Interesting Report from Capitola Boat & Bait

seabass schmeebass read this one:
"Ed just brought in two seabass. They’re still around and plentiful if you manage not to spook them. The “little one” is 27 pounds, the larger one is 36, both caught off the cement ship. They do seem to like that area for some reason. Probably the bait - sardines are still all over the place. Whales too. And Kurtis saw a great white shark this morning, but it left before he could get a picture. Bummer"

Could be a salmon shark too, I guess...

Hell, I was just out there Sunday... caught nothing except a coho... hated to see him go..
Ain't stopping me... yet..

While snagging seabass is NOT illegal, it definitely isn't cool. Nor is passing off commercial catches as recreational-caught fish. But I guess you gotta drum up business somehow, right. I'm not saying that Ed snagged any fish. Sorry if it sounded that way.
The white shark thing is kinda scary. But its almost that time of year.

yeah, no snagging for me. If that's what I have to do to boat a big WSB, I won't be boating a big WSB....
oh well.

walking out out at seacliff beach on friday, felt like I was at Sea World there were so many whales breaching out there.  The crowd was oohing and ahhing like a fireworks show.  Lots of life out there.  I could do without the landlord though

um the shark thing causes quite a dilemma for me.....

While snagging seabass is NOT illegal, it definitely isn't cool. Nor is passing off commercial catches as recreational-caught fish. But I guess you gotta drum up business somehow, right. I'm not saying that Ed snagged any fish. Sorry if it sounded that way.
The white shark thing is kinda scary. But its almost that time of year.

Hey Brian, please explain the snag on WSB is legal....??  I could not find that in the regs when I looked....

Thanks!!

Allen

Well, only "whitey" I wanna see this Sunday is the underside of a big flattie    Whales would be an awesome sight too! 

Allen,
I believe snagging WSB is legal.  Snagging stripers, sturgeon or salmon (when there was a season) are illegal.

Unlike the the albacore from New Brighton, I definitely believe the GW sighting was credible and I'm sure the surfer who got attatcked at Marina believes it too.

Stuart

My understanding of the regs is that Salmon and Stripers must voluntary take a bait in the mouth. The regs do not state other fish must do this. Additionally, the regs do not define snagging. I am no up on my Sturgeon regs but I would guess that it states they must voluntary take a bait in the mouth.

I was on the Capitola pier on Sunday with my better half and there were six HUGE white seabass in coolers at the skiff launch... I eagerly inquired what gear they were caught on, bait, etc... I was told flat out by three different guys that they "sight fish" for them... I asked... "what's that"?  I was told they cast big weighted trebble hooks right in the school of WSB and yank away for the hook up.

Regardless, the Cement Ship is producing, and I too saw dozens of whales that day...

I will be camping at Seacliff the 5th through the 7th - I believe I will give the pier a shot (and bring my camera along....)

Thanks!

I still believe the albacore from new brighton as it was hookie who caught it, and I've met him and is a great and honest guy.

sick fish get off course. it happens.

just cause something is not common (okay, extremely uncommon) does not make it impossible or hookie a liar.

about that albacore at New Brighton- should have been (Okay, one of the rarest catches in the history of fishing, if it actually happened) 

Anyways, pretty sad if that's how they are getting those WSB and then posing for trophy shots as if they were fishing for them (no excuse even if they are commercial fishing).  Finally numbers of WSB are going up with the ban on inshore drift gill nets and these guys are snagging.  Is CDFG aware of this?  Is it really legal to snag? How about someone calling CalTip to find out!!! 

Joe,
Sadly, its true (snagging).  It would be great to see a change in the regs, outlawing this practice.

John,
Call me a skeptic......

Stuart

While snagging seabass is NOT illegal, it definitely isn't cool. Nor is passing off commercial catches as recreational-caught fish. But I guess you gotta drum up business somehow, right. I'm not saying that Ed snagged any fish. Sorry if it sounded that way.
The white shark thing is kinda scary. But its almost that time of year.

Hey Brian, please explain the snag on WSB is legal....??  I could not find that in the regs when I looked....

Thanks!!

Allen

For each section in the finfish if the method of take is not specified then take is as defined in section 1.80. See for example 27.90d white sturgeon methods of take. or 27.85 stripers.  For WSB (28.35) method of take is not specified and hence snagging is allowed.  You could also define snagging as using hook and line where the fish does not voluntarily take the hook into its mouth- LOL