Date: January 14, 2003
To: PFIC Message Board
From: Ken Jones
Subject: A visit to some piers... slow
Headed over to the bay this morning from Lodi to clear the mind. Unfortunately I had a slow day as far as fishing but it was still a lot better than being stuck at work.
Fort Point Pier — 10:05-11:35 a.m.
5 Pacific Sanddab
1 Striped Seaperch — large
1 Blackperch — small
1 Blue Rockfish —medium sized
1 Shinerperch
2 LARGE rock crabs
1 Dungeness crab that gave my left thumb a nice nip (before being returned to the water).
I was fishing at the far right corner. All of the sanddabs were caught straight out from the pier with the majority being caught only a moderate distance from the pier (I believe there is a sand bar just out from the pier). A short cast, maybe 50 feet or so seemed to produce better than a long cast. I was using two hooks and 4/5 of the dabs were caught on the bottom hook.
Talked to one regular who said: (1) the sanddab bite was strong last week but was a little slower this week; (2) he had caught 15 this morning with the “hot” bite being just after sunup; and (3) the top baits were strips of squid, pile worms or pieces of shrimp.
I caught all of the perch and rockfish fishing straight down next to the large corner pilings. Drop to the bottom and then work your bait up until you find the fish. Surprisingly, all the perch were caught 1/3 or so of the way up from the bottom instead of on the bottom. Do be careful of pieces of pilings and broken off pieces of wires that surround the pilings, Hold your pole and do not let the fish head around the pilings or into the various wires/lines, etc. by the pilings.
A final note was that I was using a 1-ounce torpedo sinker but when the tide changed there was a strong right to left current which would have necessitated a much heavier sinker if I had stayed. However, I had gotten a late start this morning so could not fish as long as I had wanted, nor could I visit as many piers. I had hoped to also stop at Elephant Rock.
Ferry Point Pier — 12:30-1:30 p.m.
1 White Seaperch — large
1 Blackperch – small
Same bait and equipment as at Fort Baker. Fish were between the pier and the old landing.
Vallejo Pier (small pier off to the side from Norm’s Bait)
No bites, no fish
All fish caught using pile worms fished on number 6 hooks. Driving back on highway 12 through the Delta was, as usual this time of year, a treat considering the number of birds, ducks, geese and other large birds happily munching away on food in the flooded fields.
PS., (1) The herring boats were working just off the Sausalito shoreline; (2) the small pier next to the Horizon's Restaurant in Sausalito is now totally closed; (3) signs said the road to Fort Baker would be closed from January 15-17 (I think).
To: PFIC Message Board
From: Ken Jones
Subject: A visit to some piers... slow
Headed over to the bay this morning from Lodi to clear the mind. Unfortunately I had a slow day as far as fishing but it was still a lot better than being stuck at work.
Fort Point Pier — 10:05-11:35 a.m.
5 Pacific Sanddab
1 Striped Seaperch — large
1 Blackperch — small
1 Blue Rockfish —medium sized
1 Shinerperch
2 LARGE rock crabs
1 Dungeness crab that gave my left thumb a nice nip (before being returned to the water).
I was fishing at the far right corner. All of the sanddabs were caught straight out from the pier with the majority being caught only a moderate distance from the pier (I believe there is a sand bar just out from the pier). A short cast, maybe 50 feet or so seemed to produce better than a long cast. I was using two hooks and 4/5 of the dabs were caught on the bottom hook.
Talked to one regular who said: (1) the sanddab bite was strong last week but was a little slower this week; (2) he had caught 15 this morning with the “hot” bite being just after sunup; and (3) the top baits were strips of squid, pile worms or pieces of shrimp.
I caught all of the perch and rockfish fishing straight down next to the large corner pilings. Drop to the bottom and then work your bait up until you find the fish. Surprisingly, all the perch were caught 1/3 or so of the way up from the bottom instead of on the bottom. Do be careful of pieces of pilings and broken off pieces of wires that surround the pilings, Hold your pole and do not let the fish head around the pilings or into the various wires/lines, etc. by the pilings.
A final note was that I was using a 1-ounce torpedo sinker but when the tide changed there was a strong right to left current which would have necessitated a much heavier sinker if I had stayed. However, I had gotten a late start this morning so could not fish as long as I had wanted, nor could I visit as many piers. I had hoped to also stop at Elephant Rock.
Ferry Point Pier — 12:30-1:30 p.m.
1 White Seaperch — large
1 Blackperch – small
Same bait and equipment as at Fort Baker. Fish were between the pier and the old landing.
Vallejo Pier (small pier off to the side from Norm’s Bait)
No bites, no fish
All fish caught using pile worms fished on number 6 hooks. Driving back on highway 12 through the Delta was, as usual this time of year, a treat considering the number of birds, ducks, geese and other large birds happily munching away on food in the flooded fields.
PS., (1) The herring boats were working just off the Sausalito shoreline; (2) the small pier next to the Horizon's Restaurant in Sausalito is now totally closed; (3) signs said the road to Fort Baker would be closed from January 15-17 (I think).