Fishing Tamales Bay in November.

Hello all,

Im from Nevada and visit bodega yearly around Thanksgiving each year. I was planning on launching in Tamales this trip and was wondering what fish I should target that time of year? Can we expect Halibut to still be around? or strippers?  Or should we focus our efforts other places? Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Elkaholic

Crabs, mostly rock by then, are about the only reliable catch in Tomales at that time. From the recent reports, Tomales has pretty much dried up fish wise already.

Copy that, thanks!

We will try and go north of Bodega. Any thoughts on launch sites to the north? Maybe between Bodega and Fort Ross?

Awesome! thanks guys, we will try up there. Still new to the ocean and only there during that time of year. Learning curve is slow.

Strippers, crabs, and tamales! Now that’s a party. 

If you just want to fish for fun (C&R) I've done well over the years fishing on the anchor for leopards and 7 gills. sliding sinker rig straight squid, wire leader, like a sturgeon leader probably available at Bodega Tackle.

Wish there was more structure at bodega towards the Estero…

If you just want to fish for fun (C&R) I've done well over the years fishing on the anchor for leopards and 7 gills. sliding sinker rig straight squid, wire leader, like a sturgeon leader probably available at Bodega Tackle.

I've read that 7 gills are supposed to be good eating, so maybe not necessarily C&R?

I'd think there are fish around.

Check the tides and weather. Just need to find that good window of a bite.

Bait may be difficult but you should be able to find smelt or perch. 1

Seven gills are really good eating! Taste like sturgeon and they are a great fight! I know a lot of people that like eating leopards but I find them not great tasting but are fun to catch. Soup fins are also really good to eat and I have caught them out of tamales a few times. There are a lot of blue sharks there also but not good for eating either. I use 60-80 pound braided with a 6’ wire leader size 10/0-12/0 hook, salmon carcasses. Squid also does good but you will have to check your bait often because of all the rock crabs. Good luck out there

I forgot the spiny dogfish, caught about a half dozen one day cookie cutter about 3 ft. Don't remember what time of year. I've eaten leopards and even the little smooth hounds as a test, I think I'm just too sensitive to the urea smell to enjoy shark, even if it's all in my mind by the time they hit the plate.