BY CAPT. DAVID BACON
SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco Bay landings opened one at a time, with differing opinions between municipalities regarding whether it was okay for party and charter boats to operate. Those boats running trips came back with solid catches of salmon, halibut and striped bass.
Bass Tub from Fisherman’s Wharf got back in the game. Capt. Aaron Anfinson said, “Halibut and bass fishing has been really good, over a fish per rod to limits. Everything has been in Central Bay on live bait. We did fish salmon yesterday. It seems like the majority of the fish are down south.”
Flash I had 11 fish for 5 people and Flash II had 10 halibut to 18 pounds and 6 bass for 5 people. Capt. Steve Talmadge said both boats drifted live baits near Treasure Island and Alcatraz and found the outgoing tide to be best. Lovely Martha, also from Fisherman’s Wharf, had limits of bass and 19 halibut for 19 people one day and then 27 halibut and 13 bass for an 11-person charter over the weekend. Capt. Mike Rescino said they have been scoring 2 fish a rod to near limits all week on the halibut.
Berkeley boats have been fishing and the results have been great. Capt. James Smith on California Dawn said, “Fifteen limits of halibut and fifteen limits of bass. It’s been absolutely wide-open fishing for me all week.”
Berkeley Charter boats saw some action. Been Mousabad caught a chubby 12-pound salmon on New Easy Rider, trolling an anchovy off Pacifica. David Rounder had an 18 pounder on El Dorado fishing the shipping channel. Pacific Dawn, El Dorado and New Easy Rider got a fish per rod on slower days and limits on good days. Top Gun from Hook’d Up Sportfishing will be running trips beginning June 2 and has some spots left beginning June 9 for live bait, potluck trips.
Fish Emeryville, just a few miles away, remained closed, awaiting their green light to operate. Sausalito had it the worst. Capt. Jared Davis on Salty Lady said the Sausalito fleet got notice that they could operate, so they let their customer list know and immediately sold out their opening day and booked many more days. Then just before fishing time they were informed the go ahead was being rescinded, so they had to refund or reschedule everyone’s deposits.
Weather was crummy Friday and Saturday but better on Sunday for San Pablo Bay boaters, according to Keith Fraser at Loch Lomond bait Shop in San Rafael. Tides for the week ahead looked to be improving so Fraser forecast great fishing ahead for halibut, bass and sturgeon.
Not many people had tried for sturgeon during the week because the tides were not right. At Norm’s Bait & Tackle in Vallejo, new shop owner Francisca took over from Mie Kaul. Welcome aboard, Francisca! She reported that a local angler named Herman caught a 52-inch sturgeon from shore at the Vallejo Waterfront, using ghost shrimp from her shop.
