San Francisco Area Ocean Report 9/21/06

[Wahoo!]

Pacific Ocean
Golden Gate: The week brought weather out front, a full plow of wind
over the water and a swell that hinted at January and February and the
gloom to come. It was enough to cancel most all the fishing trips, and
that seemed fine by most all. Wednesday, as the ocean calmed a little,
the Golden Gate Fleet, once 40-plus strong out of Fisherman's Wharf
alone, was represented by two boats, one from the city and one riding
out from the East Bay. They trolled Duxbury, hoping for something.
Between the two boats, for the sum of all rods, the combined total was
one salmon. One. Even if the weather was perfect, you have to wonder
about the point of it all.
The wind battered Bodega Bay pretty good, and the boats thinking
Farallones didn't follow through with the thought, as any venture away
from the immediate, and somewhat sheltered, Marin coast promised too
great a beating. Before the weather, the ocean around the islands was
yielding its usual stunning display of rockfish and lingcod,
representing a giddy chance to fish and catch fish. The inshore water
was highly productive, as well. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the
California Dawn worked the water about 2 miles off Point Reyes for 128
lingcod, which averages out to a lot of lingcod. Anything large and
attached to a hook worked, with various bar lures, sand dabs, Scampi and
even anchovy working nicely ... Rumor had a couple of boats working out
of Pillar Point for rockfish Wednesday. This after a Tuesday of 17-foot
seas running up against the local weather buoy. The boats made it
Wednesday, however, and chances are excellent they returned with limits.
The Huli Cat, which has been working off Tunitas Creek (sharky water,
you bet) for its ground fish, has a trip on the books Friday.
Interestingly enough, skipper Tom Mattusch will be passing on his
southern stretch of coast for a run to the islands ... With the offshore
weather set to Agitate, the Monterey Bay boats are back to plying the
craggy bottom for rockfish and the occasional lingcod. The ventures
nearly always are good for limits. Back to the weather: Chris'
Sportfishing scrapped today's tuna trip, and Friday isn't looking good,
either.