Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Went out on SF Bay yesterday with D&D Fishing Company.  Several no shows meant we went on the water with 3 total clients the skipper and his deck hand.

Weather was excellent and the early morning wind died and left us with clear skies and comfortable fishing temperatures.  Wind and time finally chased us off the water at 2pm.

Bite was a steady pick with several waves of hot action.  Most of the fish were just under length, but I managed a limit with both fish going over 30 inches and the smaller one weighing 10 pounds even.  I guess the other was 12.

Great conversation and a great crew made for an excellent day on the water and I recommend these guys for anyone wanting to get on a smaller boat for a reasonable cost.

I took out the LIttle Red Corvette cortez conversion squidder I built and it performed very well.  Not much challenge to it with the fishing we were doing, but it  worked well and got the requisite "you made that?" type comments.  Hopefully I sent Cortez Conversions some business.....  The Phenix 8ft inshore was awesome, but I have to say the Okuma Bay Area Special rods (8ft MH model) that the boat ran for the other clients was an awesome rod for about $100 dollars less.  I particularly liked its slightly softer tip than the Phenix.  Anyway, it was a great day.

Anyway, check out the comp in the side of the fish on the right, shark took a tax bite as I was fighting the fish.  that fresh little horeshoe bite was bleeding fresh when we gaffed the fish.  The other fish suffered a gut gaff shot.  8 nice fillets means great food for now and the freezer.

Nice job. A bonus to a great day on the water.

Cheers

Todd

 Great write up. Sounds like you had a great time, and you took home some fresh gourmet fillets. Mission accomplished !!

Very nice.  Congratulations.  I looked up D&D.  They seem to be a good outfit,  Dominick

Quote from: Dominick on May 25, 2026, 08:05:59 PMVery nice.  Congratulations.  I looked up D&D.  They seem to be a good outfit,  Dominick

They have some great video on their youtube channel.  They are good guys.  Knowledgeable and courteous.

That's a couple of nice Butts ! I miss fishing the Bay... The rig I used was a built Squidder on a XN Tiburon frame mounted on an old Finwick 270 rod. many times the charter would take to various areas of the flats for Halibut in the morning then end the day at the Rocks by Alcatraz for some Stripers.
On one trip an older man next to me was having no luck. I was landing shakers and keepers and gave him some tips and encouragement. 20 min later I see his rental rod tip go down to the water... right away the deckhand knew it was "bigger then usual"  turned out to be a 30 pounder... biggest I've ever seen on the Bay.
I miss those days...

Cool

Awesome Molbasser! Sounds like a great trip.
Be interesting to see what bit that one. What's in the Bay besides Leopard and Sand Sharks? A "tax bite", I like that.

Dogfish, seven gill, soupfin, thresher....  I'm sure I'm forgetting some. The boat caught several dogfish on the trip, but i didn't. D&D run shark trips targeting seven gill and soupfin.