Tom Mattusch

A hand picked crew went out to find squid for a little fliming. Capt Mike Velasquez, Guy Anthony, Rick Berg, Anna Stockel, Al & Lynda Abbott, Rick Copeland and myself went out to find some Humboldt squid. The ubiquitous Red Devils were not ubiquitous. We tried many different spots, had a few hook ups, but for a multitude of reasons, landed only one. The evening fishing included using the Swordfish Magnet by FishingLight.com, out of Florida. Spots from the 601 to Pioneer Canyon were tested from the 800 foot level to the 1473 ft level. The current was tough, couldn't hold bottom. Some were lucky to feel bottom once. After 17 hours, all were exhausted. Great squid dissection back at the dock, a scientitist from New Mexico injected the three hearts a squid has with plastic and made a mold of each heart. Part of the day included putting electrodes on the squid beak to stimulate bite pressure. We had one alive in the bait tank for over 12 hours.

Fish Species: Humboldt squid
Bait Used: None
Tackle Used: Ahi SQ 1000 squid jigs
Method Used: To the bottom and up again
Water Depth: 800 - 1475 ft
Water Temperature: 56
Wind Direction: E, then NW
Wind Speed: < 6 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.

650-726-2926
Click Here For Past Fishing Reports by Captain Tom Mattusch