What about fishing? Especially in SF Bay / Delta.

SPC · #1 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010

I apologize if this is a dumb question, but do you fish from your sailboat? If so, what type of fishing and what are the problems. I am new to this and can't find much from searches?

I did find reference to "The Cruiser''s Handbook of Fishing" by Scott Bannerot and a nice write up at http://www.sailnet.com/forums/miscel...g-fishing.html by Mark Matthews. But, all in all, the subject is rarely mentioned. Is it because sailors don't usually fish or that it is a pain to fish from a sailboat?

Bilgewater · #2 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010

I'm a little north of you in the PNW so I'm not sure about the San Francisco area. In any case, lot's of people fish from sailboats up here and I fish regularly from my boat for Salmon, Rockfish, Lingcod, Red Snapper and Halibut. I've been using a manual downrigger for years but I just upgraded to an electric and I remove it when I'm sailing. This setup works well up here but sometimes I jig, particularly for Halibut.

The big problem with a sailboat is all the gear on the stern. I have davits, radar tower, backstay and all kinds of other stuff that makes it impossible to work a fish from the stern. So I imediately turn my boat and try to work it from the port side and sometimes walk up to the bow to play it. It's easy to loose a fish on a sailboat if it runs to the other side right away.

captbillc · #3 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010

when we crossed from gibralter to the canaries to antigua we always had a 50 lb mono with a feather lure and a bunge cord hooked to the mizzen stay. we caught dorado at 7kn. they go after flying fish. very good eating !

bakerha51 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-02-2010

We towed a line in the BVI with a Tuna lure - no luck - but we will try again. Fished the shallows with the dinghy and that went great! Light tackle and salt water fish is a gas!

imagine2frolic · #5 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010

S.F. Bay can become extremely congested. If you plan on fishing while underway that complicates it even more. There's lots of fishing to be done on the bay, and in many ways. You just need to pick your time, and place logically.

Now if you just go out the gate. That's a whole other ball game for fishing.......i2f

MarioG · #6 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010

I say to the first mate "You want to go sailing?" and I know she hears "You want to go fishing?" Telling her that "Yes she could fish off a sail boat", i'm sure is the only reason she agreed to come sailing the 1st time out...lol thou I have to say it was entertaining to watch her bring in a 7lb catfish the first time, they don't go down without a fight, I can't wait to see her play with a tuna.

dabnis · #7 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010

Fished for many years from a Coronado 25 in the bay and outside, when we could fish for salmon. You can troll for striped bass, using spoons or plugs. Try to keep the lures down and not too far out, as mentioned earlier it can become quite congested at times. Depending on the wind and current, getting the trolling speed just right can be a challenge. You can also anchor in San Pablo bay and fish for Sturgeon or Stripers using bait, ghost shrimp is one of the favorites. Local bait shops can give you details about where to fish and what to use.

Dabnis

SPC · #8 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010

I truly appreciate the terrific response and have printed the replies as a record. Thank you.

Of course, the topic doesn't have to end ...

sailingdog · #9 (**permalink**) 02-04-2010

One of the owners of my boat's sister ships retrofitted the port side settee into a fishing equipment bench... without asking his wife beforehand... He got into a bit of hot water over it as I recall, since it was her boat.

However, they both do quite a bit of fishing off the boat, both underway and anchored.

Of course, having a boat that is 18' wide with a decent ama deck makes it a very good fishing platform...and you can have a fair number of people fishing with out them getting in each other's way.

dabnis · #10 (**permalink**) 02-04-2010

SPC, I don't know what your experience level is so if I'm telling you something you already know, my apologies. It was explained to me that anyone else on board that picks up the rod, lands the fish for you, steers the boat, or assists you in any way, requires a license also. In other words, unless the other people on board have a license, you have to operate in the "single handed" mode. The level of enforcement may depend on the officer's mood
but the fines are more than the cost of a license. Here is a link for details:

California Department of Fish & Game Fishing Q & A

Dabnis