Since I have very little else to report, here's a map of places that I have caught halibut on the North end of Tomales Bay. I have been asked to not include a few places, and yet I still circled almost everything. For the record, the areas in red need a calm day and your head on a swivel while fishing them since breakers can happen. I know everybody likes to huddle together next to the yellow buoy. Heck, occasionally I'll put out the fenders and make a drift or two there. A lot of halibut are caught there. But people, these fish have tails and they tend to use them. Once I have my live bait I like to leapfrog around, trying different spots until I start getting bites. Repeat the successful drifts until they are no longer successful. The right depth is where they're biting. I've caught them in the bay from 6 feet of water down to 50 feet. Most of my halibut have been hooked in 15 to 25 feet, but that's probably because most of my fishing is done in those depths. Basically, people, I'm just asking you to break up the scrum between Hog and the yellow buoy. You don't need to all raft up in one place. The fish don't. And catching a fish in a spot of your choosing is about a hundred times more satisfying than wrestling one out of the flotilla.
17 comments:
Willy, what surface water temp are you looking for and what months are the ideal temps found say from the clam channel back to hog island?
I found a couple shakers back south of Nicks just a few weeks ago on frozen chovies. I didn’t really expect to find even that. But any day fishing is better than working. Thanks!
I heard the herring showed up yesterday
Warmer water is generally better, 57º to 65º seems the best range. Warming water is best and cooling water seems to shut down the bite for a bit. Best time of year is May through September. And as you've seen, sometimes sluggish cold water fish will bite a dead bait.
I heard something about herring as well. Then I saw this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1dlmqFbI-Q My guess is that the spawn location is near Inverness.
what's the best way to catch live bait on the bay, i always get a few on sabiki rigs but not enough to last a day
Last year was crazy all the people packed in around the buoy anchored up in the middle of the channel. Stay out of highway!!
Generally, chumming is most efficient for attracting a hungry school of baitfish that will bite a sabiki. Chopped baitfish, canned cat food, canned tuna, etc. all work well. Bait on the sabiki helps for perch and jacksmelt. If anchovies are available you fish the schools with unbaited sabikis. If your boat is big enough you should keep a sabiki rig in the water while you're fishing for halibut. You can do that legally in Tomales Bay and the ocean.
Can someone enlighten me on the number of rods allowed while fishing for halibut in tomales?
At least in Tomales Bay, there is no limit on number of rods when fishing specifically for halibut. No limit on number or type of hooks either, for that matter.
All of these tips are very much appreciated! I gain more from this blog and the comments than all the other fishing reports I read combined. I get to fish the entire west coast about 35 weeks of the year and no place is as special as Tomales to me. I pull my Mako skiff behind my motor home andI will be glad when this pandemic is a distant memory. I want to see Willy back in the store, Cameron kindly answering another visitors question for the millionth time as I get my coffee in the morning. Thanks to all who contribute to this blog and provide a perfect getaway from life’s interruptions.
Amen Tracy, well put.
Well said.
Agree Tamales/Lawson’s is a very special place for all of us.
“Fishing the west coast 35 weeks a year” - good on ya Tracy, I would be ecstatic to even reach 35 days a year.
Looking forward to Lawsons when we can actually grab a cup of coffee - these days will be here soon.
Yes!!
Great info as always Willy. Can’t wait to come down and spend some time down in the bay.
Swampy.
I have been fishing Dillion Beach for decades and have never caught a flounder in my life. I fish from the surf only. Any suggestions in helping me catch one from the surf? Most of my techniques in trying to catch one from the surf is based on John Skinner's book i.e. bucktails, paddletails, shad tails, etc. Thank you in advance for any suggestions besides getting a boat.
Well, you just took my first suggestion away. I've heard of very few caught in the surf on Dillon Beach. The one guy I know that caught a few in the surf (Wyatt Larsen) caught them on a metal jig (iron) while trying initially for stripers. There were a few caught off of the beach in front of the Boathouse here last year, as the channel on the East side of the bay has had a few halibut in it recently. I heard Doran Beach had a few halibut in front of it, but all-in-all, the beach fishing for them in Nor Cal is difficult at best.
Thank you for the reply Willy!
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