Gage has reconnoitered a new couple of holes in the area bracketed by the gatehouse and the first few campsites and he likes what he sees. While I unfortunately do not have a hand for a size comparison, I'm assured the good perch were 10-12 inches, with mediocre amounts. The swell made the going tough, but rest assured, Gage's prowess carried him through, though he insists that better weather would've improved his numbers. He was hoping to land stripers, as it is getting to be that time again but he was disappointed. On the subject of weather, it's been deteriorating fast, with higher swells yet on the horizon. Conditions should improve by Tuesday if the forecast holds. 

Crab snares are slowly but steadily pulling in Dungeness for those braving the intermittent rain. No one went out in a boat today to try the bay and I hope no one tries until the weather lies down. So, I don't have a fresh bay report for you.

Had one special request for Gage's preferred recipe for perch. It's worth nothing that he's pretty big on catch and release, but the few he holds onto are typically large. Per Gage: "I would scale, gut, and take off the head and then either pan fry in butter or bread it first." Feel free to comment your favorite if you've got one.

  Gage's hand tells me that the perch are here. Not big ones, but he found quite a few fish in a hole near the rocks. They're liking the Berkley sandworms.
   I received an email about Bob King:"Hey Willy
Here’s to Robert! Talked to him a few years ago and I listened to his story, at first I thought it was just an old man telling a story.  first time I had met him, and then I realized what a fool I had for venturing out without the proper gear. Scared me straight up.
Richard from Sacramento " Yes, when possible let someone else's mistakes help you correct your own. A float coat, a safety line and a waterproof VHF handheld radio with GPS seem like good things to have for a solo fisherman. I almost fell out of a trolling boat while albacore fishing solo years ago. I teetered on the rail and luckily fell into the boat instead of over the side. Just the memory makes me queasy and my palms sweat. At least with a second person you have someone to get you (or at least kill the engine). Plus, halfsies on gas.

    There's actually been some pretty decent crabbing inside the bay, at least if you're Eddy Kim. Mr. Kim and crew caught 38 Dungeness by Marker 5 on Saturday. Some other folks caught half limits there the next day, so even mere mortals can get a few. Eddy isn't sharing his secrets but I have seen him buy lots of squid. Snares from shore are accounting for a fair number of crab too. Surfperch catching has been slow, probably because of the large sea a couple weeks back. When the surfperch start biting, Gage will let us know.
   

   Some of you may remember the story about Bob King falling out of his still-trolling boat back in 2011. Bob spent 20 minutes in the water and was incredibly lucky to be spotted and rescued by a very surprised Tom Baty of Inverness. Other nearby fishermen saved his boat. Bob's story sold a lot of Mustang float coats. Well, Bob passed away early Monday morning. I'll leave you with Bob's message of thanks regarding his rescue:

"My name is Robert King and I want to thank everyone who helped me survive a very bad situation Sunday morning. My fall from the boat was not the fault of the boat. I've been fishing this area for 30+ years and the 17' Boston Whaler has always served me well. The fault of this accident is completely mine. Thanks to Tom Baty, the person who hauled me out, and and whoever went to pick up my boat. You have helped establish my faith in humanity.

Love to you all,

Robert King" 

    Same story on the crabbing with a few being caught off of the pier and a few more inside the bay. The big tides the last few days have caused some seriously fast currents in the bay, slowing the catching and increasing the lost gear. The current also swept a few clammers in inflatable boats and kayaks out towards the breakers on the bar yesterday. Lucky for them Cameron and Gage "borrowed" a boat and dragged them back to the safety. The enormous swells earlier in the week wrecked the beach for surfperch, again, but the relatively normal-sized swells we're seeing now should give the beach a few more contours and places for surfperch to congregate. "Relatively normal-sized" swells yesterday tossed a 19 to 21 foot aluminum boat into the air high enough to injure everyone in the boat. At least everybody landed in a right-side-up boat. This wasn't on the bar (which didn't break until later in the outgoing tide) but out near Bird Rock. Possibly it was on the reef at the Trees, which is a place that occasionally breaks like a smaller Maverick's. It's not necessary to be in shallow water for a huge breaker to come along, but it helps. At least everybody lived.
    The Golden Gate Salmon Association newsletter noted that the preliminary salmon returns to the rivers for 2018 have been lower than expected (or hoped for) and we will probably see restrictions on the season again. An ocean salmon season like last year would not be the worst, so here's hoping.

Got a perch/crabbing report yesterday:

Hey Willy,

A quick fishing update from the Doran Park side. 

Hit a few barred and calico surf perch off the jetty campground this last Friday. They were hitting both the dark brown and camo Gulp sand worms. Fished late afternoon Saturday for about 10 min. The surf had things churned up pretty good and all that was coming in were strands of kelp and eel grass. 

Got a couple of keeper Dungeness and reds early in the morning Friday. Pot pirates are on the loose at Doran though. When I stick close my pots I catch crab. When I leave them I pull empty pots and empty bait bags.

That's all I have for now,

Vince

Appreciate the report, Vince. A couple more crab off the pier, whenever someone's been willing to brave the wind and rain for them. Gage is telling me that there are plenty of beautiful holes for perch but they are too far out for him to reach. Forecast suggests the storms will likely continue for the forseeable future.