new to tomales bay

 hello everyone. my name is terry and i'm new to kayak fishing. been doing fair for smallmouth on the river but am interested in stripers and halibut in tomales. i've heard stories about the wind and don't want to have a bunch of problems. any help you guys can offer would really be appreciate. do you wear a wetsuit? where do you launch? my wife and i have two 13' quest's from wind toys in santa rosa and would like to camp on the beaches across from marshall if it's allowed. what is the situation at hearts desire across the way. some people i've talked to say they let you launch and some say they don't. i probably have a hundred more questions but lets just start here and see what happens. good baits,wind direction and time of day,i assume you fish with the direction of the tide but am not sure on that. anyway, all for now. thanks for letting me join up with you all. i hope to hear from someone soon. thanks

Welcome Aboard!

I'll try to answer your questions for you.


Do you wear a wetsuit?
Yes. Or waders, or Kokotat Dry gear. You can research the pros and cons of each right here on this message board.

where do you launch?
Most people launch from Miller Park, but if you don't mind hauling your yak a few dozen yards then there's many places you can launch. I've launched from the rockwall at Marshall before and down by the Marconi Center as well.

My wife and i have two 13' quest's from wind toys in santa rosa and would like to camp on the beaches across from marshall if it's allowed.
You can boat-in camp on any beach North of Indian Beach (right next to Heart's Desire) and South of the Inverness Elk Preserve. You need camping and fire permits.

what is the situation at hearts desire across the way. some people i've talked to say they let you launch and some say they don't.
Never launched there myself, but have seen people launch there on more than one occasion.

The winds pick up in the afternoon and are usually blowing right down the bay from the Northwest. When the winds blowin' in and the tide is going out it gets mad choppy in there. Which sucks big time for shorter boats.

There's an incredible amount of game in there from stripers and sturgeon, halibut, sharks (brown and grey smoothound, leopard, 7-gill, angel, thresher, and others...yes GWS too.) to sardines, smelt, and mackerel.

When all is calm, the water is flat, the mist and sun are rising, and the elk are bugaling it can be one special place.

thanks for the info rock hopper. you will make my first trip much safer. i hope i can repay you with a good fish story one of these days. talk to you soon thanks terry

Hello matey!!!  and Ditto welcome aboard RH had got that place wired...I haven't ever done that but...Damn...I'm going to do a multi-day trip after reading this...elk, mist, sun, FISH!!! minus the GWS of course...thx for the run down RH... and again welcome aboard Terry!!! have fun and be safe!!!

sounds like u got some yak skills...one word pool noodles...oh yeah...vhf...and a few other things I'm sure u will get as u go along...

Hope to see ya OTW...

Rock Hopper nailed it for sure. My wife and I have been camping there every year for many years and my best advise is to get on the water early to claim your site and beat the wind. Nothing sucks more than paddling a yak laden down with firewood, ice and wine into the wind only to find your favorite spot has already been claimed!

Enjoy and don't forget to pack out everything that you brung and that includes your own waste. Buckets with lids and kitty litter are our preffered method but there are many more. The Rangers will check to make sure you are prepared.

-Eliot