Okay to Fish the Bays With Two Poles?

May 6, 2010

Question: Can I fish two poles in Tomales Bay or fish any bay as long as I have the second rod stamp? (Rick)

Answer: In San Francisco and San Pablo bays you can only use one fishing line with no more than three separate hooks or lures. When fishing from a boat, fishing is restricted to daylight hours only (one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset). While fishing from public piers inside San Francisco and San Pablo bays you cannot use more than two rods and lines, two hand lines, or two nets, traps or other appliances used to take crabs.

In ocean waters other than San Francisco and San Pablo bays, you may use as many poles as you can attend to for many species, but single pole restrictions apply to some species such as salmon and rockfish. The second pole stamp only applies when fishing in fresh water.

I see folks night fishing for striper and sturgeon in the napa river and SPB all the time. Is this correct?

The regs for hours change above highway 37 bridge.

The regs for hours change above highway 37 bridge.

Well this is what I found. Sounds like a large portion of the SPB is time restricted but napa river is not.

Here is the reg in the 2014 ocean regs I found.
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.
 

What he said.

I was asking traildad. Given his history.

I was asking traildad. Given his history.

That is not a done deal yet. Coming to a forum near you. I am only waiting on the slow wheels of bureaucracy. I guess I should have asked everyone for a citation that said "Napa River".  PS: I didn't Re-start this.

Well not sure of any history but as I have fished the napa river at night many times I wanted to make sure I was not in violation. It common practice around here but as we all know that does not mean it's legal. Figures I would post here so everyone would know. That said. Feel free to bicker on!

Here we go again. I guess the real question should be ... is it legal to stir the shitpot with two poles ?

Well not sure of any history but as I have fished the napa river at night many times I wanted to make sure I was not in violation. It common practice around here but as we all know that does not mean it's legal. Figures I would post here so everyone would know. That said. Feel free to bicker on!

Luckily in this case the DFG spells out the rules. Some people think we are not allowed to use two poles in the Napa River because the regs say you can only use one pole in San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. I should add, the some people include most of the game wardens.