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Lawson's Landing is an excellent place to fish. Fishing licenses are available in the bait shop - show up early and bring your driver's license or other government-issued identification.
Our fishing season starts in February, with the first tides low enough to dig clams, and usually finishes by the end of October, while the opening of Dungeness crab season is usually the first Saturday of November, but the last few years have seen delayed openings and/or gear restrictions, with future years likely to have the same. Spring brings some good surf fishing for Redtail and Rubberlip perch. Striped Bass can be caught in the surf year-round, but most are caught in the summer months. Generally mid-June thru August are the best times for salmon and halibut. With luck, salmon fishing will start in April and be at its best in July. Halibut can start showing up as early as April, but normally around the end of May, and runs through September.
Tomales Bay is relatively well protected, but as with all waterways, should be used with a certain degree of caution. The winds can become quite strong, especially in the afternoon, which can make a return back to the Landing from the south particularly uncomfortable and unsafe. Tidally-driven currents, throughout the bay but much stronger in the vicinity of the Sand Point or Toms Point to our south, can pull broken-down vessels or unprepared kayakers deeper into the bay or out to the entrance of the bay or into the surf. The entrance to Tomales Bay, although calm much of the time, can become dangerous without warning. Before venturing outside the bay you should check with our staff concerning conditions on the bar and on the ocean. The shallow area at the mouth of the bay causes the ocean swell to build and can become a breaker line of two or more waves at anytime. If you have any questions, ask any of the experienced veterans who are familiar with local conditions.
Lawson's Landing is an excellent place to fish. Fishing licenses are available in the bait shop - show up early and bring your driver's license or other government-issued identification.
Our fishing season starts in February, with the first tides low enough to dig clams, and usually finishes by the end of October, while the opening of Dungeness crab season is usually the first Saturday of November, but the last few years have seen delayed openings and/or gear restrictions, with future years likely to have the same. Spring brings some good surf fishing for Redtail and Rubberlip perch. Striped Bass can be caught in the surf year-round, but most are caught in the summer months. Generally mid-June thru August are the best times for salmon and halibut. With luck, salmon fishing will start in April and be at its best in July. Halibut can start showing up as early as April, but normally around the end of May, and runs through September.
Tomales Bay is relatively well protected, but as with all waterways, should be used with a certain degree of caution. The winds can become quite strong, especially in the afternoon, which can make a return back to the Landing from the south particularly uncomfortable and unsafe. Tidally-driven currents, throughout the bay but much stronger in the vicinity of the Sand Point or Toms Point to our south, can pull broken-down vessels or unprepared kayakers deeper into the bay or out to the entrance of the bay or into the surf. The entrance to Tomales Bay, although calm much of the time, can become dangerous without warning. Before venturing outside the bay you should check with our staff concerning conditions on the bar and on the ocean. The shallow area at the mouth of the bay causes the ocean swell to build and can become a breaker line of two or more waves at anytime. If you have any questions, ask any of the experienced veterans who are familiar with local conditions.
Before venturing out into the ocean, check the conditions, your gear (safety, fuel, radios, etc.) and let someone staying on the beach know your intentions and your expected return time.
Do not go out with faulty equipment and always have a two way radio (vhf) aboard.
Have an adequate anchor with at least 150' of good line attached to your boat in case of breakdown.
The Landing monitors radio channel 74 on VHF and channel 13 on Citizens band.
For more information on local area charter boats, contact Bodega Bay Sportfishing at (707) 875-3344