California Dawn Anglers Experience Sizzling Sturgeon Bite

December 17, 2004
By Jayson Lira

More Articles By Jayson Lira

The wet and cold weather that has blanketed the coast and valley the past several weeks has been accompanied by an upsurge in the sturgeon action in San Pablo and Suisun bays. I had my personal best day of sturgeon fishing along side my grandpa Chuck Dunham and Captain James Smith of California Dawn Sportfishing on Tuesday, November 9.

Chuck and I drove down from Sacramento to meet James at his boat slip in the Martinez Marina at 7 am. Joining us for this friendly venture were J.P. Holmes of Stockton, Frank Davis of El Sobrante, Captain Steve Emmons of Delta Crawler Sportfishing, deckhand Shawn Richie and Tommy Holtzman. As we pulled out of the boat slip, the smell of bacon and eggs hit the air as Tommy whipped up a Cal-Dawn breakfast of champions with a side of hash browns.

After a brief ride out past the Mothball Fleet and up into Big Cut where James marked "tons of fish" in 75 feet of water, James found the perfect slot to anchor while deckhand Shawn Richie baited up the hooks with big chunks of salmon roe tied on with thread.

It wasn't five minutes after all the rods were in the water that James had a sturgeon on the hook. "It's a big fish!" shouted Smith, just as the line broke. Not long after that missed opportunity, Richie the set hook, but missed two consecutive bites. "Do you know how to set the hook?" joked Smith. "At least I hooked my first fish!"

Despite those missed chances at fish, over the next few hours the boat would have constant shots at fish after fish. Throughout the day, everyone marveled at the number of fish in the area, as evident by the fish jumping and rolling all around us.

After several good takedowns and releasing several shakers, I reeled in the only legal bass of the trip - a 5 pounder. A few more shakers later, Dunham reeled in the boat's first legal sturgeon of the day and the jackpot winner - a 55 inch beauty.

"Feel like taking a few pictures or are you too tired?" I asked. "Sure. That was nothing. I'm ready for the next one now," quipped Dunham. Over the next few hours, Holmes and Davis both released t two shaker sturgeons apiece until Davis hooked his first legal sturgeon of the trip.

"Fish on!" he shouted.

Davis worked the fish from the front of the boat to the back, fighting the fish as he scurried under rods to avoid tangles. "Back up a bit so I can get the net under the fish," said Richie as he slipped the net in the water under the 51 inch fish.

A few more shakers later we hit a lull in the bite as the tide was changing, but kept busy releasing two small stripers under 12 inches long and one pesky mitten crab that was met by with a mean bark by Candy, James Smith's dog.

As the tide changed and gained momentum, so did the bite. In fact, everyone on the boat had to keep a close eye on his own rod due to the amount of activity we had. About a half-an-hour after the tide changed, I had a fish on the hook and reeled the fish into the net as Smith hoisted the fish over the railing. Flapping on the deck was my first keeper sturgeon (47 inches) after four unsuccessful bids over the past year and a half.

Not to be out done, Holmes hooked the final keeper of the day and fought the fish like a pro, leading it right into the net.

All in all, this was my finest day on the water in months and my best time sturgeon fishing ever.

Since our trip, both James and his father Captain Jim Smith of Mr. Bass Sportfishing have been on a consistent streak of catching limits of bass and 1 to 3 keeper sturgeon per trip.

For example, on Wednesday, November 10, James ran the Happy Hooker while Jim was in Mexico for a striper charter up in San Pablo Bay and to Point Pinole. "We drifted live bait and retuned with 17 limits of stripers to about 15 pounds," noted Smith.

For booking information with Captain James Smith of California Dawn Sportfishing contact him at (510) 773-5511 or visit him on the web at www.californiadawn.com. You can also book a trip out of the Martinez Marina with Capt. Jim Smith of Mr. Bass Sportfishing at (510) 223-5388. For bookings out of the Crockett Marina, contact Capt. Gordie Hough of The Morning Star at (707) 745-1431.