Somehow I missed this email from Nate Baker yesterday. Sorry Nate, but nice work on the critter catching. Here's his email: "Howdy Willy, 

Robert and I went out with Scott Mason and Andy Nickell today and spent the day meandering between Elephant and Abbotts. Wind and swell were pleasantly manageable and we scored 4 limits of crab, 20 rockfish and 1 ling (Robert's first). Tons of bait and birds down there. 

Best, 

Nate Baker"     I think Robert looks like he's ready to do it again. That's how you raise a kid, IMHO. Hook 'em on something as expensive as drugs but more socially acceptable, like fishing. The fishing industrial complex thanks you. And way to hook a kid. Fishing with Scott Mason is a bit of a contact sport, as it should be. We should all be so lucky as to go with Scott. 

      The last couple of days have been slower crabbing but not bad crabbing. Unsurprisingly, the inner bay where most boats have been confined has gotten less awesome. There's still crab but not as many as a few weeks back. It is still better than at almost any point last season. And bad news for commercial guys (this year; next year for all of us, maybe) but when I was driving back from Petaluma today I saw a bunch of humpback whales jumping in about 200-300 feet of water off of Bird Rock. When the splash draws your attention from miles away, it was a big splash. Whales now being bad for crabbing (commercial this year; maybe everybody next year...) seeing them from miles away seems like a bad crab omen. They sure looked cool, though.