Lunch on the beach

[Bill Markwood]

I went on a family camping trip to Gualala this past weekend and thought I's give it a try in the surf. The wind was blowing about 20 mph quartering from the right. I'm a right handed caster. The beach was a little too steep. I got put on my butt by the undertow. I'm here to tell about it, but I can see that I have a lot to learn. Are there any "gentile" beaches west of Petaluma? I still had fun. I want to go back.

[PaulC]

Hey Bill,
I don't fish up there often but will flog the salt on the way back from steelheading in the winter. We had some good bumps out of bodega bay area and I've heard the outlet to the garcia can be good. Its a bit of a walk though.
I've also picked up perch in other coves along the way south from the garcia.
What you're looking for is beaches that aren't so steep that you can't cast into and that have some amount of structure to cast into. Look for bowls, troughs, rips, etc. and usually someone is home.
Hope that helps,
Paul

[Darian]

Hi Bill,.... I'm fairly familiar with the beaches in that area. As Paul suggests, Bodega Bay and the beaches just to the north (Salmon Creek Beach) should be the kind of beach you're looking for....

The beaches to the immediate north/south of the mouht of the Russian are very steep and dangerous wading. I believe that there is a area closed to fishing within a radius of a specified distance from the mouth of the Russian and some other rivers up there, as well. Also as Paul suggests, there're some interesting beaches to the immediate north of the mouth of the Garcia River (again, watch out for closed areas). Further north, are places like Manchester State Beach and the beach areas around the mouth's of several rivers in Mendocino County. There're some very good hidden beaches for those willing to get a map and explore.

Don't forget to look into rockfishing with a fly along the coast in areas lie Fort Ross and Salt Point State Park, the Mendocino Headlands and many other areas.

JUST BE ALERT AND VERY CAREFUL. Remember, people are swept way by large waves every year up there.