SF/San Pablo Bay Report 3/10/06

[Wahoo!]

The Bays
S.F.-San Pablo: Nothing doing in the semi-South Bay, but for jacksmelt
at Sierra Point Pier and Fisherman's Park at Burlingame. For the smelt,
our own toothless barracuda, pile worms and bagged anchovy are the usual
baits, though they bite well on shad-pattern flies, as well, we're here
to tell. For all else, save your money ... Right time, wrong water:
Oyster Point Bait and Tackle's Mike Routson tells of schools of anchovy
right off the point, at the Swirl. Despite the roiled, silted bay, he
says the key baitfish have started to arrive. Mostly pinheads, so far,
but he has jigged up some worthy of being called "bait" ... Keith
Fraser's play of the week brings us back to Tuesday, when two guys
anchored east of the Pumphouse, in 11 feet of bay, landed nine sturgeon
in two hours and 10 minutes of fishing. Of the nine, three were keepers,
to 65 inches. Same two were out the next day, yesterday, at the same
spot, in far nicer weather, and did zip. Same day, Fraser places Abe and
Ang Cuanang in the North Bay, over the Shellbank, and the brothers plus
two apparently landed six keeper striped bass, plus sturgeon of 65 and
67 inches. Also out was a certain bait slinger, who caught and released
a 50-pounder off China Camp. ... Coming up: Part I of Fraser's March
Madness (Catch-and-Release) Sturgeon Derby is Saturday and Sunday.
Buy-in is $10. All sturgeon must be measured and released, mostly
unharmed, at Loch Lomond Marina. Part II is March 25-26 ... The folks at
Leonard's Bait and Tackle at Port Sonoma have been measuring and
weighing sturgeon since the weekend. The hot bite, it's said, continues
to be from the Petaluma River trestle (closest to the bay) to the flats
off Bel Marin keys. From shore, the gathering area is Sonoma Creek,
where sturgeon and a few bass are caught from the banks ... Very little
grass shrimp available, but Leonard's has some for sale (a cool 4
pounds, as of Wednesday).

[PlatinumHooks]

Man I bet a Sturgeon Tourney would be a blast!