Date: February 4, 2003
To: PFIC Message Board
From: Ken Jones
Subject: The skipper goes a perchin’
Made a short trip down to the bay this morning hoping for some perch and sanddabs. Didn’t have too good of luck on either. But it was a beautiful day even if a little chilly.
Fort Baker Pier 7:45-10 a.m.
5 Blue Rockfish
4 Brown Rockfish — including one very large fish
3 Pacific Sanddab
2 Rainbow Seaperch
1 Jacksmelt — large — 16 ½”
1 Walleye Surfperch
1 Shinerperch
I talked to a regular at Fort Baker. He was using small Kastmaster lures trying for rubberlip seaperch but hadn’t had any success this morning. He was just about the only one there. In fact, when I arrived there was only one other fisherman. Eventually there were four anglers, all regulars, and all senior citizens. It was a nice group although they wondered how I was catching most of the fish. Had luck on my side I guess. But they know how to catch them. One guy said he had caught a 4 3/4 pound rubberlip, another a 4 1/2 pound fish (although not today). They also gave me a few tips on some good spots from the jetty but today I rarely fish from the rocks. It’s always nice to talk to the regulars and that is one way in which you will learn about a pier.
The large brown rockfish wasn’t as big as some caught on boats but it was a very large brown rockfish to catch from a pier, perhaps the largest I've caught from a Bay Area pier. Probably should have measured it but I didn't.
Elephant Rock Pier 10:40-11:25 a.m.
No fish and only one nibble
Met an angler from the board. I was standing there having absolutely no success when he walked over and asked if I was Ken Jones. Don’t know how he knew who I was but he is a viewer on the site. (And, a big apology because I forgot to write down the name although I think he said he posts as readership). If you read this please correct me if I am wrong with the name. He was trying to net some herring that were obviously in the area since the seaweed was covered with eggs (and that’s probably why the fishing was so slow). He was headed over to either the Paradise Beach Pier or McNears when I left. Going to try for some sturgeon with herring he had previously acquired. Said he fished down at Oyster Point last week.
Ferry Point Pier 12:55-1:40 p.m.
1 Blackperch
1 Strangely colored sculpin (and I have my books spread out trying to identify the fish—a new species for me)
The sculpin was shaped like a smoothhead sculpin or a bonehead sculpin with dark saddles on the back. But the area immediately behind the head was a solid bone color that ran from one side of the fish all the way to the other; a distinctive mark/coloring that I haven’t seen before. I’ve got my Peterson Guide and Guide to Marine Fishes books out and am still trying to correctly identify the fish. But man, sculpins are a diverse and sometimes confusing family.
Light tackle, 8-pound line, two size 6 hooks and a 1-ounce torpedo sinker.
All fish were caught on pile worms.
All fish returned with the exception of the sanddabs.
To: PFIC Message Board
From: Ken Jones
Subject: The skipper goes a perchin’
Made a short trip down to the bay this morning hoping for some perch and sanddabs. Didn’t have too good of luck on either. But it was a beautiful day even if a little chilly.
Fort Baker Pier 7:45-10 a.m.
5 Blue Rockfish
4 Brown Rockfish — including one very large fish
3 Pacific Sanddab
2 Rainbow Seaperch
1 Jacksmelt — large — 16 ½”
1 Walleye Surfperch
1 Shinerperch
I talked to a regular at Fort Baker. He was using small Kastmaster lures trying for rubberlip seaperch but hadn’t had any success this morning. He was just about the only one there. In fact, when I arrived there was only one other fisherman. Eventually there were four anglers, all regulars, and all senior citizens. It was a nice group although they wondered how I was catching most of the fish. Had luck on my side I guess. But they know how to catch them. One guy said he had caught a 4 3/4 pound rubberlip, another a 4 1/2 pound fish (although not today). They also gave me a few tips on some good spots from the jetty but today I rarely fish from the rocks. It’s always nice to talk to the regulars and that is one way in which you will learn about a pier.
The large brown rockfish wasn’t as big as some caught on boats but it was a very large brown rockfish to catch from a pier, perhaps the largest I've caught from a Bay Area pier. Probably should have measured it but I didn't.
Elephant Rock Pier 10:40-11:25 a.m.
No fish and only one nibble
Met an angler from the board. I was standing there having absolutely no success when he walked over and asked if I was Ken Jones. Don’t know how he knew who I was but he is a viewer on the site. (And, a big apology because I forgot to write down the name although I think he said he posts as readership). If you read this please correct me if I am wrong with the name. He was trying to net some herring that were obviously in the area since the seaweed was covered with eggs (and that’s probably why the fishing was so slow). He was headed over to either the Paradise Beach Pier or McNears when I left. Going to try for some sturgeon with herring he had previously acquired. Said he fished down at Oyster Point last week.
Ferry Point Pier 12:55-1:40 p.m.
1 Blackperch
1 Strangely colored sculpin (and I have my books spread out trying to identify the fish—a new species for me)
The sculpin was shaped like a smoothhead sculpin or a bonehead sculpin with dark saddles on the back. But the area immediately behind the head was a solid bone color that ran from one side of the fish all the way to the other; a distinctive mark/coloring that I haven’t seen before. I’ve got my Peterson Guide and Guide to Marine Fishes books out and am still trying to correctly identify the fish. But man, sculpins are a diverse and sometimes confusing family.
Light tackle, 8-pound line, two size 6 hooks and a 1-ounce torpedo sinker.
All fish were caught on pile worms.
All fish returned with the exception of the sanddabs.