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BODEGA BAY
 





Law Offices of James F. DeMartini
Serving Sonoma County for 40 Years
Probate, Trust and Estate Planning, Business, Fish and Wildlife and Cannabis Compliance

September 21, 2019    Headlines

Salmon Biting Again /Rockfish Limits
Tuna Offshore

The weather was drop dead beautiful on Friday 9-20. While others were enjoying the fishing the Reel Magic crew was wrapping up a wee of work replacing a cracked manifold. Rick on the New Sea Angler reported 9 salmon to 18 pounds for their 18 anglers adding 7 lings to 17 and full limits of rockfish. Several private and sixpacks saw fish per rod and up to four limits working a wide area from Bird ock and down to nearly point Reyes.  Here on Friday afternoon we are getting set to sea trial the Reel Magic and will to be running on Saturday. We have lots of room next Tuesday through Friday and are spots are filling fast for the crab season so get on the books soon. We will be on vacation for the next week but you can catch daily reports on Face Book on the Reel Magic Sportfishing page. 

 

There have been some big salmon showing on the beaches the past few days. On Wednesday 9-18 Merlin was wrenching on the Reel Magic but reported some good scores by others. Sic packs were seeing plus minus a fish per rod with one private boats trolling off Ten Mile with four limits all in the 18 to 30 pounds class.

The BIG news is that on Tuesday 9-17 Rick on the New Sea Angler reported great albacore action 47 miles west of Bodega Head or roughly 30 miles west of Sea Ranch.  They were still fishing at 4:PM when Rick called but their crew trip of just 6 anglers had close to 100 fish. (Rick's final score was 130 to 30 pounds. Half came on the troll and the others on stops on jigs and swimbaits. Please if you have questions or need gear stop by the Outdoor Pro Shop. They will set you up and answer all your questions. Rick will be offering tuna trips in the coming days.
 

There’s something strange in the neighborhood off of the Sonoma coastline as there are some large salmon along the beaches with schools of a smaller grade of salmon far offshore despite the timing of the middle of September. Overall since Friday 9-13 the salmon bite has been slow. After seeing limits for customers and crew the day before on Friday Merlin on the Reel Magic was two shy of four limits. He was fishing out in 50 to 60 fathoms south of the wx buoy and trolling  at 150 to 250 OTW.  Coming back in the harbor past the CG doc Merlin sucked up eel grass on his saltwater intake and overheated an engine. The Reel Magic is down for repairs all week.
 

Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sport Fishing added mooching to their combination trips on the New Sea Angler, and he said, “The salmon have gone deep to around 180 feet, and we have been mooching up to nearly a fish a rod every day during the week with light loads on boat. These are big fish, and they are a bonus in addition to full limits of quality bottom-dwelling rockfish and a number of lings. On Saturday, September 14th, the wind came up, and we weren’t able to mooch as the drift would be too fast, but we posted 25 limits of vermilions, coppers, chinas, browns, and quillbacks along with 25 limits of lings to 15 pounds. Fishermen were leaving the boat with 50/60-pound sacks of fish. The best weather of the year happens in September and October, and with light loads during the week, it is an excellent time to get out on our big 65-foot platform with plenty of room along the rails. We are also taking an exploratory crew trip this week for albacore as they are finally within reach at 30 to 35 miles off shore. I am looking forward to getting some tuna blood on the boat since it has been 5 or 6 years since this has happened.”

It is very interesting that the salmon are still offshore in the middle of September, and Captain Merlin Kolb of the six-pack Reel Magic found 6 limits plus three crew fish On Thursday 12 in 50 fathoms of water west southwest of the heat on the downriggers between 180 and 250 feet of water with a trolling fly behind a big 11-inch flasher, He said, “The salmon were not all huge or not all quality-sized fish, but they were all legal and I guarantee they will all eat good and our clients loved getting bit and hooked up!!” Owner Mike Aughney added, “We don’t understand why the salmon are out there this deep at this time of year, but there must be a reason since fish don’t follow a calendar.”

 

Both the New Sea Angler, the Reel Magic , and the Take Five out of North Bay Charters will start Dungeness crab/rockfish combination trips on November 2nd, and the bookings are starting to fill up, particularly on the weekends.


Owner / operator captain Merlin Kolb is bringing his 34 foot twin diesel catamaran the "Reel Magic" to Bodega bay this month. He will be offering salmon / rockfish and crabbing trips through the spring and summer months. Merlin is a well known local captain who is excited to finally be running his own operation. 707 875-BOAT (2628) or 707 479-0992.

New Sea Angler Sportfishing. Captain Rick is offering rockfish and salmon trips daily 707 875-3344

Abalone Bay 
Sea Ranch Ocean Front Vacation Rental.
Welcomes You to the Beautiful Mendonoma Coast

One of the best OCEANFRONT Sea Ranch rentals.
 Abalone Bay is a classic oceanfront 3-bedroom/ 2-bath vacation rental that sleeps 6. You’ll find Abalone Bay to be perfect for a romantic getaway, girls’ weekend, family abalone adventure, or relaxing retreat. 
Abalone Bay also welcomes your dog on holiday.
Please visit our website for more information and to book your dates.

Nearly all the salmon caught along the coast this year are there thanks to the Golden Gate Salmon Association. If not for their efforts to push both state and federal hatchery managers to truck fish over the past three years of drought we would have likely NOT had a season this year or next. I encourage readers to support this great organization and their efforts to return our salmon fishery to it's past glory. You can visit their website and see all that they are doing to make that a reality.

Upcoming Events:
USAFishing proudly supports the many fishery and wildlife organizations that benefit anglers and hunters throughout Northern California. Does your organization have an upcoming event? Contact us at fishsite@aol.com and we will gladly post the information on our reports pages.

California Waterfowl Dinners and Youth Events Calendar

Golden Gate Salmon Association Events Calendar

 Party Boat Contacts:
 The Bodega Bay Sportfishing  Center is currently booking trips on the New Sea Angler. They also book the six pack Sandy Ann, Profishn't and during the summer the Predator. Reservations can be made at 707 875-3344.
 
 
 
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5-day plot - Wind Speed at 46013

5-day plot - Wave Height at 46013

Marine Weather
 With the Point Arena, San Francisco and Bodega Bay buoys all out of service it's been tough to judge conditions. There are some land based weather stations, wave rider and even webcams that readers can use to assess current conditions.  The Point Reyes wind observations or wave conditions at the San Francisco wave rider buoy are good tools for Golden Gate anglers.  For Bodega Bay anglers you can use both the Point Reyes wind observations and the Bodega Bay Marine lab web cam at Horseshoe Cove and conditions at the Point Arena light house. For Monterey based anglers looking for conditions inside Monterey bay can use the Monterey Bay Aquarium buoy.

 
 

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