The storms that battered northern California with high winds, torrential rain and snow make the sturgeon fishing prospects much brighter on San Pablo Bay.

"There weren't many sturgeon in San Pablo Bay a week ago," said Keith Fraser, owner of Loch Lomond Live Bait and Tackle. "Now there are lots of them."

The San Rafael area received 8 to 9 inches of rain during the latest round of storms, while the Sierra Nevada received up to 10 feet of snow. This welcome precipitation will hopefully continue so the reservoirs fill, resulting in flows down the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and their tributaries during the winter, spring and summer. 

Fishing pressure has been minimal, due to the stormy weather, but the weather was sunny, calm and beautiful on the day this magazine went to press. Charter boats have been out infrequently over the past several weeks, so most of the sturgeon action has concentrated on the private skiffs.

Joe Carlo Magna of Novato experienced success on Thursday, January 3 when he released two sturgeon measuring 71 ad 54 inches while fishing solo. He was soaking shrimp baits east of the Pumphouse when he hooked his diamondbacks, according to Fraser. 

Whether you are a novice sturgeon angler who needs advice or a veteran sturgeon enthusiast, who wants to brush up on sturgeon fishing techniques, you should consider going to  Keith Fraser's  annual "Sturgeon Fishing in Bay Area Waters" on Saturday, January 26 at 7:15 p.m. at the Marin Rod and Gun Club (Point san Quentin) in San Rafael.

Featured speaker Fraser and guest speaker Mike McNair will discuss how to catch and cook sturgeon at the seminar. Displays, slides and sturgeon-cleaning demonstration will be included.

Tickets are reduced to $5.00 and most of the fishing tackle will be available at well below wholesale costs.

Tom Stienstra, renowned author and S.F. Chronicle outdoor columnist, calls the Loch Lomond production "the best angling seminar of all time. According to Stienstra, "You are beyond help if you don't learn a lot at a Fraser seminar." Stienstra is tentatively set to appear at the seminar.

You will meet a cross section of Northern California's angling community including party boat skippers, outdoor writers and bait shop owners. Lamprey eel, tackle and rod and reel combos at "well below wholesale cost" will be available,  noted Fraser.

Judy Irving, the acclaimed director of the "Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill" movies, will be also be at the seminar. She has produced two CDs for Fraser, "Christmas at the Bait Shop" and "its Sooo Damn Cold," A Tale of Sturgeon Angling Woe.

Tickets may be obtained by sending a check to Loch Lomond Bait Shop, Loch Lomond Marina, San Rafael, CA. 94901. Call Loch Lomond Bait at (415) 456-0321 for further information.   

Meanwhile, anglers are advised of several new regulatory and legislative changes that affect sport fishing license requirements for 2008. The synopsis below highlights the changes: 

Second-Rod Stamp (effective Jan. 1, 2008) 
The second-rod stamp will now be valid in inland waters except those waters in which only artificial lures or barbless hooks may be used. See sections 7.00 and 7.50 of the sport fishing regulations for the waters where only artificial lures or barbless hooks may be used and Section 1.53 for the definition of inland waters.  

Changes Affecting Sport Fishing Report Card and Tagging Requirements
New report card and tagging requirements apply for those fishing for, or taking the following species, in the following areas:  

Salmon, in the Klamath-Trinity River System only.
Steelhead trout, in all anadromous waters where take is authorized. 
Sturgeon, in all areas where take is authorized. Tagging of retained white sturgeon is also required. 
Red abalone, in all areas where take is authorized. Tagging of retained abalone is also required. 
California spiny lobster, in all areas where take is authorized. 

Report Cards Required for All Fisherman, including Children, Pier Fisherman, and Free Fishing Days, (effective in early spring):
Any person fishing for, or taking the five species listed above, is required to have an appropriate report card in possession. Specifically, this report card requirement is for all persons including those exempt from license requirements, such as those under 16 years of age, those fishing from a public pier, or those fishing on free fishing days. Report cards are also required for lifetime licensees.  

New Abalone Tagging Requirement (effective in early spring):
  Each abalone report card now includes 24 detachable tags, one of which must be affixed to any abalone taken in the sport fishery. The date, time, and location of each abalone taken must be recorded on both the tag and the card. Every abalone must be tagged immediately after exiting the water, and each tag must be securely fastened to the shell of the abalone by passing a "zip tie," string, line or other suitable material through a siphon hole in the shell. While abalone taken and tagged by a cardholder may still be given to another person, the rules require that all abalone possessed must be tagged. 

This means that even if the person checked with an abalone in possession is not the person who actually caught the abalone, the tag must link to the record on the cardholder's card that harvested the abalone. This regulation will help to ensure that all abalone are taken within daily bag and possession limits. Refer to the new regulations for complete reporting and tagging requirements.   

Changes to Salmon Reporting Requirements (effective in early spring):
Anglers fishing for salmon in ocean waters will no longer need a Salmon Report Card. In early 2008, a Klamath-Trinity Salmon Report Card will be required only for anglers fishing in the Klamath-Trinity watershed. The format of the card has been changed to collect Chinook salmon retention and release information, coho salmon release information, fishing effort information, and fin clip information.

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