Bodega Harbor 7-25

Had to escape the heat yesterday so I shot out to Bodega. I loaded the yak and launched at the base of Spud Point pier, on the marina side. I floated around the marina for a while trying to score some live bait, but all I could manage were 10”+ smelt. Still loads of fun on the ultra-light and worth the trip alone. After about a dozen mondo smelt I finally landed a bait sized white perch. Threw him on the three-way rig and paddled out to the channel. I did two drifts in the channel from the north side of the Spud Point Marina down to the Westside launch ramp for nada. My little warrior perch was still kicking so after the second drift I let him go. As I was paddling back to the marina I saw tons of baitfish boiling. They looked like herring. I know there’s a ton of smelt, herring, and mackerel in the bay right now. Shortly after the boil I almost S**T myself when I heard a loud splash just behind my yak. Then another. Then another, and so on. I was right in the middle of a flock of pelicans dive bombing the bait! It was an awesome sight…wish I had my camera. After the pelicans cleared out a bit I started flinging my sabiki rig back out and proceeded to bring in 1-4 large smelt at a time. It was a blast on the ultra-lite! After that I did a few drifts through the shallows just to see what I could see. The water was about 4' deep and crystal clear. I saw plenty of ghostshrimp chillin' near their holes, a couple of what looked like bullheads, a bunch of bat ray beds (no rays though), and a little octopus.
      
Thinking about heading back out there this afternoon, but might launch from Campbell Cove and go out the “gate” for RF if the wind stays down like yesterday evening.

Bodgea seems like a nice place, I had never been before but had to make a run down to San Pablo on Saturday.  Since we were going to the Bay area, the wife and dog came along with the intentions we'd find the beach and escape the heat.  Apparently everyone in California had the same idea, i've never seen such crowds in my life!  Needless to say, there was no fishing involved...we pointed the truck north and ended up in Point Arena for a nice ocean front dinner.  We gave up the search for a place to stay, and ended up driving back home that night to Redding.  Turned out to be a 16-hour drive-a-thon for the day.  Too long of a day for me, but next time I'll bring the yak and get in the water to make it worth the effort.

tight lines,
beenfishin