Since I seem to start so many of these with "So...", let me begin with; So, I got an email yesterday asking about the clutch. Are the crab still clutching? Well, here's the sad truth: I don't know, and nobody that I'm aware of tracks it. Better question: What is the clutch? Honestly, I'm not clear on it, but I'll pretend I know if you ask me to my face. Here's what I have heard: There's a time when they quit entering traps, generally in the early spring, and the theory is that they crab are either spawning or molting or both (it may require both. Can you imagine needing to shed your skin before having "relations?" Either way, or both, it seems that only the Dungeness that are healthy and well-fed enough can participate. It turns out that the crab inside Tomales Bay probably aren't healthy enough to participate. I hate to be the *blocker, but, sorry guys, sucks to be you. But, it seems to mean that success is possible inside Tomales Bay, if you consider success to include crab that aren't healthy enough to spawn or molt or both. And if you're good with that, well, I have a bay for you! A 13 foot Boston Whaler limited in the bay today with two guys aboard. The guys that live here and know things went to Ten Mile yesterday for five Dungeness and worked the outer bay today for five more. The guys with ten in a day inside the bay kind of win. So, if you want numbers now go in the bay. If you can wait, the outside will have some lovely large crab probably inside of a month. It gets best just before it closes (probably after, but who would know?).

   On a slightly different note, I heard that the rockfish weren't biting yesterday. Like, nope! That sucks when it's your one day to go. It has happened to me. On my day, no bites until 12:30 or so, then they bit like mad.  And now that frustration that I felt that day has added to my love for rockfish. 99 times out of 100 the rockfish will just give it up. But that one time preserves their "innocence", such as it is. Mostly they just bite and you can assume that, but rarely, occasionally, no.  Not to sexualize it, but that's kind of hot. The random no is what makes it so interesting! When they're a no they're a hard no. But the rest of the time those rockfish are like guaranteed dinner. And so good eating. Probably It's best for the species. It's always bad to be tasty, and those that know, know. Fresh rockcod in the fryer? I've had better, happier moments in my life, I'm sure, but I blank on them after a good fish fry.