Enjoy these images and look for a more detailed report soon!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
SHOGUN Trip Highlights
San Rafael store Bluewater/Saltwater expert Richard Birnbaum just set his feet back on the dock and couldn't wait to give us a holler on what a great outing the 2009 Western Sport Shop Shogun Sportfishing trip was! Richard hosted the 5 day trip out of San Diego and from the images we've seen, it looks like the only problem was keeping track of who caught more or bigger fish!
Enjoy these images and look for a more detailed report soon!
Enjoy these images and look for a more detailed report soon!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Free Fly Fishing Intro for Kids - Sunday!
For the past few years, WSS Staff Member and Fishing Guide Larry Lack has spearheaded the drive to develop more young anglers. As many kids as we see come through the shop, we also realized immediately that Larry was really onto something - too often these days, young people are not getting the opportunity to go fishing. This Sunday, September 20, is an opportunity to introduce your son, daughter or the kids down the block to fly fishing for no charge.
So, even if it's just to go down and look we strongly encourage you to attend this event:
North Bay Trout Unlimited Invites You and Your Family to the Annual
FIRST CAST DAY
This Sunday, September 20, 9:00 - 2 PM - *Scottsdale Pond, Novato
FREE BBQ AND PRIZES
8 - 18 Year Olds - Come out and learn how to cast (fly & lure), tie knots, rig your gear, tie fishing flies
5 - 7 Year Olds
There will be arts & crafts, fishing games and fishing for catfish
Adults
Learn to fly fish in a flyfishing 101 crash course!
Please signup by calling Larry Lack at (415) 883-7447 or larry.lack@comcast.net
*Take the Rowland exit off 101, go west over freeway, left at the 2nd light to cupola
For an event flyer - click here.
So, even if it's just to go down and look we strongly encourage you to attend this event:
North Bay Trout Unlimited Invites You and Your Family to the Annual
FIRST CAST DAY
This Sunday, September 20, 9:00 - 2 PM - *Scottsdale Pond, Novato
FREE BBQ AND PRIZES
8 - 18 Year Olds - Come out and learn how to cast (fly & lure), tie knots, rig your gear, tie fishing flies
5 - 7 Year Olds
There will be arts & crafts, fishing games and fishing for catfish
Adults
Learn to fly fish in a flyfishing 101 crash course!
Please signup by calling Larry Lack at (415) 883-7447 or larry.lack@comcast.net
*Take the Rowland exit off 101, go west over freeway, left at the 2nd light to cupola
For an event flyer - click here.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Rig Right for Maximum Success!
Anyone up for a September to remember? I love years like these when there are more than enough surprises around every corner to compensate for any changes in our local fisheries. I talked to Chris "Flipper" Franks at the bait receiver this week about the halibut and striper bites, and he says "halibut is still strong in the main bay and up the coast", and that "the striper bite has picked up in the south bay and main bay."
The key is the bait. The same warm ocean waters that have brought us a great tuna season (and it looks like it will continue to produce through the rest of the month as well) has also brought big bait and lots of it. Anchovies have been hard to come by, but sardines in the 6-10" range are everywhere along with green mackrel and jack smelt.
I spoke with Captain Todd of the Blue Runner and he says he has never seen so much big bait around the San Francisco harbor. The key successfully fishing the halibut bite, is to modify your rigging to acommodate the big sardines. You will be fine if you are using a pre-tied halibut leader with treble and sliding bait hook. But, if you are using a single live bait hook, you will need to add a stinger hook trailing off the end. The stinger can either single or treble but needs to be big enough to acommodate these bigger baits. If you don't rig this way, all you'll see is scratched baits and short strikes. (Same goes for the stripers, so set your rigs appropriately.)
Our wild story of the week (month, or possibly the season...) comes from a halibut trip. Western Sport Shop long-time customer Ed Janowitz took his boat out on Labor Day with friend Bill Wells to target halibut. They were working through 17' of water on the Berkley Flats and had boated a pair of keeper halibut. Then, something slammed Bill's 8" sardine and took out 200 yrds of line before turning and running another 200 yrds in the opposite direction. With Bill on the fish and Ed at the helm they turned the boat and started to chase - just as Bill was almost out of line. Thinking it was a huge ray they were floored when it slashed across the surface and revealed it self to be the "holy grail" -- a 50" 44lb white sea bass! (Look for photos soon!)
The fish was so big Ed had trouble landing it in a huge teardrop Bodega style salmon net.
Several white sea bass have been reported in the area over the last two weeks but Ed and Bill's was by far the biggest landed. Several have been reported at the Alameda rock wall and Bonita Cove but no pictures were produced. All of them were reported to have been caught drifting jumbo size live sardines.
Striped Bass have been continuing in strong numbers. Anglers on the beaches are still catching stripers using Pencil Poppers (or the wooden Chesapeake poppers we've found!), Jigs, Kastmasters and Swimbaits at Stinson Beach and Ocean Beach both at dawn and dusk.
As for stripers in the bay, reports of fish caught on cut bait and bull heads at China Camp and Highway 37 are steady. Most report that they are catching fewer but bigger bass than they would normally expect this time of year. The ranger at Paradise Pier reports catches of both striper and halibut daily on swimbaits and jigs - it's best at dawn and dusk with slower fishing during the day. Western Sport Shop GM Tom Nelson reports steadily improving striper fishing on the Petaluma river with all of his fish coming on 4" Storm Swimbaits in blue shad, chartreuse shiner, pearl, and natural shad.
I had a chance to talk our fly department staff saltwater experts, John Quigley and Lauren Elliot who spent almost 12 hours chasing stripers on the fly in San Pablo bay (for only one hook up, a 10-12 lber lost at the boat.... Ah well, it is fishing, not necessarily catching.) Quigley tells me that he believes that the bay is holding a higher quality striper fishery this year but that the overall numbers especially juveniles are way down and that the bigger fish appear to be avoiding the shallow shoreline areas. It will be interesting to see how the fall striper run plays out.
As far as I can see, the hot bites not to miss are the tuna, and the elusive white sea bass. The tuna are good to go any time the swells and wind will allow it. Best bets being to listen to the weather radio to time your run, then troll plain cedar plugs and 4" zucchini tuna clones or feathers and then back it up with live sardines and swimbaits. Unlike the "in the Bay" baits, the shorter trolling lures seem to be the ticket right now on the tuna. Anglers have done will with the shorter plugs and feathers.
Best bet for the white seabass is to drift big 10" sardines on a 3-way swivel rig and a 9/0 circle hook. Don't get me wrong when I say the whites are hot - you will be fishing for one fish but that one fish may be your only shot at these awesome creatures inside the San Francisco Bay for several years.
As a final note - I strongly encourage catch and release on these things - especially the big females. I know they are unbelievable on the table but those are the fish for the next generation. Good Luck!
Joe @ WSS
The key is the bait. The same warm ocean waters that have brought us a great tuna season (and it looks like it will continue to produce through the rest of the month as well) has also brought big bait and lots of it. Anchovies have been hard to come by, but sardines in the 6-10" range are everywhere along with green mackrel and jack smelt.
I spoke with Captain Todd of the Blue Runner and he says he has never seen so much big bait around the San Francisco harbor. The key successfully fishing the halibut bite, is to modify your rigging to acommodate the big sardines. You will be fine if you are using a pre-tied halibut leader with treble and sliding bait hook. But, if you are using a single live bait hook, you will need to add a stinger hook trailing off the end. The stinger can either single or treble but needs to be big enough to acommodate these bigger baits. If you don't rig this way, all you'll see is scratched baits and short strikes. (Same goes for the stripers, so set your rigs appropriately.)
Our wild story of the week (month, or possibly the season...) comes from a halibut trip. Western Sport Shop long-time customer Ed Janowitz took his boat out on Labor Day with friend Bill Wells to target halibut. They were working through 17' of water on the Berkley Flats and had boated a pair of keeper halibut. Then, something slammed Bill's 8" sardine and took out 200 yrds of line before turning and running another 200 yrds in the opposite direction. With Bill on the fish and Ed at the helm they turned the boat and started to chase - just as Bill was almost out of line. Thinking it was a huge ray they were floored when it slashed across the surface and revealed it self to be the "holy grail" -- a 50" 44lb white sea bass! (Look for photos soon!)
The fish was so big Ed had trouble landing it in a huge teardrop Bodega style salmon net.
Several white sea bass have been reported in the area over the last two weeks but Ed and Bill's was by far the biggest landed. Several have been reported at the Alameda rock wall and Bonita Cove but no pictures were produced. All of them were reported to have been caught drifting jumbo size live sardines.
As for stripers in the bay, reports of fish caught on cut bait and bull heads at China Camp and Highway 37 are steady. Most report that they are catching fewer but bigger bass than they would normally expect this time of year. The ranger at Paradise Pier reports catches of both striper and halibut daily on swimbaits and jigs - it's best at dawn and dusk with slower fishing during the day. Western Sport Shop GM Tom Nelson reports steadily improving striper fishing on the Petaluma river with all of his fish coming on 4" Storm Swimbaits in blue shad, chartreuse shiner, pearl, and natural shad.
I had a chance to talk our fly department staff saltwater experts, John Quigley and Lauren Elliot who spent almost 12 hours chasing stripers on the fly in San Pablo bay (for only one hook up, a 10-12 lber lost at the boat.... Ah well, it is fishing, not necessarily catching.) Quigley tells me that he believes that the bay is holding a higher quality striper fishery this year but that the overall numbers especially juveniles are way down and that the bigger fish appear to be avoiding the shallow shoreline areas. It will be interesting to see how the fall striper run plays out.
As far as I can see, the hot bites not to miss are the tuna, and the elusive white sea bass. The tuna are good to go any time the swells and wind will allow it. Best bets being to listen to the weather radio to time your run, then troll plain cedar plugs and 4" zucchini tuna clones or feathers and then back it up with live sardines and swimbaits. Unlike the "in the Bay" baits, the shorter trolling lures seem to be the ticket right now on the tuna. Anglers have done will with the shorter plugs and feathers.
Best bet for the white seabass is to drift big 10" sardines on a 3-way swivel rig and a 9/0 circle hook. Don't get me wrong when I say the whites are hot - you will be fishing for one fish but that one fish may be your only shot at these awesome creatures inside the San Francisco Bay for several years.
As a final note - I strongly encourage catch and release on these things - especially the big females. I know they are unbelievable on the table but those are the fish for the next generation. Good Luck!
Joe @ WSS
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Sale Starts Today - Something for Everyone!
Today is the day! By now, you've had the chance to check out your gear, figure out what you need and clear out your vehicle so you can load it up at Western Sport Shop this weekend! The 2009 Fall Shooting Sports Super Sale starts now!
I've received quite a few few emails from our loyal fly fishing and fishing customers, who reminded me that Western Sport Shop does cover a couple more areas of interest. Forgive us for being a little "one-note" for the past few days - it's hard not to get excited when you are getting palettes of ammo, decoys clothing and gear ready for the big fall sale.
So attention Fly Fishing Folks!
Sage has discontinued their powerful Xi2 Saltwater series of fly rods, and their Launch Series. We got wind of this and immediately jumped on a batch of both rod series in various sizes, which we are offering at 30% off the regular price. That's right - Sage Xi2 and Launch Series rods are 30% off the regular retail price. But, quantities are limited on these fly rods, so don't delay. All rods come with the factory warranty and rod tubes.
Ross Reels will be changing the Evolution series for the upcoming year, so all Evolution reels are now 30% off the regular price. This has been one of our "go-to" reels for many years, a magnificent combination of lightweight and strength.
All Felt Soled Wading shoes are now 40% off!
And for our Fishing Customers -
20% off all lures this weekend! Any lure in stock is 20% off the regular price. That means that from now until Sunday, you can stock up and replace all those lost lures. Did you stick a Kastmaster between some rocks? Break off a topwater lure to a bad knot? Have the monster striper bite through a leader? Now is the time to fill your tackle box back up!
30% off all Okuma rod/reel combos. Choose from fresh and saltwater spinning combos. These balanced outfits range from ultra-light to super beefy!
50% off any complete bulk spools of line this weekend!
(please note - this is for a complete, unopened spool of bulk monofilament line and does not include labor for loading reels using our linewinding machines.)
On all these fly and tackle department deals, it is strictly limited to stock on hand and can not be combined with other offers, discounts or specials.
So - head on down right now for the best selection!
I've received quite a few few emails from our loyal fly fishing and fishing customers, who reminded me that Western Sport Shop does cover a couple more areas of interest. Forgive us for being a little "one-note" for the past few days - it's hard not to get excited when you are getting palettes of ammo, decoys clothing and gear ready for the big fall sale.
So attention Fly Fishing Folks!
Sage has discontinued their powerful Xi2 Saltwater series of fly rods, and their Launch Series. We got wind of this and immediately jumped on a batch of both rod series in various sizes, which we are offering at 30% off the regular price. That's right - Sage Xi2 and Launch Series rods are 30% off the regular retail price. But, quantities are limited on these fly rods, so don't delay. All rods come with the factory warranty and rod tubes.
Ross Reels will be changing the Evolution series for the upcoming year, so all Evolution reels are now 30% off the regular price. This has been one of our "go-to" reels for many years, a magnificent combination of lightweight and strength.
All Felt Soled Wading shoes are now 40% off!
And for our Fishing Customers -
20% off all lures this weekend! Any lure in stock is 20% off the regular price. That means that from now until Sunday, you can stock up and replace all those lost lures. Did you stick a Kastmaster between some rocks? Break off a topwater lure to a bad knot? Have the monster striper bite through a leader? Now is the time to fill your tackle box back up!
30% off all Okuma rod/reel combos. Choose from fresh and saltwater spinning combos. These balanced outfits range from ultra-light to super beefy!
50% off any complete bulk spools of line this weekend!
(please note - this is for a complete, unopened spool of bulk monofilament line and does not include labor for loading reels using our linewinding machines.)
On all these fly and tackle department deals, it is strictly limited to stock on hand and can not be combined with other offers, discounts or specials.
So - head on down right now for the best selection!
Get a Jump On The Big Weekend Sale!
If the phone calls, emails and questions are any indicator, this weekend is going to be busy! We've all been working like mad to get the ammo, clothing, decoys and gear organized for this weekend's Fall Shooting Sports Super Sale. At the end of the day yesterday, we looked around, noticed we'd gotten through almost everything on our lists, and figured, "Hey! Let's open it up for a test run!"
So, "Hey"... Why don't you - the loyal readers of our blog - come on down today, Thursday August 27th for a bit of a head start? Bring a friend or two if you want to, but we've got all the prices in place and are more than happy to honor any of the coupons which you might have for this weekend's big sale. Just our way of thanking you for joining us online.
A quick reminder that you don't have to wait in line at the US Post Office to purchase a Federal Duck Stamp. We have them at both stores, and they can be purchased along with your 2009/2010 California Hunting License. (Remember - You must bring in a previous year's license or proof of Hunter Safety Course compliance.)
Also - keep an eye out for rebate coupons from the various manufacturers. For example. Environ-Metal has sent rebate coupons for their Hevi-Shot, offering up to $20 off when you purchase 2 boxes of their ammunition! That's after you save big on our special pricing this weekend! (Note - rebate coupons are redeemed directly with the manufacturer.)
WEB ONLY FALL SHOOTING SPORTS SUPER SALE DEAL #2 -
Stock up on quality cleaning supplies and patches! Print this out and bring it with you to either store and you will get 15% off all Pro-Shot brand cleaning patches and equipment. Limited to stock on hand.
Coupon Valid 8/28/09 - 8/30/09 only. May not be combined with any other offer or sale.
So, "Hey"... Why don't you - the loyal readers of our blog - come on down today, Thursday August 27th for a bit of a head start? Bring a friend or two if you want to, but we've got all the prices in place and are more than happy to honor any of the coupons which you might have for this weekend's big sale. Just our way of thanking you for joining us online.
A quick reminder that you don't have to wait in line at the US Post Office to purchase a Federal Duck Stamp. We have them at both stores, and they can be purchased along with your 2009/2010 California Hunting License. (Remember - You must bring in a previous year's license or proof of Hunter Safety Course compliance.)
Also - keep an eye out for rebate coupons from the various manufacturers. For example. Environ-Metal has sent rebate coupons for their Hevi-Shot, offering up to $20 off when you purchase 2 boxes of their ammunition! That's after you save big on our special pricing this weekend! (Note - rebate coupons are redeemed directly with the manufacturer.)
WEB ONLY FALL SHOOTING SPORTS SUPER SALE DEAL #2 -
Stock up on quality cleaning supplies and patches! Print this out and bring it with you to either store and you will get 15% off all Pro-Shot brand cleaning patches and equipment. Limited to stock on hand.
Coupon Valid 8/28/09 - 8/30/09 only. May not be combined with any other offer or sale.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Printable Waterfowl Regulations for 2010
After yesterday's post, the most common email request was for a version of the regulations which could be easily printed out - Of course, that's something we do every year, so keep an eye out for the "Green Sheet" this weekend in both stores.
If you absolutely cannot wait until Friday (or actually, tomorrow...) here's a link to a pdf version you can print out and post in your workplace or office -
http://www.westernsportshop.com/anonftp/pub/hunt/regs_wf2009.pdf
If you absolutely cannot wait until Friday (or actually, tomorrow...) here's a link to a pdf version you can print out and post in your workplace or office -
http://www.westernsportshop.com/anonftp/pub/hunt/regs_wf2009.pdf
This Weekend - Tune Up Your Quacking and Save BIG!
As you know, the 2009 Western Sport Shop Fall Shooting Sports Super Sale starts this Friday. It's your chance to stock up on the gear you need, with the best pricing of the season on ammunition, decoys, clothing and key gear for three days!
When you come into the San Rafael store on Saturday, you'll have the opportunity to hear duck calling done right - we're happy to welcome Curt Wilson from Zink Calls to our San Rafael store. Curt is known throughout the US as one of the most dynamic and accurate callers. He has been seen on instructional videos both on the Avery Outdoors website and on through nationally distributed called DVD's featuring Zink calls.
For those of you who haven't heard of Zink calls, we brought them in a couple years ago and they have become a staff favorite for their tone and rugged construction. If you already own a Zink call, bring it down to the San Rafael store between 10 am and 3 pm, and have Curt critique your calling. (And if you don't have a Zink call - it's OK - just show up and get ready to learn!)
If you are a bit shy about calling in front of a master, that's OK too. Feel free to listen to Curt and pepper him with all kinds of questions.
Of course, if you don't have a decent call we can fix that problem!
WEB ONLY FALL SHOOTING SPORTS SUPER SALE DEAL -
Print this out and bring it with you to either store and you will get 15% off any Zink call in stock
Coupon Valid 8/28/09 - 8/30/09 only. May not be combined with any other offer or sale.
When you come into the San Rafael store on Saturday, you'll have the opportunity to hear duck calling done right - we're happy to welcome Curt Wilson from Zink Calls to our San Rafael store. Curt is known throughout the US as one of the most dynamic and accurate callers. He has been seen on instructional videos both on the Avery Outdoors website and on through nationally distributed called DVD's featuring Zink calls.
For those of you who haven't heard of Zink calls, we brought them in a couple years ago and they have become a staff favorite for their tone and rugged construction. If you already own a Zink call, bring it down to the San Rafael store between 10 am and 3 pm, and have Curt critique your calling. (And if you don't have a Zink call - it's OK - just show up and get ready to learn!)
If you are a bit shy about calling in front of a master, that's OK too. Feel free to listen to Curt and pepper him with all kinds of questions.
Of course, if you don't have a decent call we can fix that problem!
WEB ONLY FALL SHOOTING SPORTS SUPER SALE DEAL -
Print this out and bring it with you to either store and you will get 15% off any Zink call in stock
Coupon Valid 8/28/09 - 8/30/09 only. May not be combined with any other offer or sale.
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