Tom Mattusch

It was calm in the morning as we pulled out the slip. It was calm in the afternoon as I pulled into the slip. In between - lots of stories! The ride out wasn't bad, clear and calm. I heard others on the radio it was getting a little snotty in the fog. Started fishing, the fog came in and so did winds and waves. And they came on with a vengeance. Several of the folks missed one of their relatives, lots were calling for Ralph! We convinced folks to take rods when there was something 'hefty' on the line. Ended the day with 10 lings for 12 customers. Then we went to pull pots and started in great manner by running over the first line in terrible weather. Line stuck in the prop, destroyed the buoy, saved the pot. Ended the day with limits for all. When we got back in the harbor, the Bloody Mary's and beer came out that had been intended for the day. The picture is Emily Adams who caught her first limit of lingcod. Thursday and Friday do not look worth trying, I am dropping commercial pots Thursday, weather permitting.

Fish Species: Rockfish, Lingcod, Dungeness Crab
Bait Used: Squid
Tackle Used: Shrimpflies
Method Used: Drifting
Water Depth: 88-140'
Water Temperature: 54
Wind Direction: NW
Wind Speed: 5-9 knots
Emily's first limit of lingcod
Emily's first limit of lingcod


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Tom Mattusch

About The Author: Captain Tom Mattusch

Company: Huli Cat Sportfishing

Area Reporting: Central California, San Francisco Bay area

Bio: Tom Mattusch is currently the owner/operator of the Huli Cat, a 53 foot charter boat operating out of Pillar Point Harbor and has fished the West Coast since 1967. Tom holds positions on the Salmon Stamp Committee for California, the California Department of Fish and Game License Agent Advisory Committee and NOAA's California Sportfishing Action Team. He's an IGFA Certified Captain. In an effort to contribute to research, Tom works with NOAA's PFEL tagging chinook salmon. He also worked with NOAA's Santa Cruz field office gathering stomachs and beaks of Humboldt squid. He recently completed a study with the Point Reyes Bird Observatory collecting lingcod, salmon and halibut stomachs and is currently involved in a study with Scripps to gather albacore stomachs. Tom holds Board of Director positions with the Golden Gate Fishermens Association, Coastside Fishing Club and Fishery Enhancement and Research Foundation. He can be heard on four radio stations giving fish reports or discussing fishing politics. He has worked closely with the Recreational Fishing Alliance, PCFFA, the Half Moon Bay Fishermans Marketing Association, United Anglers of Southern California and United Anglers. Tom ran the first trip out of Half Moon Bay to take anglers to catch Humboldt squid and the first white shark viewing trip to the Farallon Islands. He is the first charter boat Captain out of Half Moon Bay to get certified to marry people and has married people on the Huli Cat. Tom ran the first albacore trip out of Half Moon Bay to demonstrate the albacore were again reachable by boat off the Central California coast in the mid 1990's. Tom held a seat on the California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative as a Central Coast Regional Stakeholder group Member.

650-726-2926
Click Here For Past Fishing Reports by Captain Tom Mattusch