Saturday we saw one halibut landed here. One thresher shark as well, but not really what one would call a good fishing day. Cameron and Gage were advising departing fishermen on Sunday morning that the bite was dead. Luckily for the fishermen, they went anyway and discovered that the fish didn't know that they weren't biting.

    Brian Shadduck of Placerville caught the big one, weighing in at 22 pounds. He and his fishing buddy landed limits but let one keeper go. Three bit red label herring and one fish ate their only live jacksmelt. Similar stories for most of the other fishermen, with dead bait catching most of the fish. Part of that equation could be the fact that live bait was really hard to get, but part of it could be that dead bait is catchable if your you're a sluggish, cold water halibut. Moral: Don't give up and throw everything at them. 

   Spinner and Mike Mack caught a couple yesterday and today. The fish bit live jacksmelt and were on the bar with most of the rest of the fishermen. The bar at the mouth of Tomales Bay has been good recently, not as good as I remember it from times in the past (nothing is ever as good as remembered, even if it's actually better....) but reasonably consistent and some nice fish. Probably it will continue for another month or two. Unless it doesn't.