Shelter Island

[jorbon]

I've been catching huge sand bass in the area in front of the pier. I would paddle out past the pier west of it, and drift past the pier using flukes. No shorties so far!

[Aaron&Julie]

Just a note, the new law has the minimum length for all bass at 14 inches, with no more than 5 kept total, i.e. 3 sand bass+2 calicos, etc.
Have fun.

[J.Mac]

I've never eatin a spottie and I wouldn't reccommend it either. Sd harbor is one of the dirtiest. Very little water circulation. And if eating fish is why youre out there, it's probably cheaper to buy a couple filets at the grocery store than it is to fish that day (all expenses included)

Catch n release

[chuckt]

Eating halibut from SD bay must be even more toxic than bass because they stay right at the bottom where bad stuff or chemical accumulate. I guess if you don't eat them everyday that should be ok. At least, bass is not yet on the sign at the pier as "no eat" fish ( tom cod, mussle.. etc..)

[Zed]

Originally Posted by chuckt

Eating halibut from SD bay must be even more toxic than bass because they stay right at the bottom where bad stuff or chemical accumulate. I guess if you don't eat them everyday that should be ok. At least, bass is not yet on the sign at the pier as "no eat" fish ( tom cod, mussle.. etc..)

They do spend a lot of time on the bottom being a flat fish, but they migrate a lot. A spottie won't leave the bay but halibut move in and out.

[jorbon]

I usually catch and release......but my parents were bugging me for fish as I always tease them with pictures and stories of my fishing trips so I decided to take them some sand bass. I figure occasionally eating fish from the bay wouldn't be so bad as I rarely take fish home to begin with. I have to say though, I was pleasantly surprised by the taste! Maybe because they have been marinating in toxins the last couple years

[Dail14]

Halibut do live on the bottom but consider what they eat. They feed mostly on fin fish especially sardines and anchovies which are filter feeders at the surface. Species like bass, bonefish and croakers are eating the shrimp and mollusks on the bottom which filter feed and sift food from the sand. They are going to accumulate much more in the way of pollutants and environmental toxins. Either way those contaminants will generally collect in the liver and kidneys so just avoid eating those areas and your meal will be much healthier. Also I once kept a nice spottie and it did not taste good at all. Sand bass and calicos taste good but spotties are tough and do not taste good at all. Just my experience.

[EntropyFletch]

Originally Posted by J.Mac

I've never eatin a spottie and I wouldn't reccommend it either. Sd harbor is one of the dirtiest. Very little water circulation. And if eating fish is why youre out there, it's probably cheaper to buy a couple filets at the grocery store than it is to fish that day (all expenses included)

Catch n release

Sorry but this statement is untrue. The only place with bad water circulation is the back bay and the fingers. The main channel and main offshoots actually have quite good water circulation. In addition SD Bay is not considered one of the dirtiest...any more. It is exponentially cleaner than it was decades ago and getting better each year. While I generally practice catch and release in the bay, I frequently eat halibut and corvina caught in the main channel. If I'm fishing from the Independence back, generally I do not eat those fish. Just my .02 but coming from a biologist so take it as you please...

[LawDog]

Originally Posted by J.Mac

I've never eatin a spottie and I wouldn't reccommend it either. Sd harbor is one of the dirtiest. Very little water circulation. And if eating fish is why youre out there, it's probably cheaper to buy a couple filets at the grocery store than it is to fish that day (all expenses included)

Catch n release

No circulation... have you ever fished there? The current can get wicked strong. I'm not opposed to the occasional one or two bass every couple months. But they take a long time to grow to maturity.

[alanw]

The amounts of fish you should eat from SD Bay is very low. For women and children most fish from there should not be eaten at all. http://www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/sandiegobay.html