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SALTWATER
30 May 25- June 8, 2018 VOL. 37 • ISS. 12
Khan Tran of North Cal Sportfishing Charters has been pounding salmon off of Half Moon Bay. He put his clients on these dandy fish during the second week of May.
Photo courtesy of KHAN TRAN, Sacramento
SALTWATER REPORTS:
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25
MONTEREY BAY cont.
lost in the krill balls. There was one fish caught at the Soquel Hole and one at Soldiers Club,” Fraser said
“ The majority of anglers fished for rockfish and lingcod,” noted Fraser.“ The anglers did well on rockfish in the shallow water near South Rock and Natural Bridges. The deep water near Davenport produced some limits of big rockfish.”
“ The halibut and striped bass are still being caught off the wharfs and jetties, due to the schools of anchovies showing close to shore,” he stated.
- Dan Bacher
PENINSULA SHORELINE
Striped Bass Hit The Beaches!
SAN FRANCISCO- Anglers in search of halibut are finding fair success inside the bay, while others brave high winds to catch perch and striped bass outside of the Golden Gate.
Swimbaits and bucktail jigs were highly recommended this week by Stefanie Scott at Gus’ Discount Bait and Tackle for both halibut and striped bass.
“ There’ s always a handful of guys at Crissy Field going for them because it’ s easy to get to. Other guys are crossing the bridge and fishing by Tiburon Point,” she related.
Anglers belonging to the More Than Fishing Facebook Group continued to report in steady catches of both striped bass and barred surf perch.
Bait fishermen are using pile and blood worms for both species, while lure tossers used motor oil 1.5” grubs for perch, and bucktail jigs for striped bass.
Interest in crab was slow, according to Stefanie Scott.
– Roland Aspiras
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Chatterbait Reaction: Anglers Find Saltwater Success!
Inever thought I would I have thought that I would receive such a reaction to an article as I have received about the use of chatterbaits in the salt! Just within the time of the last two issues of the FishSniffer where I introduced the idea of using chatterbaits( typically a fresh water bass lure) in salt water, a number of anglers have contacted me telling of their successes using the bladed jig. Here is just a sample:
Jeff M. wrote that he tried the lure at Crissy Field off the San Francisco Presidio. Throwing it while wading in the water at low tide, he got a smashing hit just twenty five feet from where he was standing so he was able to see the strike.
“ The lure was coming through the water and it looked like there was nothing there, then a huge swirl off the bottom engulfed the lure!” he said.“ You were right about getting a hit in two feet of water. That 17 lb. halibut nearly gave me a heart attack!”
Jesse S. from South City called me and said that he tried trolling the chatterbait in the south bay and the stripers and halibut were suckers for the lure. He said he used a three way swivel rig with a one foot dropper leader to the eight ounce ball sinker and a five foot piece of 20 lb. fluorocarbon to the lure.
His two buddies were using a similar rig but one used a Rebel and the other used a rigged anchovie. Of the 12 fish landed that day, nine were on the chatterbait. One trip’ s success doesn’ t prove anything, but it does add to the possibilities!
SALTY TIPS by Steve“ Hippo” Lau
Carey Y. took a Picasso model out to the surf in Pacifica( he chose the Picasso model because it came in the 1.5 ounce size)“ just for fun” he says because it is a little early for stripers in the surf. He was pleasantly surprised when a 10 lb. striper ate the lure.
“ I was throwing the lure out with a Daiwa Maddragon carp rod, the rod you wrote about a while ago, What a way to break in a new rod!” he told me. There were two other surf casters that day throwing white hair jigs, but after four hours of casting, his was the only fish caught.
Finally, Matt M., a bottom fishing fanatic, told me of the outfit he used for rockfish. He used 30 lb. braid to a three way swivel, had a 15 lb. test dropper to the eight ounce torpedo sinker, and a three foot section of fluorocarbon to the chatterbait with a five inch curl tail grub for a trailer. Dropping the rig down to the bottom in 80 feet of water, Matt said he could feel the lure shaking as he drifted along.
“ What I couldn’ t believe,” said Matt,“ was how violently the lingcod attacked the lure!” And while the season is still young, Matt said he was going to keep a chatterbait rigged outfit at the ready in future trips on his boat.
While each of these stories could be an article on its own, I hope that the successes written here will inspire you to check out these lures yourself and open up a new world of possibilities.
This incredible yellowfin tuna was caught off Baja’ s East Cape on May 1. Now is the time to head south in search of ahi!
Photo courtesy of VAN WORMER RESORTS, East Cape, Baja.
BAJA TIP OF THE WEEK
The boat fishing opportunities along the Baja Peninsula are well known, but Baja offers surf fishing too, for species such as sierra, jack crevalle, roosters, yellowtail, snappers, grouper and even California halibut.
To take on these species requires a zest for adventure, some determination and solid heavy duty spinning gear. For a reel, reels on the heavy end of the PENN Slammer series are ideal.
This reel earned the Best of Show award at ICAST 2016 in the saltwater reel category, the Slammer III refines the way you fish. It features the Sealed Slammer ® drag system with Dura-Drag™ material for smooth performance.
In addition, a sealed body and spool design keeps water out of the gear box and drag system. With a full metal body, sideplate and rotor, and CNC Gear™ tech, the PENN ® Slammer III Spinning Reel is built for heavy-duty fishing action.
The perfect match for your big Slammer is a surf rod from the PENN Carnage II Surf Casting Ulua series.
PENN Carnage II rods are a new generation of super light but powerful rods. Engineered to be fished with braided fishing line these rods can take the extra strain created by braided lines and will punish any game fish.
Spool that reel with 65 pound braid, grab some poppers, swimbaits and jigs and you’ re ready for some big fish surf fishing action, Baja style!