A Great Day Fishing with Earl
Another epic fishing day. I had the alarm set for 5:20 a.m. Meeting Earl at the boat at 5:45. I woke up at 4 and could not get back to sleep. No problem - I did the NYT spelling bee.
Got out of the house and got to the boat early at Treasure Island. Got things set up and started the engines. Earl arrived and we quickly shoved off. Motored across the bay to fisherman's wharf to get live bait. We were not alone. There was a line of about 20 boats all the way out of the cove into the bay, waiting to get bait. We slowly eased our way to the bait receiver and got our two netfuls of live anchovies which they call a "half scoop", poured gently into our live bait tank.
Decision time: where should we fish. There were at least 25 boats fishing all around Alcatraz. I often avoid the popular crowded spots unless I know for sure that the fish are biting there. I tend to go to fishing spots where I have personally caught fish. When I catch a fish, I mark the spot with a big red X on my gps. That way I can go back to the same place.
So where to go? First I tried a spot called the rock pile or arch rock. A high rocky spot (40 feet of water) surrounded by deeper water. It is between Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. There were a few other boats there. I caught a rockfish on our first drift. A few more drifts produced nada so we decided to move.
We were "drifting" live bait. I drive the boat to a spot, turn off the engines, and let the current and wind move the boat. We drop our lines to the bottom. We use a lead weight and a rig that has a 4 foot line to a hook, which holds the live bait. We drift numerous times over the same spot. We'll stay if catching fish and move if not.
I decided to try a spot near Angel Island where we caught fish last week. I had an X or two marked. On our first drift, Earl's reel started buzzing as a fish took off with his bait. He fought it skillfully, got it to the boat and I netted it. A monster 13# halibut. Big for SF Bay.
I violated all the social distancing rules and gave him a high five. Over the next few drifts we each caught another big halibut, not quite as big as the first (11.5# and 9#), comparatively small but each one big for SF Bay.
We tried a few other spots: Racoon Straits, Berkeley flats; but, caught nothing else.
Those three big fish made for an epic fishing day that Earl and I will not soon forget.
Oh, I forgot, you don't know Earl. We met about two years ago sitting at the bar eating dinner at Iyasare in Berkeley. Busy day at the restaurant and we could not get a table. Earl was there with his girlfriend Lana, a court reporter. Both lawyers, both fisherman, and he fishes with a dentist I know from Workers Comp - Greg Goddard.
Next thing I know, I have been allowed into their fishing crew. Earl has a small business practice in Oakland. We often fish during the week. Earl invariably takes a call from a client out on the water.
Fishing Superstition. Don't allow bananas on the boat. Bad luck. Possibly because in days of yore, sailors got provisions in tropical places including bananas that had snakes hidden in the bunch. My personal superstitions: (1) If I want the fish to eat (my bait), I should eat something first; e.g. today Earl caught the big fish just as I started to eat an apple. (It works!); (2) I'll catch fish if we eat a package of Buffalo Bleu flavored Kettle potato chips; (3) Music helps catch fish. Not any music. Certain playlists. Today, Earl complained - "That song again?". I reminded him that we caught a lot of fish about a month ago listening to that same playlist.
Enough about fishing. We came back to the dock early, filleted the fish, cleaned up the boat and headed home. I needed to be home early because Beth's sisters Carol and Gail and Gail's husband Gamiel were coming over for dinner. BBQ halibut and rockfish.
We had so much fish. We must have ended up with 20-25# of filleted halibut. Not bad at about $25/pound. I dropped fish off with friends in Nicasio and Inverness. I sent some home with Gail and Gamiel.
the bear
Got out of the house and got to the boat early at Treasure Island. Got things set up and started the engines. Earl arrived and we quickly shoved off. Motored across the bay to fisherman's wharf to get live bait. We were not alone. There was a line of about 20 boats all the way out of the cove into the bay, waiting to get bait. We slowly eased our way to the bait receiver and got our two netfuls of live anchovies which they call a "half scoop", poured gently into our live bait tank.
Decision time: where should we fish. There were at least 25 boats fishing all around Alcatraz. I often avoid the popular crowded spots unless I know for sure that the fish are biting there. I tend to go to fishing spots where I have personally caught fish. When I catch a fish, I mark the spot with a big red X on my gps. That way I can go back to the same place.
So where to go? First I tried a spot called the rock pile or arch rock. A high rocky spot (40 feet of water) surrounded by deeper water. It is between Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. There were a few other boats there. I caught a rockfish on our first drift. A few more drifts produced nada so we decided to move.
We were "drifting" live bait. I drive the boat to a spot, turn off the engines, and let the current and wind move the boat. We drop our lines to the bottom. We use a lead weight and a rig that has a 4 foot line to a hook, which holds the live bait. We drift numerous times over the same spot. We'll stay if catching fish and move if not.
I decided to try a spot near Angel Island where we caught fish last week. I had an X or two marked. On our first drift, Earl's reel started buzzing as a fish took off with his bait. He fought it skillfully, got it to the boat and I netted it. A monster 13# halibut. Big for SF Bay.
I violated all the social distancing rules and gave him a high five. Over the next few drifts we each caught another big halibut, not quite as big as the first (11.5# and 9#), comparatively small but each one big for SF Bay.
 |
| Halibut Are Toothy Critters |
We tried a few other spots: Racoon Straits, Berkeley flats; but, caught nothing else.
Those three big fish made for an epic fishing day that Earl and I will not soon forget.
Oh, I forgot, you don't know Earl. We met about two years ago sitting at the bar eating dinner at Iyasare in Berkeley. Busy day at the restaurant and we could not get a table. Earl was there with his girlfriend Lana, a court reporter. Both lawyers, both fisherman, and he fishes with a dentist I know from Workers Comp - Greg Goddard.
Next thing I know, I have been allowed into their fishing crew. Earl has a small business practice in Oakland. We often fish during the week. Earl invariably takes a call from a client out on the water.
Fishing Superstition. Don't allow bananas on the boat. Bad luck. Possibly because in days of yore, sailors got provisions in tropical places including bananas that had snakes hidden in the bunch. My personal superstitions: (1) If I want the fish to eat (my bait), I should eat something first; e.g. today Earl caught the big fish just as I started to eat an apple. (It works!); (2) I'll catch fish if we eat a package of Buffalo Bleu flavored Kettle potato chips; (3) Music helps catch fish. Not any music. Certain playlists. Today, Earl complained - "That song again?". I reminded him that we caught a lot of fish about a month ago listening to that same playlist.
 |
| Earl's Playlist for Today - A Winner! |
Enough about fishing. We came back to the dock early, filleted the fish, cleaned up the boat and headed home. I needed to be home early because Beth's sisters Carol and Gail and Gail's husband Gamiel were coming over for dinner. BBQ halibut and rockfish.
 |
| All in the Family (No masks required) |
We had so much fish. We must have ended up with 20-25# of filleted halibut. Not bad at about $25/pound. I dropped fish off with friends in Nicasio and Inverness. I sent some home with Gail and Gamiel.
the bear
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