Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3703 Jan 18-Feb 2 2018 | Page 32
30
Jan 18 - Feb 2, 2018
SALTWATER
VOL.37 • ISS. 03
Diamond Back Domination With Captain Chris Smith!
T
here are very few things in life
each of us have to bring us to a
place of calm and peace. Fishing does that
for me. To be able to step onto boat or
bank and cast a line in the ever-present
quest to conquer our own individuality
and strength is a pastime
that everyone needs, yet not
all receive. I recently played
out such an opportunity
with Chris Smith aboard
the Defiant.
It was a lazy afternoon
in Martinez, the sun was
shining, and a light breeze
played with the flags
overlooking the marina. I
took a deep breath inhaling
the sights and sounds around me. Bells
chiming and motors revving danced in
my ears and the smell of the fresh air and
remnants of adventures gone by tickled
my senses.
My heart took a leap, it was time,
time for that rare opportunity that
many pursue yet few walk away from
triumphantly. I was about to step onto
a boat and embark on a quest for the
elusive dinosaur of the Delta, a keeper
size white sturgeon.
First things first. When it comes to
fishing, you’ve got to make sure you have
not only the proper tackle, but the proper
bait as well. Capt. Chris of Captain Hook
Sportfishing assured me that he had
acquired a beautiful load of eel from Big
Red Worm Bait Company and the only
thing we needed to add to it was some
grass shrimp from the local bait shop
there at the marina. We brought a quarter
pound of those dancing beauties, jumped
on the boat and after the preliminary
safety check, shoved off.
I love the utter freedom and joy that
comes from gliding out of a harbor,
getting those humming motors on step.
There we were, gliding past the chaos of
the North Bay freeways, the stresses of
life, and nothing stood between us and
total solitude, but the open water.
The Defiant is a great six pack boat and
especially well-suited to sturgeon fishing.
The wide-open deck lends itself to the
room needed when setting the hook on
sturgeon and being a catamaran means
there is no need to worry about waves and
weather.
As we streamed under the bridge and
past the old Mothball Fleet I couldn’t
help but take a moment
of silence in thanks to
those who both served
and serve this country,
I think about what an
honor it would be to
have those
brave, men
and women
alongside me
to experience
what an
amazing day
that awaited.
We
traveled past
the Mothball
Fleet and up
to the upper reaches
Fish Sniffer Field Editor Sarah Louise holds up the big keeper sturgeon that she was certain she was going to lose
of Suisun Bay where
Captain Chris invested when it got tangle in the Defiant’s prop.
Photo courtesy of CAPTAIN CHRIS SMITH, Happy Hooker Sportfishing.
some time to meter
around searching for
to lay enough line on the deck to buy us
sought after creature is toying with the
that perfect mark, the
some time and then cuts the line and pulls
bait.
distinctive marks of feeding sturgeon.
it back through the prop. All this time
“Looks like a striper bite,” Captain
After several minutes of roaming
I have a sturgeon tugging on the other
Chris announced.
around at slightly more than an idle he
end through my hands, I just knew it was
My instinct to grab the rod and set the
perked up and pointed excitedly at the
hook like there’s no tomorrow is put at bay going to shake the hook any moment.
screen. “See that?! That’s a sturgeon!”
Captain Chris makes quick work of
with his calm reminder that the eel will
I looked at the screen of the sonar unit
splicing the line back together.
stay on the hook and patience will in fact
and sure enough there it was, the arch
“Reel fast!” he commands and I start
be a virtue.
shaped return of a sturgeon holding tight
to reel like my life depends on it. I don’t
His words proved to be true. Not more
to the bottom. He dropped the anchor and
believe there’s a chance that my fish is
than five minutes passed and another rod
I started to get excited.
still on the line, but it is. After several
goes off. This time there’s no doubt that
Captain Chris had four of his Phoenix
it’s a sturgeon. It was that slow steady take moments of cranking hard I feel the
Abyss 807 rental rods out as we both have
down that sturgeon anglers dream about… sweet tug of life on the other end. I keep
our two rod stamps. Chris uses great care
cranking and I know we’re so close to
The hook set, the adrenaline, the bliss of a
and attention in maintain and setting up
getting my fish in the boat, then boom!
heavy fish at the end of the line.
his rental gear, leaving as little as possible
Another rod goes off and Chris drives the
As I fight my fish a rare occurrence
to chance.
takes place, a second sturgeon hits another hook home.
Since we didn’t bother with salmon
We had what many would call a
line. Now we’re in a battle that we weren’t
roe on this trip every rod had a healthy
fairytale day. I landed my fish while Chris
prepared for. Two sturgeon on two
portion of eel as well as several grass
put his rod in a rod holder. Chris netted
different lines and no one to man a net.
shrimp pinned on the hook to make it
my fish and then proceeded to crank in his
Chris pulls in his sturgeon…just under
appealing to whatever might be swimming
own keeper, which I netted.
the minimum size. He makes quick work
past our rigs.
I can’t even begin to describe the thrill
of releasing the fish and dropping a fresh
Chris launched each line out sailing
cluster of bait down while I’m still battling of having two of these mythical creatures
over the water and they land with a
sitting on