very light side, the boys and I went rockfishing on Monday. It was sloppy and cold and the fish didn't bite very well. It was also awesome just be out on the water. I know, we're bad people, but I didn't travel to fish and I was with people from within my household. We fished off of Bird Rock, about four miles from my house and about 15 miles closer than I get my groceries. I'd show you pictures but the fish were so small it was embarrassing. They tasted fantastic, though. Like free-range veal. There were boats from Bodega Bay and Tomales Bay fishing around us but proper distancing was maintained at all times. The water warmed up to 50º and was clear. No whales, birds or bait out to 200 feet. Last week's wind did a nice job of chasing away any salmon sign.
    Tomorrow the Fish and Game Commission will decide whether to close some or all areas and/or fisheries in order to limit the spread of fishermen across the state. Fishermen, like rats, ticks, mosquitoes and children, are known disease vectors, and limiting their movement around the state is hoped to limit the spread of Covid-19. I'm not a fan of a complete closure for obvious reasons, but at least they aren't considering eliminating fishermen permanently.

    Cliff Whitmore sent over this pic: "Here is a pic from last year. 2019 was my learning curve season so I will be waiting with baited breath for 2020 to open up for us All. Go Navy!" It looks like you're on the right side of the learning curve, Cliff. From a few early reports from San Francisco Bay it appears that this year may be a pretty good halibut year again. We just need the opportunity. And patience. Okay, mostly patience.

   Ray Heskett sent over these pics: "The way we were ???" Those were the days, eh?
   Salmon season not opening until a later date (TBD) is now official. Yesterday the New Sea Angler returned to Bodega from San Francisco Bay (post-haulout) and saw a parade of whales, working birds and schools of bait between Point Reyes and Bodega Bay. The wind is supposed to blow for the next few days so that should chase them away, anyhow. I am a firm believer in sour grapes.
    There was one guy on the beach in front of the store yesterday with a snare. Our gate is locked but he hiked in from somewhere. He had at least two Dungeness at noon and was going to quit at three keepers. I didn't see him at 2:00 PM so I assume he caught his go home crab. There's your current report.