Branden Mendoza sent over this report this morning:"Good evening willy.  We made a trip out today before the winds blew to hard. Trolled from hog Island to Marshall running everything we had. Managed 1 26inch halibut for our efforts and one other take down but unfortunately it didn't stick.  Overall we were happy with the day and brought home dinner " Nice work, Branden. It hasn't been very good in the bay in for most fishermen. Moving around a lot seems to be the key. Find 'em, catch 'em, as they say. I was pretty impressed with your fish, but then Gage sent a report this afternoon that put everybody else fishing on the bay on notice. 

    Dustin Emick (Auburn) and Simon Gowring (Seal Beach) caught the two big fish, 20 and 21 pounds. But all together, these five guys limited on halibut at Hog Island today, and quick, once they found the fish. Here's a secret that they figured out: If you get a bite, go back and try that spot again. If you get another bite, repeat. Always repeat success. Do not repeat failure. Seems obvious. We mostly don't do that. I watch people hook up and drift or troll away all the time. These smiling guys with hands full of halibut chose to keep catching, and did. Most of these bit in twos and threes and all bit live jacksmelt. Be ready, have the right bait, try all over and repeat successful drifts. That's a one sentence book on how to be successful at fishing for halibut. These guys wrote it. Nice. Damn. Work.

    On lesser notes, Gage hade a buddy that caught three stripers from a boat off of Sand Point on Saturday. Sunday, Gage took his buddy Dario out and Dario caught one and missed a few other bites. Gage missed one. So tonight, Gage and I went out and had zero bites and fish. So, the report, in summary, is that stripers are on, but as typical stripers they are a bit flaky. Maybe tomorrow? Next week? We will be watching and trying.

   Stupid fish