Tomales 02/19/06

So this is about the 20th time ive been out to Tomales out of Nick's launch.  Im still kayak-less so im still using the 14ft alum.  Brought a bunch of shad , fished the kelp beds for live ones but no luck so started the drift from buoy 7.  About half hour later, here comes brother ranger rick.  They went over every inch of the boat trying to find a ticket to write but couldnt..  Then they ask me the size limit for halibut and I said 23 inches, .. One of them proclaimed it was 27 and they didnt even know the difference between pacific and california halibut??? haha.. so I was right , they wanted to bet beers??  Kindof strange coming from fish and game.   Anyways went back to it, and it was cold too.. haha..  So after the second drift,  BAM!! we were in about 20 ft of water and buddies pole slams!..  We are quite stoked, for all of about 10 seconds , when this monster snapped his 30 pound test! WOW ..  It could have been a shark but who knows.. it was big.  Drift a bunch more times but nothing.    So all in all it was a cold sunburnt kind of day but pretty nonetheless.  Im guessing another month or so and then the halibut will be in!.

Thanks for the report. Keep 'em coming.

I'm going to win the halibut part of the derby this year with a Tomales or Bodega Bay 'but. 

Then they ask me the size limit for halibut and I said 23 inches

Ummm ... isn't the size limit 22 inches?

-Allen

Yep

thats classic, we were both wrong..  i dont know how he mis read that one. ??

Then they ask me the size limit for halibut and I said 23 inches

Ummm ... isn't the size limit 22 inches?

-Allen

Just curious.  Why on earth were they asking this question?  Was it some kind of test or was there a prize if you got the answer right?
JZumi

Looks like DFG had too much time on their hands.....They were in the wrong area..
For DFG to be in Tomales at this time of year instead of at Bodega looking for poachers is pretty lame.
Only thing in Tomales right now is rays and some sharks...Isnt it a month or more too early for halibuts?

Or even at the Russian River mouth, people catch and keep salmon there. That would be a better target for DFG.

Yeah i know, they were stetching it a bit thin. There was like 3 other boats and a few yackers.  Went around to everyone and stirred up quite a wake..     But yeah there is nothing really going on in the bay right now.  Ill be back in full force in a month or so.  They are parked at the russian quite a bit now, which is a good thing, since there's alot of meat heads around.

I have not been in Tomales, but I like to try. A couple of questions could you help:
1) Is there a good crabbing spot in Tomales?
2) Where is Nick launching place and parking lot?
Appreciate your insights.

Eric

There's also quite a few pull-offs where you can park for free and launch.

Two drawbacks to yak fishing in Tomales are that most of the good fishing is on the west side of the bay, in the channel, and most of the decent (and accessible) launches are on the east side of the bay. So you have to paddle across the width of the bay to get to the good drift spots.

It's really not that far, but when you factor in the second Tomales Bay drawback - the wind/chop - it becomes quite a chore. The wind howls right down the length of the bay during most of the summer and creates 3' - 4' wind waves at times.

Yeah , the west side is where the channel is.  And against the west bank is where we have crabbed. Sometimes it offeres awesome crabs, sometimes not..    On calm days, tomales is a great place to be, but the wind can create havoc for everyone. I usually will start up just north of Hog Island which is almost directly across from Nicks Landing at buoy 7 or 8.  The channel is like 40 20 feet most of the way down.  There are always a few yakers out and about , not  hard to  believe that this is one of the main breeding grounds for GW's..     

I have not been in Tomales, but I like to try. A couple of questions could you help:
1) Is there a good crabbing spot in Tomales?
2) Where is Nick launching place and parking lot?
Appreciate your insights.

Eric

I, too, have never fished this Tamales Bay with its awesome crabs. Wait a minute!  I did too! Way back in 1970 off Millerton Pt where you could cast for wild coho from shore in November of that fateful year. Gosh, it was great! I mean it. Heaving big red&white 'Daredevles' on a 6ft fiberglass rod outfitted with a Mitchell 300 & 6# test. On a lucky day, you can still see them impatiently leaping in the air out of the bay as they stage for their run up Papermill Creek - some call it 'Lagunitas Creek' Hmm, I wonder if thats where they get the water for the beer? But I digress... More news...I have a son who frequents this Tamales Bay quite readily and happily. Maybe you should ask him.

Thanks for sharing tips.

I heard Tomales is a good place to pick up clams (horseneck clams). Is Hog Island or Nick offers good clamming spots during low tides? If lucky, I could try crabbing, fishing and clamming combo! It sounds crazy and overloadding too much, but it is feasible during 4-6 hours on the water.

Is the current usually strong? Do you prefer fishing in drfiting or being anchored?

Eric

not many people know about the famed silvers that run up papermill creek.   you must have come from marin before the yuppies invaded! haha..   and none of them carpool either!

Im sure there is alot of clams in the tomales, however my knowledge isnt good on that topic..  The current isnt that bad in Tomales, although on incoming you can find a fast drift.   You can anchor off of hog island and sit with ghost shrimp if your going for dino's otherwise the drift is good for halibut when they are in.   

I, too, have never fished this Tamales Bay with its awesome crabs. Wait a minute!  I did too! Way back in 1970 off Millerton Pt where you could cast for wild coho from shore in November of that fateful year. Gosh, it was great! I mean it. Heaving big red&white 'Daredevles' on a 6ft fiberglass rod outfitted with a Mitchell 300 & 6# test. On a lucky day, you can still see them impatiently leaping in the air out of the bay as they stage for their run up Papermill Creek - some call it 'Lagunitas Creek' Hmm, I wonder if thats where they get the water for the beer? But I digress... More news...I have a son who frequents this Tamales Bay quite readily and happily. Maybe you should ask him.