Skunked at Tomales

Launched at Tomales today and worked Tom’s point to Pelican Point for eight hours. No buts, no stripped bass.  I did manage to hook into an Angel Shark. Skunked two weeks in a row. Gotta be doing something wrong. If you got hints...

^^^ nearly every trip I've made to Tomales. That place is my White Whale ...

^^^ nearly every trip I've made to Tomales. That place is my White Whale ...

Yo Yo Yo...you're not alone, I've skunked my last three visits there while reports have streamed in...do not surrender...Tomales takes years to learn...

^^^ nearly every trip I've made to Tomales. That place is my White Whale ...

Glad to hear I’m not the only one. It was totally disheartening to see the PB crew cleaning limits at Nick’s cove when I landed...

^^^ nearly every trip I've made to Tomales. That place is my White Whale ...

Yo Yo Yo...you're not alone, I've skunked my last three visits there while reports have streamed in...do not surrender...Tomales takes years to learn...

Well, the good news - Tomales is so gorgeous that getting skunked is nbd.

Same for me yesterday, dragged a smaller frozen herring while also jigging a swimbait for about 4 hours.  Tried with and without hoochies, different speeds, etc.  Managed to jig up a nice anchovy at one point, which lasted about a minute on the hook before coming off.
I've stopped counting how many skunks in a row I've had there... (easily 12-15 over the past 2 years)

At this point it's personal, I've never fished somewhere so many times without catching.
The DFW fishcounter ladies said it was a slow day, but the boats coming in when I launched had halis onboard, so?

I heard there were at least 2 WSB caught in the bay yesterday too.

There's a dude named Eddie Kim on the Lawson's report that seems to be catching limits and/or big fish (20#-27# Halibut) pretty much every day, maybe I need to launch there and follow him .

It's hard to compare a PB catch at the end of the day with a yak's catch. Being able to cover more water quickly to fish various spots is a plus. We have to make a choice as to where and at what tidal time and often we strike out. Secondly, most PB's I see have two or three people with at least two rods apiece. Hookup chances are better and the gear, because of the PB width, is spread out and covers more ground. Now, a lot of those guys don't know what they are doing and don't catch but a few, mentioned by Lawson's, do. Lawson's is in the business of making money so reports and pics are meant , partly, to insure the angler business goes there. I emailed Lawson's and asked about launch rates for kayaks. $10.00 to park $3.00 to launch except on clam tide days when the park fee is doubled to $20.00. They have 100 parking spots and like Miller's, do fill up.

^^^ nearly every trip I've made to Tomales. That place is my White Whale ...

Yo Yo Yo...you're not alone, I've skunked my last three visits there while reports have streamed in...do not surrender...Tomales takes years to learn...

Thanks for your positivity as always, Eddie. Never will I give up on Tomales. As Tez said, its personal at this point in the game. And honestly, I can think of a more beautiful spot to endure a skunk anyways. Cruising back to the launch through the eel grass beds and getting to watch the rays and leopard sharks do their thing is prize enough some days. 

^^^ nearly every trip I've made to Tomales. That place is my White Whale ...

Yo Yo Yo...you're not alone, I've skunked my last three visits there while reports have streamed in...do not surrender...Tomales takes years to learn...

Thanks for your positivity as always, Eddie. Never will I give up on Tomales. As Tez said, its personal at this point in the game. And honestly, I can think of a more beautiful spot to endure a skunk anyways. Cruising back to the launch through the eel grass beds and getting to watch the rays and leopard sharks do their thing is prize enough some days.

This could not have been said better. I was so tired on the way back that I started jogging a swim bait as a Hail Mary, hoping I would score a tripped bass or something. Still, the Angel Shark, the Jack Smelt, the Shiner Perch, and the Anchovies were enough to make it ok. Tomales is poetry.

Same for me yesterday, dragged a smaller frozen herring while also jigging a swimbait for about 4 hours.  Tried with and without hoochies, different speeds, etc.  Managed to jig up a nice anchovy at one point, which lasted about a minute on the hook before coming off.
I've stopped counting how many skunks in a row I've had there... (easily 12-15 over the past 2 years)

At this point it's personal, I've never fished somewhere so many times without catching.
The DFW fishcounter ladies said it was a slow day, but the boats coming in when I launched had halis onboard, so?

I heard there were at least 2 WSB caught in the bay yesterday too.

There's a dude named Eddie Kim on the Lawson's report that seems to be catching limits and/or big fish (20#-27# Halibut) pretty much every day, maybe I need to launch there and follow him .

Wow. What I wouldn’t give to land a White Sea bass.

Let me know when you decide to stalk Eddie Kim. Happy to join. We can paint our kayaks blue and wear blue wetsuits. He’ll never see us. #kayakninjas.

It's hard to compare a PB catch at the end of the day with a yak's catch. Being able to cover more water quickly to fish various spots is a plus. We have to make a choice as to where and at what tidal time and often we strike out. Secondly, most PB's I see have two or three people with at least two rods apiece. Hookup chances are better and the gear, because of the PB width, is spread out and covers more ground. Now, a lot of those guys don't know what they are doing and don't catch but a few, mentioned by Lawson's, do. Lawson's is in the business of making money so reports and pics are meant , partly, to insure the angler business goes there. I emailed Lawson's and asked about launch rates for kayaks. $10.00 to park $3.00 to launch except on clam tide days when the park fee is doubled to $20.00. They have 100 parking spots and like Miller's, do fill up.

Not sure I would launch from Lawson’s unless we were stalking Eddie Kim as #kayakninjas. I think the ocean plus bay current makes this cray cray up there. I could be wrong. I wouldn’t launch solo like I usually do. And, yes, those darn PBs...

It takes a little bit to figure out. Hell I’ve been fishing there for over 30 years and I barely know what I’m doing 

Live bait and luck+experience = Tomales consistent success.

Live bait and luck+experience = Tomales consistent success.

Dave, Eddie, John and others have it right (although i'd replace the "live bait" part from Dave with a 5 inch swimbait, but that's just me! ), Tomales can be humbling, but that's what keeps me coming back.  You literally have a chance to catch fish of a lifetime, and of various prized species.  My PB white seabass and striped bass were there in my kayak, and i have caught a lot of those in the past, especially the white variety.

Two things i find helpful there in consistently finding fish.  Look for ambush points, just like you would for a trout in a stream.  They often sit just outside or hidden from the strong current and wait for food to arrive.  Saves energy.  Also, halibut, like white seabass and striped bass, are often schooling fish.  When you get bit, try fishing in radiating circles out from where you found the bite before you move on. 

Keep at it!!

Norm

Was out 7/19 with two buddies. Launched at Blakes on the incoming at 6:30am and paddled up to Lawson's and drifted back to Blakes for a noon take out. I vertical jigged a 6" white rubber paddle tail
jig with a 4oz head with stinger treble tag with a strip of squid and got two hits. !st was in 35 ft of water and played up to about 15ft when I dropped it. It didn't feel too big.The second hit came at the top of the lift and I didn't have any more lift to set the hook.

Buddies drifted frozen anchovies on a hoochie and got nada.

There was a lot of eel grass and kelp dirtying up the water from the large tides and so checking the line and bait often was a must.