That's super helpful. I'll go with Muir if Friday's looking rough at Baker!

 I've been crab fishing at Baker Beach in SF a bit of late. Some days are good, some days bad. But pretty much every time I go out I get rolled at least once launching into the surf. I'm trying to figure out how much of me getting rolled is just that I need to improve my launching skills and how much is that I'm being overambitious.

Would love to get people's general read on what surf conditions are prohibitive for launching generally, then maybe some of the following questions:

1. Is there a place to launch for crab in SF when the waves are a little higher, or is that HMB/Bodega Bay time?
2. Would a paddleboard allow for a launch into slightly higher surf?

I've been going out for crab from Half Moon Bay, launching from the HMB Kayak Co where I've got a boat stored. I always see both kayaks and boats dropping pots/hoop nets right off the southern outside wall of the harbor but I can't say I've been too impressed by what I've caught there (just rock crab and undersized dungeness). Any tips for someone who's fairly new at this? Are there better fishing spots within about 45 mins of paddling from the harbor? Ideally I'd find some reasonably productive spots where I could leave a trap for a day or so when the swells die down from what they've been recently.

Hello - I’m Jeff. Been kayaking since I was a kid and fly fish when I can, plus fish for crabs from a kayak in the winter. But I’m pretty new to ocean fishing, and just moved back to the Bay from the East Coast.

I’ve got the basic gear and safety equipment and am hoping to learn a bit from the forums / tag along. In terms of skills to barter, I don’t have much unless somebody on here wants to show me the ropes of kayak salmon fishing in exchange for me showing them how to acquire/care for honey bees. (That’s my other hobby and I kinda dig helping people get set up and get weird). Otherwise I’ll just read and go out on calm days and try not to get run over by a cargo freighter.

Thanks to everybody who operates this thing. .

You were right about the swells, Allen - I stuck to fishing from the pier Saturday.

Sunday the swells were fine but the crabbing was rough... Only keeper dungeness I saw were the ones I bought at the roadside stand. Apparently everyone else fishing close into the harbor had a terrible day, too.

Jeff