Sunday, August 23, 2020

     Today's salmon report from Lawson's Landing is......nada. Cold, clear, empty water is all that exists near shore. On the plus side, no jellyfish complaints. From some radio intercepts the salmon still exist, just out deeper. The successful salmon guys were in 250-260 feet if water off of Bodega Head fishing 140 feet On The Wire (OTW for those just learning, meaning 140 feet down on the downrigger) or at 150 pulls for lead droppers (150 pulls of line from the reel for those fishermen that attach a weight with a sinker release. The pull of line usually goes from the reel to the first guide). I'm glad the fish still exist but disappointed they aren't shallow. Shallow fish are more fun. The halibut (and importantly, the anchovies) were still biting today, just not quite as well as yesterday. 
      



      So I whined about not getting any other pictures when I posted yesterday. Post-posting, I discovered that, in fact, a report with photos had arrived. Sorry. "Hi Willy! I read and love your reports all the time. Your writing is very witty and entertaining!  I go by FrankieB.... my family and friends and I were just down there last week from the 11th - 18th. Lacie Whittington from Nevada City caught these Nice Lings.... My buddy Kenny Reische nice Lings , and myself FrankieB with an actual Birthday Salmon 😎Memorable: note the rather large Rockfish with a Seatrout half choked down.... It tried to eat it as maybe a last meal while in the fish box... never seen that before😆 so I just bought a new 2020 Raider fishing boat a few months ago and I’ve been getting out more than usual, so I’ll report info when I do get out and again thanks for your reports!!! 🍺here’s to better days of fishing" Looks like you had some pretty good days already, Frankie B. The fishing days can get better but they can get a lot worse, too. 
    As for my comments a few days back about right-of-way, let me just be clear: I have no ill will toward commercial fishermen. They have a hard job. I have trolled alone quite a bit and maintaining a watch while running a single rod is complicated enough. Running six lines with multiple leaders while standing behind the cabin? I can;t do it. Commercial fishing is a good way to make a fun pastime into a grind because now you have to go fishing to (hopefully) pay the bills. I don't think their steering is as impaired as a net boat as I have seen commercial trollers turn pretty damn tight when they want to. That said, a lot of the smaller boats are one man crews that have a hard time both fishing and steering and we all need to give them the right of way for our sake and theirs. Technically, they are required to maintain a proper watch, again, for their sake and ours. It's just that besides jackass sportfishermen (like me), there are rafts of bull kelp, whales, large mola mola, and other single-manned commercial trollers to avoid. Perhaps a back-up camera in the window with a screen in the cockpit? A mirror? There's probably a fix. 

4 comments:

Onemore said...

Thanks for the info Willy
Two weeks ago on the way out to the tuna grounds there were lots of birds, bait and whales around 10 15 miles toward Cordel From the head. Tornado style birds.
Two weeks is a long time but the last couple times the water got cold and clear I’ve had luck out deep.
I’ll be fishing Friday and Saturday so we’ll see how it goes.

Tomales Outlaw said...

Who's turning left? We need a 10 mile report!!!

Outlaw

Sucka-Fish said...

thats my plan for this weekend.

Thumbs said...

I only heard of a 10# salmon come off off ten miles for a full day's work, tho I did hear the bait is showing back up down there