PLS help me help my son to get blood on his yak!!

My son likes fishing. 
My son likes yakking.
Can't seem to get blood
on that damn yak!

I've taken Stefan (12 yrs old) out yakfishing on reservoirs, but I'm a lousy freshwater guy and we've skunked.  Don't want to take him out on the open ocean due to recent landlord sightings (my wife would kill me).

I saw EWB's recent post on the pesky sharks at OP.  So I'm thinking that fishing for sharks in the bay would be my best bet to get my son hooked up (otherwise, he's going to lose interest in fishing and move onto girls or something).

I live in San Ramon, which is close to San Leandro, Benecia and so forth.
What is a good place to launch kayaks to catch some sharks?
San Leandro marina?
what do you use for bait?  cut bait? squid?
are leopard sharks good eatin?
as long as we catch something with gills and fins, we're good!

thx for sharing your knowledge.

Hi John, Iv'e been tempted to launch at San leandro. I have caught huge bat rays there before. Give me some lead time and I'd love to join you. anchovy, mackerl, then squid. I would not eat them out of the Bay. just my 2 cents.
  Randall

John let me know if you come to my neck of the woods. Kris would have A good time showing the rookie some tricks. We could paddle in Moss Landing harbor and catch some dabs in ten foot of water, and then maybe fishing by the hiway 1 bridge for some sharks/ Rays...

cool.  thx y'all for the intel and offers.  i'll let you know when we go.

I agree about not eating the catch out of the bay- i was thinking coastal, not bay.  thx again.

My son likes fishing.  
I've taken Stefan (12 yrs old) out yakfishing on reservoirs, but I'm a lousy freshwater guy and we've skunked.  Don't want to take him out on the open ocean due to recent landlord sightings (my wife would kill me).

I hear you on this one, I had the same issues when my son started fishing.  We started at loch lomond res.  I guess the thing is how much risk is too much.  Do you let your son ride his bike?  Skateboard?  Eat custard?  Sashimi?  Maybe a trip to some close in kelp beds would be a good trip.

My son likes fishing.  
I've taken Stefan (12 yrs old) out yakfishing on reservoirs, but I'm a lousy freshwater guy and we've skunked.  Don't want to take him out on the open ocean due to recent landlord sightings (my wife would kill me).

I hear you on this one, I had the same issues when my son started fishing.  We started at loch lomond res.  I guess the thing is how much risk is too much.  Do you let your son ride his bike?  Skateboard?  Eat custard?  Sashimi?  Maybe a trip to some close in kelp beds would be a good trip.

good perspective... esp. considering he was recently shooting a rifle at Boy Scouts camping and doing woodworking with knives.  And he's been begging me to take him out on the ocean.  I dare say that he's even eaten RF sashimi (I still remember Yakuza's pics of the sealworms).  I'll start with the bay and get him to a kelpbed within a protected cove ...

I brought my son with me last year at Tomales Bay. He
had such a blast catching smelt and mackerel that he was
willing to do it again. Unfortunately, Tomales did not have
as much bait fish this year than last. Come mid October,
you and your son can come join us striper fishing in
Benicia. My son just turned 13 so they will get along.

Jedmo

I remember watching Ty disappear in the fog at Elk as I was waylaid on shore throwing my back out. Ask anyone there I was freaked out knowing he didn't have a radio on him. He had the best time of his life that day and would have never forgiven me if I had yanked him. I did not let him get his drivers license till 18. you have to decide where to draw the line somewhere.

My nephew is now 11 and spends his time playing video games. I think it's time for him to "get outside". I'm looking for a local lake that has tons of bluegills......then perhaps the Bay for some shark fishing.

Next Wednesday, I'm taking him to Lake Merced for his first paddle orientation.

John Brother,
If you are willing to travel a little, we can go to Franks Track/Piper Slough and show you the rope on catching LMB or Striper, I am not expert but I can catch fish in freshwater..let me know,

Thanks

thx everyone!!  really appreciate the offers.  After I get back from the RBC, i'm thinking of taking him out to the San Leandro marina for some sharkin.  Darius, Jedmo and others, I'm gonna take y'all up on your offers.  thx.

Jonathan

J, if you want to make a family trip out of it, you need to take him and the clan up to the sierras.  Low risk, high reward.  Just about anywhere you try right now should be an EZ limit of trout.  Lovely weather on the horizon next two weeks so its a good window.  Kind of a drive though, but a pleasant one at that.  I'm going to try this it out this weekend (got screwed last weekend) and I'll recon the area for lodging, food, addresses, etc.

J, if you want to make a family trip out of it, you need to take him and the clan up to the sierras.  Low risk, high reward.  Just about anywhere you try right now should be an EZ limit of trout.  Lovely weather on the horizon next two weeks so its a good window.  Kind of a drive though, but a pleasant one at that.  I'm going to try this it out this weekend (got screwed last weekend) and I'll recon the area for lodging, food, addresses, etc.

Martin:
I don't think you saw the part of my post that said i'm a sh**ty freshwater guy.  But I can soak bait.
Hope to see some nice pics upon your return, and thanks for the intel.  Your report may motivate me to take my family up there.

JB

Keeping my fingers crossed for your boy!!!

thought id chime in because it wasn't to long ago that i was 12 (I'm 17 now). I was 'Baptized' at 12 with the the heart of a king(that i caught by myself) on the feather river drifting for salmon by old guys i had only known for that day. since then I've gotten into every other type of fishing i can get into. my dad isn't much of a fisherman but I'm getting him into it. i think a calm day on the bay is a good start but lets face it.. the ocean on a clam day is very comparable to the bay. and the ocean has much more interesting fish(RF). if you could scrap together a handful of gps points that are not to deep and not to far away from the launch site. that would be your best bet. for a second choice i would hit bay sharks with dead and live bait if possible because the live bait opens more possibilities for that cruising striper or random halibut. good luck with your boy he sounds tough from boy scouts and all. get ready cause once hes hooked your gonna be putting tips together right and left.