Crabbing continues to be fairly decent (for some) inside the bay. Outside, well, I hear the commercials are already starting to see a drop in their catch. When the first pull has females in it the keepers aren't thick. (FYI: The large male Dungeness crab are, lets say, pushy. If there's a lot around they will crowd out the females that aren't as big or as pushy. In a good year you catch only dudes for the first month or so. If you catch females on your first drop it doesn't mean the season is over but it sure ain't a sign of plenty.) There will still be plenty of crab out there for everybody that can do a long soak but for us day fishermen the good times are pretty much over. Not too much commercial gear in the outer bay and none in Tomales Bay, so the mediocre crabbing can continue unabated. Rockfish and crab guys, tomorrow is your last chance until April. 

     So, as reported on here a few days ago, a gentleman told me that he saw "black-out-the-meter" baitfish at the weather buoy in Tomales Bay. Well, I like herring for bait (and eating) so Wrybread and I took a little trip today to see if they exist. While we did not find the quantity reported earlier I can say that the fish do exist. The deep hole immediately south of Pelican Point has pinhead anchovies, jack mackerel, sardines, herring, shiner perch, and mackerel in it in 50 to 60 feet of water. My list is from most to least. Probably 50 'chovies to only one mackerel with a half of a five gallon bucket to convert to tray bait and dinner. Wrybread's tempura anchovies and jack mackerel were damned tasty. If only they were larger. After last year's tray bait shortage, and the consideration that really, nothing has changed to make tray bait more plentiful, the vast majority of our catch went on cardboard and into the freezer. Will it be good bait? I guarantee that it will better than no bait at all. We're hoarding for an uncertain future. PS, if you think that salmon aren't interested in mackerel to eat, you've clearly never tried it. They like eating little blobs of fat as much as any red-blooded American. Think Homer Simpson and donuts. I don't know how long the baitfish will stay there but, at 48º, the water says not long. The fish may say something different, though, as pelicans are still around in large numbers as well as whales and feeding birds offshore (I hear). I'd say global warming but 48º seems like the wrong number for that. Whatever, they're there now; get 'em while you can.