This picture arrived on my phone yesterday morning at 9:30. It was a bit distracting. The photo came from Tom Carter, and I kept thinking to myself, "How could Tom catch that fish?"

    Here's the answer. Tom, like me, is a pretty good gaffer. Jerrie Carter caught this 42", 26 pound halibut. It bit a live jacksmelt. I did not get a specific location for the catch. This fish was found to be a male when it was cleaned. That's a big dude. I'm not sure what it means with the timing, but usually one sex shows up, then the other. Supposedly the halibut don't spawn in the bay, or they only spawn in the bay, depending on who you ask, but I'm betting the fish have their own rules. A big male in June means something but I don't know what that something is.

     ChrisPFish sent this report yesterday: "Hi Willy,

The not so good reports have kept me away for two months but I woke up today ready for a challenge. Spent 630-830 catching 12 smelt along the eel grass. Drifting four rods finally got a 30" to eat what I was offering right at noon like his lunch bell went off. Good amount of boats for a friday. Saw two others caught. I got off at 2pm. Beautiful conditions..." Yesterday was beautiful. Today was nice early, then it got windy from the South. At 3 PM we had gust to 28 knots at the Landing. By 4 PM the wind had dropped to 3 gusting to 6. Nice fish, Chris, and perfect day to go get them.

    Curtis Bishop of Roseville caught this nice halibut near Marker 10 on a live jacksmelt yesterday. Wait, he wasn't at Hog Island playing bumper boats? How can this be? Oh, yeah, the fish don't know they're supposed to only be at Hog. Well, it's probably for the best that they killed this confused fish. Nice work, gentlemen. Not only have you provided yourselves with some great meals, but you've also done the greater fishing community a service in removing this misguided flatfish.  

    Gage and I didn't get to talk to everyone today (boat extraction is screaming South wind is .....complicated) but it looks like high boat from the Landing was Anthony Piccardo's No Bad Days with a halibut and striper caught within five minutes of each other near Marshall. Anthony has been putting in the time and effort to figure out fishing in Tomales Bay and it appears that he's doing it. Nice job, Anthony. As a wise old fisherman (sort of) told me, don't consider fishing a competition unless you're winning. Game on, Mr. Piccardo.