leopard sharks

Are the leopard sharks and rays active in the bay all year? I want to take some kids out to fish and have them catch something big. I'm going to fish for sturgeon this year but I don't want to take kids out for something that slow.

Are the leopard sharks and rays active in the bay all year? I want to take some kids out to fish and have them catch something big. I'm going to fish for sturgeon this year but I don't want to take kids out for something that slow.

Leopard shark season is closed from boats, at least down here it is. It more or less follows RCG season. I'm pretty sure you can still fish for them from shore though.

Yeah, I think they qualify as groundfish, which puts them off limits to boats until summer maybe???

Leopard Shark is open year round to boat anglers in most bays (Humbodlt Bay, San Francisco, Bodega Bay, Tomales, etc..).  In the open ocean, they follow the general groundfish regs (as was previously mentioned) open to shore based all year and closed to boat based in the winter/spring.

Check with CDFG regulations for your specific area and good luck.
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/fishing_map.asp

I read the regs and leopards are open year round in the bays but I want to know if they are in the bay and biting. I also want to know if the big rays are in the bay and active this time of year.

bsteves,

South of Lopez they are closed to boats from Dec through May (including bays) right?

read the regs and leopards are open year round in the bays but I want to know if they are in the bay and biting. I also want to know if the big rays are in the bay and active this time of year.

yes and yes

In response to your question (and there are surely a LOT of people here who know more than I do about this) I have found that leopard sharks, dogfish and bat rays (the LDB complex?) tend to like saltier water and thus aren't really biting when the water gets brackish in the bays in the winter.  This time of year I would suggest perch or starry flounder or something, for inshore salt water fishing.  The summertime is when I have had my best shark&ray fests.   But I would defer to some of the others on this.  I haven't targeted sharks and rays much in the winter because I have not had much luck. 

Idea: maybe a NCKA shark&ray derby next summer in Tomales Bay!  Prizes for the best fish of each species, and the longest ray ride.  Shark BBQ and campout on some beach afterwards.


Pete

I've bagged many of both (Rays and Sharks) launching from the 'wind surfers' dock near the old Palo Alto Harbor. I have found the lower the tide the better. The low tides concentrate them in the deeper channels. Just about anything will work for bait, but squid seems to be the best. The squid tends to stay on the hook longer.

Have fun.....