San Pablo Saturday?

I'm thinking of fishing San Pablo bay on Saturday... either launching at Buck's and fishing for dinos during the incoming tide in the shallows, then plugging / trolling for stripers during the flood... or doing the same but lauching from Black Point / Port Sonoma and fishing the area around the mouth of the Petaluma River.

I've never launched at black point / port sonoma... but thought it might be an adventure.  I remember Eric Anfelson (Bass Tub) talking about sucess fishing the incoming tide in the shallows up there during his seminar at the Fred Hall show.  

Also thinking of bringing a fly rod... anyone have any particular fly recommendations for stripers?  I have a few Clousers and similar type flys.

Any takers?  Anyone ever launched in the mouth of the Petaluma River?

Erik

Hey Erik.  I drove by Port Sonoma last week and wondered about the striper fishing there.  It looked ideal.  I just might join you.  I'll know by Friday.

-Chuck

I'm down-- but might explore a bit along the shoreline here as well...

i'll bring my flyrod too!

yep clousers-- chartreuse/white...olive/white (i always have used flashtail clousers)
hot ticket apparently is
Gummy minnows-- if you can get over the fact that they are basically a senko, and not tied of hair and feathers, then they are amazing.  
Decievers as well

What are the water temps and clarity like? Based on my East Coast experience (flats and surf) I know the stripers are oppurtunistic buggers; they eat almost anything. Crabs, shrimp, lobster, (no wonder thy're so tasty!) eels, herring, (probably smolts), sandworms, whatever. I would assume that the Bay waters are still pretty cold (<60F), which would lead me to look for S. facing slopes and flats on the incoming tide. If it's still cold, a slow steady retrieve usually works best. When it warms up, you can speed it up. As for flies, it would depend on the visibility. If it's murky, a loud (bulky, big profile) fly is going to be easier for them to find. Poppers and sliders are a blast, if you have any bass bugs.If your scrounging in your trout/steelhead flies I would pack along the muddler minnows, big wooley worms, and articulated leaches.

Have fun, guys. I'm jealous. Almost everything is closed here, right now.

Thanks Steve... I'll check out those gummy minnows... they look delicious.  Do you usually throw floating or sinking tip line?  

I'm thinking it probably doesn't matter much in the shallows since you can always use a weighted fly to get it deeper.

I also picked up some of these little accessories that look like a small clear plastic suction cup... you slide them on the line ahead of the fly with the "cup" facing forward and they cause the fly to wobble like crazy on the retrieve.  Thought they might be good for stripers... I don't know what their called... got them at the outdoor pro shop.  

I guess there is a bait shop at port sonoma too... I'll have to call them and get some scoop.  

I'm thinking get in the water early... like 6:30 or 7:00?

Erik

If the weather cooperates you guys may want to consider coming up here instead.  Last Friday was insane, and they will be back on the munch as soon as this system passes.

water clarity looks good--3-4 feet easy- considering that it just rained like crazy.  I'm headed out this afternoon, so will let you know how i do...thinking of doing an exploratory wade along the strawberry shoreline. last year this time they were thick in there.

I usually use an intermediate shooting head- though i know lots of people that use type IV or even leadcore!  most of the fishing here in marin is in 5-15 feet of water...so your choice.  I'm promising myself that I'll use my flyrod more this season-- i only had it out twice last year (partly due to reel warranty repair), partly due to laziness.

Sean- won't be making the drive up there....15 minutes vs 2.5 hours...i'll stay close to home!

OK... who's with me on Saturday?

I called Leonard's bait at Port Sonoma... they open at 6:30 Am and they have Grass shrimp.  The lady said only three boats went out yesterday to fish and two reported back with 60 plus inch sturgeon.  One was caught right near the trestle near the mouth of the river... the other was only a little ways out onto the flats.  She said stripers are all throughout.

Here's the tides for tomorrow at Petaluma River mouth... low tide is about 7:44 am:

http://www.mobilegeographics.com:81/graphs/5171.png?y=2005&m=3&d=26

I'm planning to launch as close to 6:30 as I can...  then anchor up and fish the bottom of the tide and the first couple hours of the incoming for sturgeon.  Once the water clears up... I'll troll, plug, and fly fish for stripers and get back in the early / mid afternoon before the outgoing tide gets too strong.

Probably plan to launch from Port Sonoma unless there is a good reason to launch from Black Point instead....

Erik

I've had the flu all week, so I'm sitting this one out.