Night Time Salmon Fishing

And if a PB can't see you you might be toast. The radar can't pick up plastic. You better have something that will reflect the radar well.

And if a PB can't see you you might be toast. The radar can't pick up plastic. You better have something that will reflect the radar well.

http://www.maskgi.org/radar_report.pdf

this issue has been discussed before - use the search feature

"27.56. TAKE GENERAL. Except as otherwise provided, there are no closed seasons, closed hours
or minimum size limits on fin fish in the Pacific Ocean including all saltwater bays except that in San
Francisco Bay between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Carquinez Bridge and in saltwater tributaries
to the bay within the area bounded by Interstate 80 and Highways 17, 101 and 37 finfish may not be
taken between one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise except from shore or piers."

Salmon are listed in the FIN FISH definition and all restrictions for a particular type of FIN FISH are listed and noted in their specific sections. The only restrictions for salmon are size restrictions, possession amounts, and tackle restrictions (barbless hooks, one rod, etc., etc.). You can fish for salmon at any hour while out in the ocean.

I have emailed a DFG salmon hotline for confirmation, but the regs are pretty clear here. There are also a few inland waters that allow salmon fishing at night as well, but they are very limited to a few specific locations.

I would like to give this a shot at GS this year...maybe the day after? I really want to socialize after the tourny and meet and make some friends and dont want to go fishing after drinking alcohol (prolly not the safest idea). The day (well night) after (or before?) GS might work if ocean conditions are cooperating with us and our energy/motivation levels are peaked...

We would need to really think this out and stick to a plan. I think allot will depend on how GS goes and the weather for that weekend. I dont want to do anything dangerous that would put anyone in danger, but the more I think about this the more I think its very doable with the right plan, mindset and group, weather, and equipment.

Any thoughts?

-Murf

At Shelter???  OK... I'm sorry... but that is just plain NUTZ!  Hard enough to do it during the day, when you can see the obsticals in the water.  It seriously sounds like a recipie for disaster.  I'll be the first to say it, please dont do this. 

At Shelter???  OK... I'm sorry... but that is just plain NUTZ!  Hard enough to do it during the day, when you can see the obsticals in the water.  It seriously sounds like a recipie for disaster.  I'll be the first to say it, please dont do this. 

Ill be the second to say please dont do this. Not only do you put yourself in Danger but any rescue attempts will be made that much more difficult at night. I do admire your eagerness to get after salmon. But this just sounds kind of dumb.

Well...I certainly dont want to be 'dumb' and have never fished out of Shelter Cove before....just wanted to open a dialog on the possibility of this...

-Murf

I live for Salmon fishing and catch my fair share.  Salmon use their eyes to feed unless they are eating squid at night and I think your catch rate is limited when the sun is down.  We use flashers, UV lures and flashing bait.  Watch Bill Shelton's videos http://www.youtube.com/user/salmonvivor/videos and you will see they are typical predator fish that use their eyes.  Key to Salmon fishing is Bait, Bait, Bait and more bait.  Last year there was a TON of bait in front of Bodega head and we had to release shorties and move away from them to find the parents.  Hope this year is the same as last.  It was one of the best.  Good luck fishing for Salmon!

If the salmon come in close to Cannery Row in Monterey like last year it could be a blast.  I'm down to try later in the year when the reports come in.

Josh

Well...I certainly dont want to be 'dumb' and have never fished out of Shelter Cove before....just wanted to open a dialog on the possibility of this...

-Murf

Your not "dumb"(maybe nuts) I think its rather smart that you are getting all of your ducks in a row and asking questions. I just want you to be safe.  I would hate for something bad to happen. Please dont take offense dude

I fished salmon commercially for a number of years off the California coast . Rarely could they be caught after true dark settled over the water. If they could have been we would have been fishing all night during good weather. Sometimes when we threw the gear in right before it just started to get light in the morning they would bite. If a late afternoon snap was going on it could continue after the deck lights had to be turned on for an hour or so. For the most part the chance of salmon hookups are best when you can see what you are doing in natural light.

It seriously sounds like a recipie for disaster.  I'll be the first to say it, please dont do this. 

Thanks for saying it Al - Murf  you owe Al a beer for looking after you.
+2 and + several hundred for all the more experienced yak fishermen who have been too polite to say something . We have had many close calls in our brotherhood and they have turned out OK because we look out for one another. If you get one of our top tier guys to do night Salmon fishing with you, that's his choice, but please don't take any of our enthusiastic newcomers with you.

The grey light bite is my favorite time.  That being said, we used to experiment going out earlier and earlier in the dark without much success.  But as soon as there is even a hint of light, they'll start feeding.

-Allen

The grey light bite is my favorite time.  That being said, we used to experiment going out earlier and earlier in the dark without much success.  But as soon as there is even a hint of light, they'll start feeding.

Here is my thoughts on this one.  I think like all animals the fish have a hard time finding food in the dark and the second they see the food (bait) they go crazy and gorge on anything when light breaks.  I also think their memory is set that once darkness falls, they have to wait until light to feed again which is why they are aggressive feeders during the dusk and dawn periods.  Back in the old days the Golden Gate Salmon fleet used to make second afternoon runs to fish for Salmon.  They dropped off the morning fishermen around 3~4pm then headed back to the grounds to fish the sunset bite.  Been on a few of these and it is the best deal in town because they already know where the fish are concentrated (3 hours of dream fishing).  Keeping fingers crossed for another GREAT year of fishing.