Two boats went out from here for salmon today. High boat had no keepers but returned two silvers. There were a couple of radio fish, but the only action was the commercial fleet who were catching a few out beyond the weather buoy on their bottom leaders. Maybe a better report tomorrow.

There were a few salmon caught yesterday, but none from anyone out of here. Not too many people wanted to troll in the rain, I guess. Windy today and tomorrow, then maybe some fishing weather for a few days. I heard a story about halibut to 15 pounds in the back bay. My storyteller wouldn't say exactly where, but I would try from Marshall to the very bottom of the bay near Millerton Point. Seems like the bay warms from South to North, and the North end is frigid. It probably wouldn't be a bad place to hook a leopard shark, either. The crabbing is definitely getting slow with only a few Dungeness coming in and those crabs are not very pretty. The reds are still available but even they are getting a bit tired. Still some surfperch out on the beach.

Self-proclaimed "local legend" Gerard Fitzgerald caught these two salmon yesterday, one in 200 feet of water off Tomales Point, the other in 120 feet of water off the Trees. No bait on the meter but sardines in their bellies. The majority of boats went without fish yesterday, but hopefully the calm ocean will allow bait balls to form up and the salmon to concentrate. The weatherman is calling for better weather on Saturday (at least as of this AM) but Sunday looks bad. A few boats heading out today, now that the showers are past.

A few salmon coming in. Two yesterday and two today, so far. The fleet is fishing between Tomales Point and the trees, 150 to 220 feet of water. Not much bait on the meter but at least one of today's fish had a belly full of 5" to 6"sardines. Good weather forecast for tomorrow, not so good for the weekend.

Simple, Effective Fly Patterns

A few recently tied simple patterns that have proved very popular with the trout and grayling:

This dry sedge pattern (tied in large sizes) was shown to me last year by a friend who swore by it, stating that when there is very little rising it has the ability to pull fish off the bottom...he wasn't wrong. Works equally well for trout and grayling and is responsible for many of my recent fish.

 Hook: #13 Tiemco 103bl

Thread: UTC 70 Tan

Tail/Shuck: EP Trigger Point International Fibers

Body: Squirrel

Underwing: Tiemco Aero Dry Wing

Wing: Elk/Deer Hair

Thorax: Squirrel 

Variation of above for when the sedge hatching are darker 

A couple of simple midge/smut patterns which can be effective when fish seem to be rising at nothing visible.

Hook: #20 Tiemco 2487

Thread: UTC 70 Black

Post: Tiemco Aero Dry Wing

Body: Flyrite #2 Black

Parachute: Grizzle Hackle

Thorax: Orvis Hare'e Ice Dubbing

 Hook: #20 Tiemco 2487
Thread: UTC 70 Black

Body: One Strand Of Peacock Herl (wrapped around thread to strengthen)

Wing: Two Natural CDC Feathers

Thorax: Orvis Hare'e Ice Dubbing

More people in the water yesterday, but thankfully they were much closer to shore. An extremely overloaded boat of clammers couldn't get clear of the shore on the windward side of Clam Island. Another boat stopped to help and the panicked clammers grabbing the side of the rescuing boat flipped the boat over. Someone called 911 and the Sonoma County Sheriff's helicopter arrived to ferry seven people back to the mainland. With five people removed from the 12 foot boat, the four others were able to get the boat off the island. A third boat launched and retrieved the samaritan's disabled boat.

The weather buoy is back, which is especially helpful today since it lets us know exactly how fast the wind is blowing. No fishing except for surfperch this past weekend, but there were a few perch caught. Maybe some fishing by midweek if the forecast is right.

A message from Mr. King:

My name is Robert King and I want to thank everyone who helped me survive a very bad situation Sunday morning. My fall from the boat was not the fault of the boat. I've been fishing this area for 30+ years and the 17' Boston Whaler has always served me well. The fault of this accident is completely mine. Thanks to Tom Baty, the person who hauled me out, and and whoever went to pick up my boat. You have helped establish my faith in humanity.

Love to you all,

Robert King

Gerard Fitzgerald brought in two salmon yesterday. They were caught around the turn of the tide in 200' of water. Two other boats had some bites but none landed. The South wind made it pretty sloppy by midmorning. The Dungeness crabs are still around but they aren't easy to catch anymore. The surfperch are still biting.

Bob King is already back with a fish this morning. He would have had two but he fell out of the boat while fighting the second fish. Luckily for Bob, after twenty minutes in the water Tom Baty of Inverness saw something yellow and trolled over to investigate. He and his crew got Bob aboard and warmed up and another fisherman retrieved Bob's boat before it ran aground on Tomales Point. Bob and boat were reunited and returned home. Bob hooked both fish 50 feet down in 180' of water, but Tom Baty gets big credit for boating the biggest King of the day.

Terry Fogal and crew report two salmon to 15 pounds from 200' of water due west of Tomales Point. They saw some other fish caught and had four scratched baits. The water was crystal clear but they still caught one fish right at the surface, 15 pulls with an 8 ounce ball. Tomorrow looks wet but fishable.

I found these old pictures yesterday, and in the absence of any new fishing pictures I though I'd post these. This was a harbor seal that was eating crab bait out of the nets at the pier. On October 17, 1994 Spottie the seal met the "man in the gray suit" at the pier. Several people saw it happen. So, to those who have wondered, yes, we do get great white sharks in the bay.

The weather is pretty good for fishing today and a few boats are out but the radio is awful quiet. With luck there will be something to report by this afternoon. Fair numbers of barred and red-tailed perch coming in (mostly barred). No reports of leopard shark, but maybe I'm not talking to the right people.

For the rockfishermen out there, Fish and Game haven't made the new rules official yet so last year's regulations are still the rule. At this time, June 13 is the rockfish and lingcod opener for boaters fishing from Tomales Bay and Bodega Bay. It could change if Fish and Game and the PFMC can figure out how to make their regulations work with each other. They will try to do it before the end of the month, but for now keep your shrimp flies in the tackle box.

If strong onshore wind causes the upwelling that makes the plankton bloom and the baby salmon fat and happy, then the chubby smolts are grinning. The wind is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Not too much to report besides that.

I spoke with two salmon fishermen today that had bites but no fish. The fleet was off of Bodega Head in 180' of water and a few boats had caught. The weather was far better than the forecast had allowed.

Updated weather forecast for the weekend: wind. That just means the salmon will be that much bigger when you do go fishing. Pretty good low tides this weekend, not quite good enough for rockpicking abalone but definitely plenty for clams or cockles. The water in the bay has warmed up to the high fifties near Marshall so there may be some halibut willing to bite back by the red ball (Tomasini Point) in 6 to 8 feet of water. A few small to medium surfperch on the beach. No recent leopard shark reports.

Monday saw a few more salmon come in. Four boats went out and returned with numbers ranging from 0 to 3. Windy today, but supposedly good days tomorrow and Saturday. The crabs are still in the bay with another decent catch coming in from the main channel.

Holiday Highlights

The last four days have consisted of trips to the River Usk, River Wye and  two Wye tributaries, all days were quite testing fishing under the conditions but with some memorable highlights...photos below:


Spectacular waterfall on the Upper River Usk at Cefn Rhosan Fawr.

Me wondering how many fish must be lurking down there but failing to catch them!



More of the beautiful River Usk.



Eagle eyed Nick...waiting for a trout to give itself up!



My first Yellow May Dun (Heptagenia sulphurea) spotted on the 1st of May.

Large Brook Dun (Ecdyonurus torrentis).

Fish of the weekend...taking a #18 Pheasant Tail Nymph.

One of a shoal of Minnow (Phoxinus Phoxinus) in full breeding colour.



Gale force winds making a normally placid Wye look like the Atlantic shoreline!



Pete Stathos, fishing with Tom Brodsky, caught this year's first bragger's board fish, this 21.5 pound salmon. He had one other salmon and lost two. All action straight out front of Tomales Point in 170 feet of water on bait.

The wind quit blowing so the salmon started biting. Nice and close, too. The fish today were in 150 to 180 feet of water off of Tomales Point. I heard a few reports of fish at 30' down but most came deeper. Lots of lost fish. One boat reported a double and a triple with only two fish landed out of the five hooked. If you go, you may want to drop a pot in the outer bay. Saturday a local landed 24 Dungeness from 5 pots on an 8 hour soak. No boat? The surfperch are biting off the beach again, not big ones, but tasty.