When Eddie Kim asks you to go fishing with him, you don't ask questions, you just go. So I went fishing with him on the Polaris Supreme this last Tuesday through Thursday. I had a great trip but didn't catch any tuna. I did learn a few more things, though. If you can't catch you should at least be paying attention to the guys that are catching. Seeing what they're doing can't hurt, even if sussing out the why eludes you. I'm still writing notes. One thing I learned is that the Polaris Supreme now has really good internet, so when I received an email from Chris Norkus asking about where to crab in Tomales Bay I was able to answer. The following is the email chain: "Hey Willie,

 

Firstly, thanks for your fishing report page!  Always entertaining and informative.

 

I didn't get out crabbing much this season (weather, work, boat issues, emotional issues-lol).  I got out on the Petaluma river on Friday and verified my recent steering repairs were good so halibut beware (?)

 

I had put my conicals away thinking too late for crab and then read Sunday's and last Wednesday's reports of post-clutch opportunities and some limits inside Bodega and Tomales Bays.  Off work today and the wind is still blowing (we lost a nice tree in yesterday's gusts) so thought I might give Tomales a try for some keepers.  Would like to launch at Miller if I can time the tides.  Can you give me a clue as to where to drop my gear?

 

Thanks, I appreciate you!

 

Chris

Nobody gave me specifics but I watched at least one of the guys working the edge of the channel by Marker 5. I'd guess 15 to 20 feet of water 

Willie,

I got out for a couple of hours yesterday and did well working three conical nets north of marker 5 in about 20'. Six keepers- a couple of them 7".  Probably could have limited but I wanted to haul out at Miller before low tide. I was alone out there but there was a line of trap floats in the same spot. Thanks for the tip!

Chris  

" Those are some pretty nice crab, Chris. The crabbing should, theoretically at least, get better as we approach the end of the season. Unsurprisingly, the end of the trap season will come a bit earlier, as the recommendation to CDFW indicated. "

CDFW Announces Depth Restriction for the Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishery in Fishing Zones 1 and 2 and Recreational Crab Trap Prohibition in Zones 3-6 to Protect Humpback Whales 

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham has assessed entanglement risk under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP) and implemented a 30-fathom depth constraint for Fishing Zones 1 and 2 (Sonoma/Mendocino county line to the Oregon state line) effective May 15, 2023 at 12 p.m. (noon) for the commercial Dungeness crab fishery. Traps used in the commercial fishery will be prohibited in waters seaward of the 30-fathom contour as defined in Title 50 of the Federal Codes of Regulations, Part 660, Section 660.71. All vessels must also carry onboard an electronic monitoring system capable of recording the vessel’s location while engaged in fishing activity using GPS coordinates at a frequency of no less than once per minute during fishing operations. Electronic monitoring data must be made available to CDFW upon request for the duration of the fishing season and 60 days thereafter.  

Recreational crab traps will be prohibited in Fishing Zones 3-6 (all areas south of the Sonoma/Mendocino county line) effective at 12 p.m. (noon) on May 15, 2023. CDFW reminds recreational crabbers that take of Dungeness crab by other methods, including hoop nets and crab snares, is still allowed through the close of the season on June 30, 2023. 

These restrictions are being implemented to minimize entanglement risk for humpback whales as they return to forage off the coast of California. Based on historical migration patterns, CDFW anticipates humpback whales will continue arriving in the coming weeks and has determined this action is needed to reduce entanglement risk. 

Fishing Zones 1 through 6 also remain under a Fleet Advisory for both the commercial and recreational Dungeness crab fisheries until the season closes in each Fishing Zone. CDFW reminds all commercial and recreational fishery participants to implement best practices, as described in the Best Practices Guide. All anglers should be prepared to act quickly to remove fishing gear from remaining open areas should entanglement risk become elevated. For more information related to the risk assessment process, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries page. For more information on the Dungeness crab fishery, please visit CDFW’s Crab page, including FAQs for the 2022-23 commercial fishing season and a Compliance Guide for Electronic Monitoring." If you can't make it out before the 15th, Chris Norkus says don't worry, the hoops are working. The crab numbers should theoretically continue to improve as the season approaches the end. Theoretically, not necessarily. 

   Gage says that the halibut are actually biting. He caught this limit back past Marshall on Wednesday. Within ten minutes of putting lines in the water Gage hooked a triple. One was a for sure keeper and was welcomed aboard. The other two were released. Gage rebaited and trolled back through his sweet spot. Double of obvious keepers. Gage then went home with his twenty-minute-limit. Three boats tried to duplicate that on Thursday. One caught his limit. Two had no bites. There's fish, but they're not spread out.