Tomales report

It was a beeeeeauuutiful day on the bay today. It doesn't get much nicer. Started off with nice fog cover and FAC waters. Peddling across there was bait jumping everywhere. Got to the halibut grounds and started marking good balls of bait. Caught sardines, smelt, and mackerel with out much trouble. In fact I was having so much fun catching bait I had to make myself go out and start drifting for the halis. The fog started to burn off around 10:30 and then a little breeze kicked up. After it cleared, it layed down again.  Hobie Dave and his buddy were out there again today also. They got bait, but I don't know if they hooked up today? After trying a few of the spots I've caught em in the past I finally found a lane with some action. I got two halis, 27" and 30"ers. The second one came up snapping and got a hold of my waders, and tore a whole about an inch long along with a few other punctures.  I guess it was paying me back for the punctures I put in her.... I usually try to get a hold of their lip with my gripper to control them, but this one came out of the water snapping!! I kept at it till around noon and the wind finally seemed to make up it's mind and started blowing in from the ocean. Usually once that happens it's there to stay, so I towed my fine brace back to the launch. There were a bunch of seals working the area too, so several times when one surfaced near me and was checking me out I grabbed the halis and pulled them into my lap. Just in case.... One of the nicest days on the water this year for me. Can't take pictures, cause I don't have a camera. Don't ask, it's a long story....

Great going and good catching. Thanks for posting a report--makes OGs like me tethered to the computer for work feel a little vicarious fishing joy.

Wow...

 I kept wondering what it was like out there the last few days...

 never made it out, too busy with family stuff...

  Sounds Epic...    

Glad to hear you went and got-em jonesz! I need some of that hali action......

Congrat on the nice pair of Hali.  Thank you for the report.

I wanted to join you guys today so bad but we are really busy at work for the
moment. Too early to be calling in sick after a long vacation. Thanks for the
report. I certainly hope Dave and Martin had some action too.

Jedmo

WTG Glynn. Tomales comes through. Un believable. Were you out at the bar or down by Hog?

  FAC on Tomales, noteworthy!  Days like that make you want to cruise from Bodega to Tomales!

Nice work Jonesz!!!  I love days like that!!!  There's just something special about Tomales when the weather is good.

Bracemaster puts the hammer down.  Nice one.   

Catching on such a nice day is almost icing on the cake....Almost   Craig I was going to try running the mouth, and it was the perfect day to do it, but I wouldn't try it alone. Tried to talk Allen into it, but he couldn't pull away from work. Hopefully all the stars and planets will realign for another opportunity to try it.   I've never tried it in a kayak. Done it several times in my aluminum boat in the past. You HAVE to time it right and you MUST  respect the currents and waves out there. Especially in a yak. Now I gotta get some aquaseal and do some patchin'...

was going to try running the mouth, and it was the perfect day to do it, but I wouldn't try it alone.

I know sea kayakers that do it and also surf the tidal races in the Golden Gate for fun-rolling when they capsize in the wild waves--but they have air/water tight fiberglas sea kayaks without all the deck hardware we have that leaks.They have clear decks and can roll up out of trouble and they have watertight bulkheads to keep them afloat. A plastic fishing kayak is a whole different beast--be careful and circumspect out there. Remember the fish come in to the tidal areas to feed--your don't have to chase them out into the deep for the most part. They go where the food is and no baitfish who wants to survive braves wild water that puts it in a washing machine and helpless to school and flee.

Jonesz I really wanted to duplicate your catching. It didn't happen though, neither for Martin nor me. When we came in around 2:00 pm you were already gone. I suspected you had skunked and taken your fresh caught bait to Paradise Cove. Congrats to you! But now you'll never be able to shake us. We be doggin you next time. Both Martin and me had a blast catching mackerel and sardines. I also hooked a fur bag that put my new 20# P-line to task. Passed the test, hook ripped from his lip nothing lost. Both bait tubes worked great thanks for the inspiration. 

You are right on about doing the mouth alone. There are the days when the ocean is calm bait is made and there is that perfect drift on the incoming. You get down towards Marshall sometimes and the grass is just a big pain in the ass.

Nice work Jonesz! I was planning on joining you guys but Jack and Daniel showed up the night before. They left me with a headache, and totally bed ridden. Wish I could have made it though. Were both fish caught in the inside or outside channel?