Year-ender
(Dec. 27, 2017 newsletter) – The Argo’s annual year-end “Not So Weekly Newsletter” can’t bury the lead so we have to start with the continued outstanding striped bass action in San Pablo Bay. It’s often continuous bites with near-prefect weather conditions forecast through the end of the year. To top it off, sturgeon are becoming restless and beginning to nibble more each week.
With the kids out of school, and family in town, this coming week is primed for big-time activity in the upper bay. While the target species are bass and sturgeon the lack of freshwater has allowed various species of bait chomping sharks and hard-charging bat rays into the mix.
Although currently not planned, the ocean weather is looking quite cooperative, and a chartered rockfish trip is not out of the question. The season ends December 31.
As everyone knows, somewhat surprisingly, 2017 turned into one of the most productive salmon seasons in many years. Everyone has their fingers crossed for next summer, but a fair bet would be the continued success of recent innovative salmon projects… All that’s needed is water.
The recent loss of “Salty Lady” Captain Roger Thomas, one of the most influential fishery advocates over the past 40 years, will be a difficult void to fill. As long-time president of Golden Gate Fisherman’s Association he was tireless in his effort to sway politicians and officials from Sacramento to Washington DC. Roger was always a gentleman on the water and helpful to anyone in need. He had the respect of every captain along the entire coast and will forever be missed.
Looking forward, if most of those adolescent halibut we encountered this year continue to inhabit the bay, 2018 could be a banner year for the flat fish. Look for halibut action to get rolling in early March. At the same time striped bass are migrating down the bay providing doubleheader potential.
If you can’t make it out this week, but know someone who would like to spend a day on the water, an Argo Gift Certificate may do the trick. One phone call and it arrives printer-ready to your in-box the same day. The Argo is generally chartered during summer weekends leaving redemption easier on weekdays and non-peak seasons.
