Tom Mattusch

If you have been fishing the Farallon Islands for the last 15 to 20 years, I bet you have memories of tremendous catches. Fish biting anything with a hook, great lingcod, folks have caught some Pacific Halibut there lately. And then there was today. In spite of the loss of real estate due to the MLPA, there is still area to fish below the Main Island. The fish were stacked in there thick. Only thing, they weren't especially in the mood to bite. I moved up in between the Main Island and the North Island. Lots of fish marking, few that wanted to bite. There has been a tremendous hatch of YOY - Young of the Year rockfish. When a fish did bite, it readily regurgitated small rockfish. In essense, the fish are too full to be in the mood to bite. I came home with a limit of Starry rockfish. Not what one usually has in mind when fishing the Farallon Islands. The weather was tremendous, could not have asked for better. Lots of whales and dolphins for passive entertainment. No white caps, a small swell, great fishing conditions. I did see a few quillbacks, nice Islands quality blues and yellowtail, a copper or two, a vermilliion or two. 1 legal lingcod.

Fish Species: Rockfish and Lingcod
Bait Used: Squid, surf smelt, anchovy, octopus
Tackle Used: Shrimp flies, bars, live bait rigs.
Method Used: Drifting
Water Depth: 140-180
Water Temperature: 56
Wind Direction: W
Wind Speed: < 7 kts

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Tom Mattusch

About The Author: Captain Tom Mattusch

Company: Huli Cat Sportfishing

Area Reporting: Central California, San Francisco Bay area

Bio: Tom Mattusch is currently the owner/operator of the Huli Cat, a 53 foot charter boat operating out of Pillar Point Harbor and has fished the West Coast since 1967. Tom holds positions on the Salmon Stamp Committee for California, the California Department of Fish and Game License Agent Advisory Committee and NOAA's California Sportfishing Action Team. He's an IGFA Certified Captain. In an effort to contribute to research, Tom works with NOAA's PFEL tagging chinook salmon. He also worked with NOAA's Santa Cruz field office gathering stomachs and beaks of Humboldt squid. He recently completed a study with the Point Reyes Bird Observatory collecting lingcod, salmon and halibut stomachs and is currently involved in a study with Scripps to gather albacore stomachs. Tom holds Board of Director positions with the Golden Gate Fishermens Association, Coastside Fishing Club and Fishery Enhancement and Research Foundation. He can be heard on four radio stations giving fish reports or discussing fishing politics. He has worked closely with the Recreational Fishing Alliance, PCFFA, the Half Moon Bay Fishermans Marketing Association, United Anglers of Southern California and United Anglers. Tom ran the first trip out of Half Moon Bay to take anglers to catch Humboldt squid and the first white shark viewing trip to the Farallon Islands. He is the first charter boat Captain out of Half Moon Bay to get certified to marry people and has married people on the Huli Cat. Tom ran the first albacore trip out of Half Moon Bay to demonstrate the albacore were again reachable by boat off the Central California coast in the mid 1990's. Tom held a seat on the California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative as a Central Coast Regional Stakeholder group Member.

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Click Here For Past Fishing Reports by Captain Tom Mattusch