Yet another Tomales Bay Rep'rt 8/29

Sorry I don't have the means to take pictures OTW; try to use your imagination. Following up on Sailfish's report on 8/26, it's all true: Many bait-balls surrounding the area of Hog Island.

Launched at 7AM, to SAC waters. Paddled a couple hundred feet and found myself in a boil as a seal enjoyed all-you-can-eat buffet. The pelicans were eating well also. Had to wonder if they really have to make those impressive dive bombs to catch fish or if they were just trying to impress me.

Dropped a sabiki into the boil and started bang'n out jack smelt. They were huge! I was getting a little frustrated because I wanted smaller fish for bait. 14" jack smelt on 14 hooks lends itself to a thrashed rig; very entertaining tho. Paddled closer to the Island and started hitting Pacific Sardines, but didn't shake Jack Smelts still biting furiously. It's actually a really cool fight when you have two on at the same  time using light tackle!

Paddled past Hog Island to Pelican Point & surrounding beaches/kelp beds and finally caught one mackerel. That's what I wanted to catch just to see such a beautiful fish!

Then the tide was going out but the wind was blowing in, so it made for some interesting drifting of a 3oz. x 6" Fish trap on three way with a live bait (sardine) long leader on on the other eyelet. I stole this idea from Ravensblack OTW. Trying to get my first Tomales Halibut. No luck, and I didn't see any other action on the surrounding boats. Lots of vegitation snagging tho.

It started to to get cold an windy afternoon time, and I bled the 'dines for the barby, and got off the water to camp at Lawsons Landing.

Cheers!

Thanks for the report,

 wondering how it was out there today....

finally caught one mackerel. That's what I wanted to catch just to see such a beautiful fish!

They are beautiful aren't they--they are mini Tuna. Little homing torpedoes. When you catch one and have it on deck their fins oscillate so fast they buzz--you just can imagine their speed in the water with that power. Talk about power-to-weight ratios. Beautiful and perfectly evolved fish. I need to remember to bring along a 5-weight fly rod so I can play the Pac Mac rodeo while I wait for the Halibut bait to be taken. The feel and fight of a fish is more tackle related. A Volcano Creek Golden Trout all of 12 inches feels like a great fish on a 3-weight fly rod.  And my wife loves broiled mackerel--Omega-3s and all--it's good for your heart!

Sounds like a great time OTW.  I know the Hali's are there, they're just not hungry with all the available baits around.  Thank you for the report.