Thresher Sharks

Salmon and halibut are both being caught right now, but the wind has been blowing. Red crab have been doing very well. More are being caught because people can't be picky with dungeness.

As you may or may or may not know, Tomales Bay and the nearby areas are very good places for shark fishing. I've heard every shark out there be called delicious, but only one is really tasty to me. Thresher sharks are a delicacy. They taste quite a bit like whitefish if prepared properly. If it isn't, it tastes like urine. But, bragging rights were always more important anyway. Be careful when you catch them. That tail is designed to cause serious damage. If anyone watches Wicked Tuna, remember what that captain's chest looked like after a smack from a thresher.They tend to bite salmon gear, but I would modify it. Use wire instead of fishing line, because, being sharks and all, they have very sharp teeth. I have hooked two threshers and the one hooked in the mouth bit through the line. When, you hook it prepare for a long fight and a nasty tail. The shark I managed to keep on the line was only juvenile and it fought for almost an hour with no oxygen running through its gills. Here's a step-by-step:

1. Make sure you have wire leaders and a buddy or two in  the boat.
2. When you hook it at first, let him wear down running a bit. Unless he's going towards surf, rocks, or boats, make him do the work.
3. Don't be afraid to take shifts fighting.
4. Whoever isn't reeling should drive in the direction of the shark to make it easier. 
5. Once you can see it, estimate its weight and size and ask some questions:Can you and the crew get him in the boat? Safely?Is he tired? Consider letting him run a bit more.
6. ALWAYS WATCH THE TAIL! 
7. If he can be safely brought aboard, do so. If not, you could attempt to tie a rope to the tail of the shark and the stern (back) of the boat. 
8. Get it on ice and clean ASAP. Sharks urinate through their skin.
9. Come brag at the boathouse to brag like the above person.

Trolling

The salmon bite has slowed down a bit. They appear to be biting on baitfish. A few halibut were caught off of Ten Mile Beach. They would only take plain herring. For an idea of a successful day of salmon fishing, watch the video below. It is a clever collection of fishing film shot on the Fourth.

When I say "trolling," I am not referring to the internet practice of writing nasty things everywhere you can to ruin someone's day. I mean leaving the motors running while you fish. It helps you cover more ground, so it's very useful if you're not certain where the fish are. The downside is that you require heavier equipment. No, your fly-fishing rod won't cut it. You need more weight to get down since you're moving, making a sinker release essential. Most fishermen troll at about three or four knots (for those of you who don't know, that's one nautical mile per hour and about 1.51 mph). However, I prefer a slower troll because it catches bigger fish; our boat has landed three 40+ lb. salmon. My great-grandfather, who preferred a faster troll, never broke the 40 lb. barrier.

Sinker Releases

Salmon are biting well, if you're brave or stupid enough to get out there. I got out to fish Wednesday and Thursday, with the pictures shown below respectively. Wednesday couldn't have gone better, when we caught ten big salmon with Gerard Fitzgerald. On the Fourth, the weather was getting more iffy. I was fine, but there was a cookie tossing contest on board. A couple hours rewarded us with three salmon, the largest being thirty-one pounds. Rumor has it that a few halibut have been picked up in the bay, but I won't say where until I see one of these fabled fish myself. Weather is going to be nasty until Sunday.

You need sinkers to get your lure to where you need it, but until they outlaw lead weights and we're forced to come up with something craftier, how do we avoid dragging two pounds of lead along with a very distraught fish? Sinker releases. Both kinds I've used worked basically the same way. Fish bites, line is tugged and sinker falls to the watery depths. Both kinds are available in the boathouse.