GOLDEN GATE


 

November 06, 2009    Headlines

 Dungeness Season Opens Nov. 7th


The 2009 Dungeness crab seasons kicks off tomorrow Saturday 11-7. While anglers may have dreams of pots full of crabs Mother Nature has other ideas. There is a huge swell train working down the coast. As of Friday 11-6 @ 5:PM swell heights are just starting to push into double digits off Bodega Bay and down to Half Moon Bay.  Currently off Cape Mendocino swells are a monstrous 26 feet and swells along the Bay Area coast will only increase in size to the two story level overnight. Most party boats have canceled their trips for Saturday and if you are booked for Sunday call before you go. Sunday's trips may very well be canceled as well. For you private boaters our advise is to be safe and wait for the weather to improve. The crabs will still be there when the weather improves. Currently the best weather window of the next several days looks to be on Monday as the winds look to ramp back up on Tuesday. Be safe and patient and you will be rewarded. Make an unsafe decision and you may find your self in Ma Natures "pot". For those of you who are determined to "go take a look" I will remind you that as the operator of a pot you are responsible for the safety of all on board.

POINT ARENA TO PIGEON POINT 10 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-
230 PM PST FRI NOV 6 2009
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON...
TONIGHT NW WINDS 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 8 TO 12 FT AT 17 SECONDS INCREASING TO 16 TO 18 FT AT 17 SECONDS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS EARLY.

SAT NW WINDS 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. NW SWELL 16 TO 18 FT AT 17 SECONDS.

SAT NIGHT NW WINDS 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. NW SWELL 15 TO 17 FT AT 16 SECONDS.

SUN NW WINDS 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. NW SWELL 14 TO 16 FT.

SUN NIGHT NW WINDS 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. NW SWELL 12 TO 14 FT.

MON W WINDS 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 10 TO 12 FT. CHANCE OF RAIN.

TUE NW WINDS 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. NW SWELL 8 TO 10 FT. SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN.

VETERANS DAY N WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 4 TO 6 FT. NW SWELL 8 TO 10 FT.


Dungeness Crab Season Opens on November 7th.
The 2009 sport Dungeness crab season opens state wide on November 7th. Previously the waters north of Pt Arena opened to sport crabbing on the last Saturday of November. The Cal Fish and Game Commission decided it would improve sport opportunity and be less confusing to have a uniform opening state wide.
This fishery has attracted a huge following among saltwater anglers. With the rockfish season now closed north of Pigeon Point party boats will be making both "crab and dab" trips out of the Golden Gate. Anglers can expect to catch 25, 50 or more sand dabs to go with the party boat limit of six crabs.  Most other ports do not have the sand dab fishery and far fewer party boats are offering trips this season.
2008 was a low of the crab cycle and we will start to see a rebound in the numbers this year. Last season many sport anglers saw catches of just 2 to 4 crabs per pot. Some did better and others fared far worse. This season it looks like we are going to see an explosion of smaller sport size crabs (5 3/4 to 6 1/4) but larger crabs will be fewer in number. Commercial boats won't likely see a huge increase in their catch but they will do better this season compared to last year's "bust". There is a huge biomass of smaller crabs and I expect that next season (2010) is going to be excellent for sport and commercial alike.
Top bet for Golden Gate anglers lie along the edge of the North Bar in 12 to 15 fathoms or if you don't mind traveling the waters around N buoy and south Drakes Bay in 15 to 30 fathoms are also top producing areas. To the south the sandy bottom from Mussel Rock to Pacifica is another good area but usually best in the Spring time when the crabs migrate into shallower waters. Navigating the hazardous bars outside the Gate is for experienced anglers only and when the swell is up a far safer bet is to book a trip on one of the many party boats that offer trips.
Crabbing is expensive but even with  the cost of gear and gear lose, fuel and bait it is much more satisfying to catch your own. If you don't want to invest a couple of grand in gear jumping on a party boat is less expensive and a great way to spend a day on the water. Out of the Golden Gate Emeryville Sportfishing is offering crab and sand dab trips daily beginning next Saturday. 510 654-6040.


This is your last chance to stock up on white meat and also put some carcasses in the freezer for the upcoming Dungeness crab season. Party boats are reporting solid fish per rod to limits of lings on top of limits of rockfish out at the Islands the past few weeks. The Captain Hook out of Emeryville went up the Marin coast on Sunday 10-25 for 280 rockfish and 10 lings to 10-pounds for 31 passengers. Yesterday's trips to the Farallons and the Marin coast and in the bay by the New Seeker, New Salmon Queen, New Huck Finn, Captain Hook and C Gull II produced limits of rockfish with 712 rockfish, 5 lings to 12-pounds, 5 halibut to 12-pounds and a five-pound striper.
Sheryl Jimno at the Rusty Hook in Pacifica said things have been a bit slow in the area with most fishermen eagerly anticipating the opening of Dungeness crab season. There have been numerous red and rock crab taken off of the pier with good scouting reports of Dungeness crab. Hopefully, these crab are making it back into the ocean from the nets. There are a few anglers fishing for stripers, but overall action has slowed. We will post our annual crab forecast this coming weekend.


Upcoming Events:
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Party boat contacts:
The Emeryville Sportfishing Center is currently booking potluck and sturgeon trips. They have a great promotion that when you take six trips your "lucky" seventh trip is free. This is good on any of their boats. Reservations can be made at 510 654-6040.

The California Dawn / Berkeley 510 773-5511
 

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5-day plot - Wind Speed at 46026

5-day plot - Wave Height at 46026

 

 

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