Morning Star fishing report , San Rafael, 2-7

[Fishing Report]

Armed with great expectations and a medley of tasty treats for our friends the sturgeon, we headed down the bay on Friday February 3rd with “OK” weather and the best tide of the last couple weeks.

First stop, as far to the north west corner of San Pablo Bay as we could go without running aground, near Sonoma Creek. The lack of rain has really impacted our decisions about potential hotspots, and generally the shallower the better if you’re trying to avoid feeding the crabs. Didn’t seem to help much Friday, the crabs were horrible. One shaker sturgeon and a couple flounder later we headed south for the outgoing tide.

There was action aplenty in Hotspot Number Two! Unfortunately the bulk of the fish we brought aboard were undersize leopard sharks and several more flounder. Further proof we need some serious rain.

The good news; The water started getting muddy and the tide was perfect for Hot Spot Number Three.

About 30 minutes into the new spot a suicide sturgeon hit, and the rental pole’s line was zooming south faster than Happy Hour patrons at the Hula Grill.

Make that “attempted suicide.” After a brief battle, Sturgeonzilla spit the hook out and went about his business.

Shortly after our escapee, Norm Giem of Santa Rosa was hooked up. Around the boat, under the boat, to the front of the boat, to the back of the boat. Was Norm just hamming it up? Possibly planning a new Jane Fonda like exercise video? He and the fish certainly looked sincere, and Norm was finally rewarded for his efforts with our first legal sturgeon of the day, a 49 incher.

Tom Vernon, tired of fattening up the crabs, caught a bullhead and put it out for bait. He shortly thereafter caught the biggest of the two bass that we caught for the day, about 10 pounds.

Shu Ting Shen of Castro Valley on her first ever trip was the next to hook up. The ensuing battle became a tag team effort, with her entire family taking turns fighting the fish. I was certain this fish was oversize. Wrong again! Fifty nine inches and in the box.

Norm breathed an uneasy sigh of relief when he discovered she was not in the big fish jackpot.

With only moments left before we headed in, Tom Gee of Berkeley was the next to yell “Fish On”. The fish (as is often the case in shallow water) came right to the surface. Like Tom’s last sturgeon, there was NO DOUBT this fish was over size.Wrong again.

After a brief battle, Tom’s 63 inch fish hit the deck, dashing Norm’s lavish plans for the jackpot money.

Both Toms and Norm shared their catch with the less fortunate anglers so most everyone had a fish dinner.


Morning Star
110 Loch Lomond Drive, San Rafael, CA 94901
Loch Lomond Harbor Bait Shop: (415) 456-0321
Morning Star boat phone: 1 (800) 464-1431

Located on the west edge of San Rafael within 2-1/4 miles of Highway 101.
The Morning Star departs at 7 a.m.
http://www.morningstarfishing.info

[bassjedi]

Nice fish.