Fish Tales from 2008

Saturday 06 December 2008

Ahoy Mates!

Capt Mark and I just wanted to check in with you and hope that your winter is going smoothly. We've both been staying pretty busy here at Dockside with our day to day operations. Its actually been lots of fun keeping the display case in the Fish Market full of some really high quality local fish, which we also continue to feature in the Restaurant as our daily specials......Mmm Mmm!

Usually by this time of year we have been able to offer at least one "Lobster-Fest" weekend, unfortunately the availably and price kept us from doing so as we were hoping for better timing.... but Boo-Hoo! Well now, hold on to your bibs, crackers and picking forks because it is Dungeness Crab Season! Even though the season is off to a slow start we have been able to secure a big enough load to conduct our first "Crab-Fest" here at Dockside! These succulent crabs will be coming from Crescent City, and will average right at 2 lbs each!

Time to mark your calendar for next weekend December 12th, 13th and 14th for a Dockside "Crab-Fest". You can reserve your dinner (or lunch) anytime on Friday, Saturday & Sunday. We will be serving the crab chilled and cracked and the meal will include all your favorite Dockside sides. At $21.95 this will be a fun holiday treat! Not only are Dungeness Crabs delicious, there is something special when you sit around with friends and enjoy the event as well as the food.

We will also have Dungeness Crab available in the Fish Market. Take one home live or or let us cook, clean and crack them for you. Another great value this weekend in the Fish Market will be local Halibut at $12.95 lb and Angel Shark, caught by Capt. Evans of the "Lucy-L".

On another note Capt. Mark has been busy making sure everything on the "Bonnie Marietta" is first-class. During a recent charter the anchor got caught up on something other than sandy bottom and was pretty much destroyed! The Capt figured with the extra strain he placed on the ground tackle (anchor, chain and line), plus the fact that he was never happy with the original anchor winch, that it was time to change it out. So he has been working diligently on putting a new anchor winch, along with all new anchor gear (anchor, chain and line) aboard the "Bonnie Marietta". You could say he traded it in for a new model. Wow, sure hope I don't break or he may trade me in for a first class new model too, ha ha!

Here’s hoping the holiday season is filled with family, friends, love, happiness and good health!

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 09 October 2008

Ahoy and Adios!

Our weekly e-mail postings usually subside during the winter months, and here we are already! Although you won't hear from us every week, we will continue to keep you updated when we have some newsworthy information. Just for example we are looking forward to another "Lobster-Fest" at the end of the month, followed by our "Crab-Fest" in December! Ooh-la-la!

As a reminder the original reason for our weekly e-mail updates (May through Sept) were to keep you informed as to when we would be selling fresh Salmon and Albacore aboard the "Bonnie Marietta". Due to restrictions on the Salmon fishing season these past two years, our "direct off the boat sales" have been nonexistent! Capt. Mark is not done fishing, and we look forward to next years Salmon and Albacore seasons! In the meantime we will continue to buy our wonderful seafood directly from other local fishermen, and offer their bounties to you through both the Fish Market & Restaurant.

Capt. Mark and I would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to you for your continued support and patronage. We truly hope you enjoy what we do as, much as we enjoy doing it!

Food for thought,
"When the going gets tough ... the tough get going!"

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 02 October 2008

Ahoy Mates, and Hello October!

Of course, with October comes the Harbor Festival which is this weekend already, Sat. the 4th and Sun. the 5th. In the past this has been a difficult weekend for all of us, but the Harbor Festival committee has and is working to accommodate all of the businesses that are caught smack-dab in the middle of it?! Regardless of the of goods and bads, we shall continue to remain optimistic and make the best of it.

In this week's e-mail Capt. Mark and I just want to share some Harbor Festival hints with you:

We will be open our regular hours throughout the weekend!

During the Festival, our customers may enter for free, at the volunteer gate.

Along with all the other attractions, some special things we are doing here at DOCKSIDE include:

In addition to our regular menus at the Restaurant and Fish Market,
we will have a Harbor Festival Special Menu consisting of:

$3.00 appetizers
$2.00 Beer
$3.00 Wine
$1.25 BBQ Oysters

Our fish display case will still be available and filled with lots of fresh and locally caught fish.

On a last note, we will have our usual "Live Music" on the Patio.
This weekend we are excited to be Featuring:

Eric Brittain & Tennesee Jimmy Harrell
12 :00-4:00 pm
followed by
Maheyla & the Ritual
4:00-8:00 pm.

We hope you find the time to get out and about, and join us, in this exciting and fun event!

Next Thursday we'll catch up with you for our annual e-mail sign off.

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew
 

Thursday 25 September 2008

Ahoy Mates,

"Ships that pass in the night" pretty much describes what September has been like for Capt. Mark and I. For instance just this morning Capt. Mark left home about 0200 hrs en route to a last minute research charter that popped up. The Capt. was excited to stretch his sea legs again and eager to get the Bonnie Marietta back out to sea. They ventured about 50 miles off shore looking for a free floating buoy that was out there collecting data, but running out of power. Capt. Mark and crew successfully located the buoy before it lost its signal, otherwise it could have simply ended up being just another buoy at sea. During the trip the crew was delighted to spot a Blue Whale, observe numerous Humpback Whales and even saw some Risso Dolphins! Although this was a research charter, the "fisherman" in good ole Capt Mark is always tuned into the fishing conditions and he was hoping for some sign of Albacore. Unfortunately the water was too cold and green, which are the wrong conditions for Albacore, darn it! Well to top off the trip some Harbor Porpoises escorted the Bonnie Marietta by riding the bow wake as she made her way back into the Morro Bay harbor. Wow what a day!

Although my day was not quite as exciting...
I am excited to let you know that as the weather has been getting better so has our supply of fresh local fish. For instance today Capt. Blue of the Morning Light brought us a good supply of Black Gill Red Rockfish, and we anticipate delivery from Capt. Ewing of the South Bay any day now as he returns from his fishing trip with more Petrale Sole and Bank Rockfish. Chuck Ramos of Williams Shell Fish brought us another supply of Morro Bay Oysters and we also received another delivery of Halibut Cheeks and some Colombia River Silver Salmon. The fish case is looking pretty fancy with all this and other great seafood in it!

Getting back to the topic of Ships that pass in the night....
After returning to port Capt. Mark made a brief appearance here at Dockside (at least I think I saw him?) and then headed up to Monterey where he will be participating in a seminar for the Fisheries Business Network (FBN). The goal of FBN is to create a network of fishermen, processors, distributors, retailers, restaurant owners, and others in the fishing industry, to improve the profitability of fishing, though improved communications and business practices, improvements to fishery management, and marketing of sustainable fishing and products. I for one am certain that Capt. Mark's expertise and enthusiasm will help make the event a success as he has a lot to contribute!

Just a reminder .... we are only a week away before the 27th annual Morro Bay Harbor Festival (Sat /Sun Oct 4th/5th) and our Dockside Crew is ready to rock and roll! We will provide you with the details on this in next Thursday's e-mail.

In the meanwhile keep your heads above water!

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 11 September 2008

Ahoy!

My goodness we are rapidly approaching the end of September, the time of year when we start limiting our weekly e-mails! To us this means that although you won't hear from us every Thursday, we will continue to keep you informed about things we think will interest you. So, as the fall turns to winter the Bonnie Marietta, Dockside Restaurant, and Dockside Too will continue stay in touch, just not weekly.

The 27th annual Morro Bay Harbor Festival is only two weekends away so mark your calendar for the first weekend in October. Here at Dockside Harbor Festival means "all hands on deck" and we are already bustling around getting underway! Capt. Mark and I have lots of good things up our sleeves for that weekend including some great food as well as local musicians to entertain you. More on all this next week.

Time to get down to brass tacks ... our fresh fish this week includes California Halibut caught by Capt. Evans of the "Lucy-L", Lingcod caught by Capt. Tobin of the "Pleasure", Black Cod from Capt. Rose, and once again some Columbia River Silver Salmon caught by Capt. Tarabochia of the "Lisa Marie". In addition we will be featuring local Rock Crab caught by Capt. Terra of the "Gusto" all weekend for only $1.95 a pound live, or we will cook, clean and crack them for $2.95 a pound. Rock Crabs are not as meaty as Dungeness Crab but at this price if you have never have tried a Rock Crab we think you will find them to be a nice treat!

Looks like we have another interesting vessel tied up to the North "T" pier here in Morro Bay this week! Her name is "Fulmar" and she is a NOAA research vessel. Did you know that NOAA stands for "National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration" and is a federal agency focused on the condition of the oceans and the atmosphere? We understand she is here using an ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) to look at the bottom of the ocean before and after trawlers fish an area. Well other than the "South Bay", which is now owned by the Nature Conservancy and operated by Capt. Ewing, there hasn't been any other trawl activity. So we assume they will be trying to locate where Capt. Ewing has or hasn't been fishing by his trawl signature left on the bottom of the ocean. Of course they have all the VMS data (Vessel Monitoring System) better known as that "Ankle Bracelet" fishermen are mandated to have on their boats, so finding trails in the sand shouldn't be too hard?! You might recall Capt. Mark has done numerous research charters using ROV's from the "Bonnie Marietta", and he always finds them entertaining!

On a happier note ... calling all you dog lovers! Dockside Too will be hosting a breakfast party for the Morro Bay Pups this weekend! Yelp, that's this Sunday the 21st from 10:00am to 12:00pm. We will be providing Breakfast Burritos, Breakfast Bread Bowls and Beverages as our treat while the Morro Bay Pups use this event to celebrate the City's approval of their dog park plans and as a kick off for their fund raising efforts. This has been a major undertaking from some wonderful folks, and we are honored to do our part. Please feel free to join us with or without your favorite companion. Oh, and by the way, our favorite companions, Korea and Montana, will be serving Doggie Biscuits!

Yelp ... yelp ... yelp, arf ... arf ... arf!

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 11 September 2008

Ahoy Mates!

Today September 11th is a day that represents courage, determination and perseverance! Isn't it ironic how a horrific event can put things into perspective? My hope is that we have learned to not to overlook or ever take things for granted!

Capt. Mark would much rather be out to sea catching our own supply of Salmon, but it was not an option this year. Instead he has been having fun locating some outstanding Salmon for us at Dockside. With the help of Jim Mauney, of Harbor Trading Co., this week they have found more great troll caught King Salmon as well as some beautiful gillnet caught Silver Salmon. Capt. Mark is always hands on when it comes to receiving our deliveries. I'm always impressed to watch as he thoroughly touches, feels, smells and looks at each delivery. Of course this is to ensure that we are receiving a great product. As a fisherman, he can tell when other fishermen have taken care of their catch and whether they have pride in their harvest. Capt. Mark knows the quality of the catch, and nothing at Dockside is received without his approval!

This weeks King Salmon were caught by Capt. Johanson of the "Northern Wind" out of Queen Charlotte, BC, and our Silver Salmon are from a small, highly regulated gillnet fishery on the Columbia River, caught by Capt. Tarabochia of the "Lisa Marie". Both of these Salmon are high quality and we continue to try to keep the price as reasonable as we can. Some more highlights this week include locally caught Rockfish, Blackcod, and Lingcod, thanks to Captains Ewing, Rose, Terra, and Tobin. Last but not least thanks to Chuck Ramos of "Williams Shellfish" for supplying some of our incredible oysters that are harvested here in Morro Bay!

Did you know there is a magnificent yacht tied up to the North T-Pier? Well for all you lookie-loos.... her name is "Seaquest". Rumor has it that this 50-meter yacht is owned by co-founder of "Amway" a man named DeVos. Like any good neighbor I went a-visiting, but couldn't get anyone to hardly speak to me! So I sent them a bottle of "Morro Bay" wine with a note saying welcome to Morro Bay, hope you are having a great visit here!

La-dee - Yacht-dee" or whatever!?

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

Thursday 4 September 2008

Ahoy Mates!

Here we are already into September again and all I can think is ... where did the summer go? Did it simply fly by that fast? Ya know that expression ..."Time flies when your having fun"? Well it's true, and we've had such a fun time this summer here at the Restaurant & Fish Market!

Capt. Mark and I have been hoping and praying to be able to once again conduct our "direct off the boat sales" from the "Bonnie Marietta", but unfortunately this was another year of no Salmon fishing allowed for our fishermen. In the meanwhile we've remained optimistic that a local Albacore season would happen. So far those gosh darn Albacore are just not cooperating! So what can I say?

Well, one thing I can say is that just because Salmon and Albacore didn't happen again this year doesn't mean that other fisheries aren't doing well, cause they are! For example the local trawling and some deep water long lining remains steady and productive. In fact we have some outstanding Rockfish fillets featured in both the Fish Market and Restaurant to prove it! Both Capt. Smith, and Capt. Leage have delivered Vermilion Rockfish, Capt. Blue brought us some Blackgill Rockfish, and Capt. Ewing unloaded Bank Rockfish. To add to the nice selection of different Rockfish, we have both Petrale Sole and English Sole, Alaskan troll caught Silver “Coho” Salmon, Canadian Halibut, and some Halibut cheeks! Tonight we heard that Capt. O'Brien of the Aguero may be bringing his last of the season catch of Albacore back home to Morro Bay. These premium frozen at sea (FAS) fish are outstanding and if you get a chance to buy one of them direct from the fisherman, you'll know why! We'll let you know more about this as it unfolds!

Did you know we originally had the Bonnie Marietta built to fish exclusively for hook and line Rockfish? Back in 1981 when she was first launched, and for several years there after, all we fished for was Rockfish. As matter of fact the Bonnie Marietta has even traveled up the inside passage to Sitka, Alaska to fish for hook and line Rockfish! The fish were abundant but the market did not develop because shipping cost were too high and the market too small. Capt. Mark and Bonnie Marietta soon returned home via the outside route from Alaska, and he has never had the desire to return.

Well for Pete's Sake, I didn't get to go on that trip! I was so jealous, and to this day all I can do is imagine what an amazing adventure he got to experience! Did you know I was born in Alaska? Yep, I'm part Eskimo, just kidding ha ha! Actually, I was born in Alaska back in 1956 when she was still a territory. Just for the record Alaska became a State in 1959, so doesn't that make me sound old? No worries I'm still younger that ole Capt. Mark! Anyways, I have not been back to Alaska in almost 50 years now. So when I keep telling the Capt. ... I want to go to back, keeps putting me off! Duh? Lately I've been trying a new approach and in laymen's terms ... "Ok, Capt. Mark, think of me as an Alaskan King Salmon, I have to swim back up stream before I die!" Do ya think he'll get it now? We'll sea.

Hope your Labor Day weekend was labor-less! We'll catch up with ya'all next next Thursday.

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 28 August 2008

Ahoy and happy Labor Day weekend!

Speaking of "Labor," reports from some of our local fishermen who have been fishing Albacore up in Oregon continue to be good. A lot of them are on their third trip of the season and the price remains good and holding, which helps offset the high cost of fuel. Most marine fuel has not yet seen prices drop like the road-used fuels. In matter of fact fuel is still well over $5.00 here in Morro Bay. Ouch!

The squirt of Halibut we were receiving has slowed because of the wind, which has limited the efforts of Capt. Evans and Capt. Ward. The wind did back off today and we are hoping for calmer conditions to help improve the catching. Capt. Ewing managed to slip a trip in between some of the rough weather, so our supply of Bank Rockfish and Petrale Sole is strong along with a limited supply of English Sole and Skate Wings. Capt. Terra and Capt. Appel helped keep the Ling Cod availability good. Capt. Blue, is presently taking advantage of the settled waters, and we hope to get some of his Black Cod and Blackgill Rockfish tomorrow. We are happy to say that we received some wonderful Alaskan troll-caught Coho Salmon along with 40 more pounds of the always popular Halibut cheeks. Over all, the supply of mostly local fish looks good for Labor Day Weekend here at Dockside and Dockside Too!

Must have been pretty hot over the hill the last several days, because we had lots of fog and pleasantly cool temperatures here in Morro Bay. Speaking of FOG: Did you know that there are numerous conditions which can create fog?

Some of the more common fog we experience here, would be Radiation Fog, Advection Fog, and Upslope Fog.

Radiation Fog usually forms at night under clear skies with calm winds when heat absorbed by the earth’s surface during the day is radiated into space.

Advection Fog often looks like radiation fog and is also the result of condensation. However, the condensation in this case is caused not by a reduction in surface temperature, but rather by the horizontal movement of warm moist air over a cold surface.

Upslope Fog forms when winds push moist air up a hillside or mountainside to a level where the air becomes saturated and condensation occurs. Upslope Fog occurs in all mountain ranges in North America.

Here in Morro Bay we often get a mini example of Upslope Fog. This would be when you see that halo of fog atop Morro Rock.

Weather you enjoy the fog or knot, happy Labor Day to all!

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 21 August 2008

Ahoy There!

How is it possible that it is already Thursday again? I guess that saying about how "Time flies when your having fun" is really true, and we must be having to much fun here at Dockside!

The local albacore report is pretty much same as last week, meaning so far its not looking to good. In the meanwhile, and on a happier note, there are plenty of other local fishermen out there picking up the slack. Capt. Mark and I are always pleased to share this information with you. So lets start off this weeks news with one of our favorite fishermen, Capt. Evans of the "Lucy-L". Capt. Evans is back in action and caught some spectacular Halibut as well as Turbot, Starry Flounder, and Skate Wings. Capt. Ward (also out of Avila Beach) provided us with even more Halibut. With such a great week of Halibut catching we are excited to offer these locally caught Halibut fillets in the Fish Market for only $10.95 a pound starting on Friday and continuing Saturday and Sunday. We think you will find these are some really nice fish and at a great price! Capt. Ewing of the "South Bay" also had a good week of fishing and brought us some of his catch including Bank Rockfish, English and Petrale Sole. Then just late this afternoon, Capt. Appel of the "Kalmath" delivered a nice catch of Lingcod. If you love locally caught fish like we love them, then this will be another perfect weekend to get some here at both the Fish Market and at Dockside Restaurant!

Although he is not fishing right now, Capt. Mark continues to keep the "Bonnie Marietta" in ship shape! Did you know that sitting idle can be one of the worse things for a boat? This is why the Capt. usually puts in several hours a day updating or fine tuning different systems aboard her. Got to keep her looking spiffy and in top notch condition! Speaking of which this reminds me of a poem that I read several years ago. I got a big chuckle out of it so I thought I would share it with you'll tonight.

Did you know why a ship is called a she?
There is always a great deal of bustle around her
There is usually a gang of men about
She has a waist and stays
It takes a lot of paint to keep her good looking
She shows her topsides and hides her bottom
She can be all decked out
It takes an experienced man to handle her correctly,
without a man at the helm, she is absolutely un-controllable.
She costs a lot in paint and powder to be eye pleasing and ready to go out.
When coming into port always heads for the bouys
And the main reason.......
It's not the initial expense that breaks you,
It's the upkeep!!!
So now you know!

Can you imagine a complete summer without the Captain on the ocean!? Yes there are the good, bad and ugly times, but overall I think he likes it just about as much as I like seeing him everyday. Ha ha! Actually I am thankful for everyday he is on the beach because Dockside would not be what we are without him!

Have a GREAT weekend and we'll sea you'll again next Thursday!

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 14 August 2008

Ahoy Mates!

The middle of the August!

Is it possible that the Albacore will give the central coast another slip this season? Thank goodness that the Albacore have shown in good numbers off the Oregon coast, and there have been a little show offshore San Diego, with the best fishing in Mexican waters.

Ever see a lost fishermen wandering around Dockside ready to leave port but with no place to go fishing? It very well may have been Capt. Mark! However, he continues to stay busy working daily here making sure the fish that arrive for both the Fish Market and Restaurant are the very best available. This week is no different.

Capt. Evans of the "Lucy L" is once again seeing limited action with a splash of his local Halibut and Starry Flounder which you can find in the Fish Market. Capt. Nailen of the "Seeker" spent several days fishing offshore San Diego. The "Seeker" is a beautiful Radon Craft that he can trailer back and forth. So we are thrilled to have a limited supply of his fresh Albacore, Yellowtail, and even Mahi Mahi! We are also lucky to have more King and Silver wild troll caught Salmon from Canada and Alaska. After having gone a week without Halibut cheeks, we were blessed to receive another 50 pounds that are available in the Fish Market and will be featured in the Restaurant. Additionally, we have some nice local Blackgill Rockfish, and Longspines from Captains Blue and Rose. Longspines are a nice white fillet that tastes like a cross between Blackcod, and Rockfish. Most Longspines are sent directly to Asian markets, but as you know, we have offerings here at Dockside that are often “out side of the box.”

Captains Blue, Rose and Cullen, are participating in a longline fishery with the Nature Conservancy so we should be seeing these Longspines with some regularity.

Capt. Mark and I are looking forward to another fun weekend with live music out on the patio. Come on by and let us wait on you in the Restaurant or just relax out on the patio where Korea and Montana (our two yellow labs) will be hosting our dog friendly area.

* Update *

Just prior to sending this weeks e-mail Capt. Mark spoke with Capt. Snyder out of Avila Beach who has been fishing Halibut off of Ventura. The two will rendezvous in Avila Beach tomorrow , and so now our limited" supply of Halibut will actually be stronger!

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 07 August 2008

Ahoy Mates!

Can you believe we are already ending the first full week of August? Hard to believe that we only have a few weeks of summer left!

Local fishing has been somewhat on the skinny side, however Capt. Tobin, and Capt. Appel have helped with some local Ling Cod. This week Capt. Mark arranged for us to have troll caught Coho Salmon from Alaska, as well as some Yellowtail from Mexico! We also anticipate receiving some fish from Capt. Nailene of the Seeker who will be fishing off of San Diego. Right now there are good reports of Yellowtail and Albacore catching going on down there. So we look forward to hearing from him this weekend.

A couple of boats from Morro Bay are looking around in our local waters for Albacore but as of yet the fishing hasn't produced any catching. Last reports from Oregon on Albacore continue to be good, expensive fuel, but good fish prices.

As we continue the topic of the 5 different Pacific Salmon, tonight we will focus on Pink Salmon.

Did you know...

Pink Salmon are also known as "Humpbacks" or "Humpies"? This is because of a very pronounced, laterally flattened hump which develops on the backs of adult males before spawning. The Pink Salmon is the smallest of the Pacific Salmon with an average weight of about 3.5 to 4 pounds, and average length of 20-25 inches. An adult fish returning to coastal waters is a bright steely blue on top and silvery on the sides with many large black spots on the back and entire tail fin. Their scales are very small and their flesh is pink. By the time the male enters the spawning stream, it has developed the characteristic hump and hooked jaw. Depending on her size, the female Pink Salmon can carry 1,500 to 2,000 eggs. Most Pink Salmon are taken with purse seines and drift or set gillnets. Lesser numbers are taken with troll gear or beach seines. Many people refuse to recognize that a properly handled Humpy is a good eating Salmon. They are especially delicious smoked, but most of the catch is canned. Humpies that aren't properly handled quickly become soft and lose their flavor and for a long time the Pink Salmon was looked down upon as old rumors about their quality and edibility were circulated. It is definitely important to catch the Pink Salmon in their prime, and to handle them with great care.

Speaking of "Humpies" did you know that the American English idiom for Wednesday, is "hump day" a reference to making it through to the middle of the work week as getting "over the hump?"

....so happy Thursday the day after "hump day"!

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew
 

Thursday 31 July 2008

Ahoy Mates!

With limited local fishing activity this week, Capt. Mark searched far and wide to secure some very special offerings for both the Fish Market and the Restaurant. We are proud to continue to offer ONLY Troll Caught Wild King Salmon in the Restaurant - something we have focused on since we began our Restaurant adventure 4 years ago. We believe that there are very few establishments that can match this accomplishment or have even attempted to. We will also have a limited supply for the Fish Market and at just under $20.00 a pound for fillets, it is an unequaled value anywhere in California!

After writing about Coho Salmon last week (known as Silvers to most of us) the Capt. felt it important to find some special Cohos for you. The Cohos he selected are reared at a hatchery on the eastern coast of the Prince of Wales Island.

Did you know…

They are released as yearling smolt weighing between 25 and 30 grams (about 1 ounce)? They then spend the next year and a half in the open ocean off southeast Alaska, where they continue to feed and grow. After their time at sea those that have survived fishing activity and ocean predators return to where they left as smolts. The fish are harvested and immediately placed in slush ice. Arriving within hours of harvest to Ketchikan they are custom processed, boxed and flown to customers. Because of the short time between actual harvest and the market, these are among the freshest fish from the Pacific Northwest. These Silver Salmon have been trademarked as Snow Pass Cohos and you can read more about them by clicking on this link: Snow Pass Program (http://www.ssraa.org/new_page_40.htm).

Now you know!

When Capt. Mark opened the boxes today he knew the only way they could have been fresher is if they had come directly out of the BONNIE MARIETTA's fish hold. We will be offering these Cohos at $9.95 a pound for either steaks or fillets on Friday, August 1 and continuing on both Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3 – while supplies last! Don’t miss out on this delicious opportunity!

In addition, we have been blessed with a nice delivery of beautiful Halibut cheeks. Supplies have been sporadic, but we did receive 50 pounds today. For those who have been asking about this delicacy, don't miss a chance to enjoy them! For those who have never had them, yes, they really are Halibut cheeks. Imagine: a combined flavor of Halibut, Scallops, Shrimp, and Crab. Voila! Halibut cheeks! Simply marvelous!

Last but not least, no local Albacore news as of yet, but Oregon Albacore fishing continues to be really good!

Bye Bye July, All Aboard for August!

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 24 July 2008

Ahoy Mates,

Ah, July on the coast! Those of you who frequent Morro Bay are well aware of our 65° year-round averages…quite pleasant if you ask me!

During the busy summer season I rarely get away from the Restaurant & Fish Market but this past Tuesday I had an appointment in Paso Robles, so zig-zagging up Hwy 41 I went! Although it was late afternoon it was still 94°! Oh my word I almost melted, how do you all function in that heat!? By the time I got back to Morro Bay it was 55°. So, I was hoping to make it back up to Paso to go to the Mid State Fair, which started yesterday, but now this Morro Bay girl is having second thoughts?!

It’s already mid-July and no local albacore reports as of yet. The Pacific Northwest season is also a little late, but the last week has brought some fine catching about 70 to 100 miles off Newport, Oregon. Prior to that the only spot had been a whopping 500 to 600 miles offshore! At $5.35 a gallon fuel price here in Morro Bay makes prospecting a costly proposition.

On the home front it has not been a big week for local production, however we do have some beautiful White Seabass caught by Capt. Nailene, Lingcod from Capt. Appel, and both English and Petrale Sole from Capt. Ewing. Also, Capt. Mark had to search diligently this week for some more Troll Caught King Salmon. Once again his hard work has paid off as we received some that were caught off of the Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada. We will be offering these Salmon fillets in the Fish Market at $19.95 a pound. This is a lot higher than we would like to sell them for, but still a good value based on what’s available.

Let’s see, since we’ve recently written about both Chum Salmon and Sockeye Salmon I guess we need to bring you up to speed on Coho Salmon…

Did you know that Oncorhynchus kisutch is the scientific name for Coho Salmon, which comes from the Greek roots onkos (hook) and rynchos (nose)? Coho Salmon are also known as Hook Nose (duh?) and commonly referred to as Silver Salmon. They are bluish-black with silver sides and have black spots on their back and upper parts of their caudal fin. Although they usually weigh between 6 to 12 pounds, they can grow to be as large as 38 inches in length and weigh up to 30 pounds. So now you know!

Salmon Salutations!

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 17 July 2008

Ahoy Mates and Howdy Doody!

Right out of the chute here’s this week’s fish scoop:

Capt. Ewing of the “South Bay” has come through for us again by providing an assortment of fresh locally caught fish including some Petrale Sole and Chili Pepper Rockfish. And not only that! We’re also privileged to have more White Sea Bass from Capt. Sutton and delicious Ling Cod caught by Captains Tobin and Terra. In addition, we have more Sockeye Salmon provided by Capt. Kristmanson of the “Crisis” from the Skeena River in Canada. All these will be featured in the Fish Market. Also, many will be available in the Restaurant this weekend.

Did you know…

…that we usually have local live music on Saturdays and Sundays on the patio at Dockside Too? As matter of fact, this Sunday, July 20th, “Little Sister” (based out of Petaluma, CA) will be playing on the patio. You’re in for a real treat, because one of the lead singers has the distinct sound of American country singer Dwight Yoakam! Should be lots of fun. Speaking of fun, in case you were not aware, our patio is also dog friendly! Feel free to bring your lovable, furry, four-legged friend with you, because you know that all dogs love good country music!

So now you know!

Thanks so much for your patronage and continued support! We sure hope you’re enjoying this beautiful summer and we look forward to next week when we can bring you more news from the dock!

Catch ya’ll next week!

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 10 July 2008

Ahoy!

Hope you all had an enjoyable Fourth of July weekend. Capt Mark along with some of our family and crew loaded up aboard the BONNIE MARIETTA and dropped anchor directly underneath where they shot the fireworks off in Morro Bay. It was a most delightful location and a spectacular evening!

Did you know... Simon the Snaggle-Tooth Sheephead was released?

As planned we let him go early last Friday morning! Despite gale warnings (lots of wind), about 10 of our Dockside's crew mustered aboard the BONNIE MARIETTA and we shoved off at 07:00. Our destination was Point Buchon MPA (Marine Protected Area) which took us approximately an hour and a half to reach. Within the MPA there is a small rock that protrudes out of 120 feet of water to about 30 feet at the top. As a matter of fact our son Marc, has scuba dived on this structure several times in the past and has seen many Sheephead on it. We thought this was the perfect place for a perfect fish! Once in the water, Simon with a quick flick of his tail, headed down to join his own kind. It was a bittersweet moment! Well, just think, maybe he could make a movie or write a book about being captured by aliens (humans)? Ha! Ha! Ha!

Unfortunately the attachment I tried to send you last week failed, so we are working on another. In the meanwhile some good news is that several friends and customers had taken videos of this amazing fish which are available for you to view on a website called YouTube. All you have to do is click on either of the two links below. I think the videos are adorable and should make you smile!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyRTga08Zgg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyKaWdgr-GE

This week's fish news is really good!!!! Just this morning Capt. Ewing of the SOUTH BAY returned to port and Dockside received another beautiful selection of his fish including Bank and Blackgill Rockfish, Petrale and English Sole, and some Blackcod. Just about the time we were finishing up with Capt. Ewing's catch, a load of fresh White Seabass caught by Capt. Sudden showed up along with some Gopher and Grass Rockfish from Capt. Rose. To make things even better we have some Thresher Shark caught by Capt. Nailene, and more Sockeye Salmon from Capt. Smith in Yakutat Alaska! We are pleased to be able to offer you a nice selection of fresh fish this weekend so, starting on Friday, July 11th, and continuing until Sunday, July 12th (or as supplies last) you can have your choice of Petrale Sole fillets, White Seabass fillets or Sockeye Salmon fillets for only $9.95 a pound. Most of these fish will be featured in the Restaurant too!

Sea you next week!

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Wednesday 2 July 2008

Ahoy & Happy 4th of July!

We decided to send this week's update out a day early because so many are off to a 3 day weekend starting tomorrow ! Yippee!

OK, so cutting to the chase, this week's fish news includes a lot of really nice locally caught fish including, Lingcod from Captains Terra and Appel. Petrale Sole, Bank Rockfish, English Sole, and Black Cod from Capt. Ewing and we have some Cabezon and Gopher Rockfish courtesy Captains Cunningham and Rose. In addition we are still getting a steady supply of White Sea Bass from Capt. Sudden out of Ventura.

The Sockeye Salmon we had last week were so well received at the fish market that Capt. Mark has once again made arrangements to bring more in this week. These fish will be from Capt. Jonathan Smith aboard the “Arch Cape” from Yakutat, Alaska. They are fresh and spectacular, and a great value at $10.95 a pound for fillets. Keep in mind that not all Sockeye are equal in quality, it all depends on how they are handled and cared for. The Sockeye we have are hand picked and we think you will find them to be a delicious substitute for King Salmon, which should satisfy that Salmon fix you may be craving for a Fourth of July meal!

Since first writing to you about Simon the Snaggle-Tooth Sheephead fish two weeks ago, he has become quite the celebrity! It has been amazing to see how many people have come to the Fish Market just to see him! He has been a delight to all and especially for the young at heart. Even ole Capt. Mark who has been a fisherman for nearly 40 years said that Simon has touched a soft spot in his heart! We do believe that Simon actually seeks out human interaction and really seems to enjoy being touched and stroked. As I mentioned last week, Simon's personality has more than earned him a trip back to the wild which is going to take place on Friday. Of course Friday the 4th of July and Independence Day, which is exactly why the Capt. and I chose this day to give Simon his freedom! Capt. Mark, several of our Dockside crew and I will transport Simon aboard the "BONNIE MARIETTA" to a spot inside a “No Take” area also known as an "MPA" which stands for Marine Protected Area. If you saw Simon you would understand why this is a hard decision!

Several people have taken pictures and videos of Simon over the past couple of weeks and I have attached one of them to this week's update if you would like to view it. We are also working on a YouTube link that should be ready to send out in next weeks update. Oh, and by the way, Simon also made the front page of this week's Bay News! If you get a chance, grab a copy. Neil Farrell did did a nice article on Simon and took some great pictures of him! Wow a what a FISH!

Hope you all have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend, and God Bless America!

Capt. Mark & Miss Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 26 June 2008

Ahoy Mates,

So glad to be done with the triple digit temperatures from last week! Finally we are back to good ole normal Morro Bay, sometimes foggy, weather - whew! Good things are still happening here at Dockside, even if the Capt. doesn’t get to fish salmon this year.

After a fast and furious start to the White Seabass season, the catching has slowed some. Production is still good enough and Capt. Sutton is off loading in Ventura today, so we should be seeing more of his Seabass tomorrow! Capt. Ewing of the SOUTH BAY iced up today and will be leaving port tonight on a short trip. We expect him back Monday with more fresh fish. It is always nice to receive his steady supply of Rockfish, and others. In addition, Capt. Mark arranged for some more of that outstanding troll caught King Salmon from Alaska, and as a special bonus this week we will have some delightful Canadian Sockeye Salmon fillets at $13.50 per pound.

Did you know…

Sockeyes, also known as “reds”, are the third most common species of Pacific Salmon? The name Sockeye comes from a poor attempt to translate the word suk-kegh from British Columbia's native Coast Salish language. Suk-kegh means “red fish”. Unlike other species of Pacific Salmon , Sockeyes feed almost exclusively on plankton. Sockeyes are netted commercially using seines and gillnets for fresh or frozen fillet sales and canning. More than half of the Sockeye Salmon that are caught today are sold frozen, with a large percentage going to Japan. This same species is known as a Kokanee when it occurs in landlocked bodies of water. Known for its deep red flesh, the Sockeye retains its color, firm texture, and distinctive flavor when cooked. Yum yum!

So now you know a little more about the Sockeye Salmon!

Last week we mentioned my pet “Sheephead”. Well, he is doing just fine and has shown quite the personality! As a matter of fact I think he is a “ham” ‘cause he even allows us to pet (or touch) his smooth head, which he loves to bob in and out of the tank. The Capt. and I have become so attached to him that we have even given him a name. Capt. Mark calls him Simon, and I call him Snaggle Tooth, so together we decided upon “Simon the Snaggle Toothed SheepHead”! He is about 12-15 lbs and at least a 7-8 yr old male. He has been a great attraction on the patio, has educated and entertained us as well as many of you who have made it over to see us (or him??). In reward for being such a great fish he has earned his Independence and we will be giving him his freedom on the 4th of July by releasing him back into the ocean. If you have not had the chance to see him you might catch a quick clip of him on “YOU TUBE” as one of our regulars took some video today and was going to post it this evening. Haven’t looked yet, but we will let you know what comes of that.

I don’t know about you, but we sure are looking forward to the upcoming weekend! As always, we hope you all have a very enjoyable one!

Until next week…

Tognazzini, Family & Crew
F/V "Bonnie Marietta"
 

Thursday 19 June 2008

Ahoy Mates.....actually I should be saying "A-Hot" Mates!!!

Today has been wonderful but amazingly hot here in Morro Bay! I am only saying that from a wimpy coastal persons point of view! Most of us here on the coast do not have, or rarely need an air conditioner! Well I'm not exactly sure right now, but I suspect we must have been in the low 90's to high 80's today, So I can only imagine how HOT must have been inland! How in the world do you guys manage it?

OK so summer is obviously here! When we think of summer we also think "White Sea Bass" season which began on June 15th. Now whenever we get an opportunity to do something special, we love to share it with you, and this weekend is no different! Capt. Mark has made arrangements for us to have ample supply of White Sea Bass for this weekend and we will be featuring these fish caught by Capt. Sutton of the AURELIA! We will be offering his catch of White Sea Bass fillets for $9.95 a pound in the Fish Market starting tomorrow Friday, June 20, and continuing though Sunday June 22 (or as supplies last). As usual, we will also be featuring these fish as one of our specials in the Restaurant. Now in addition we have some local Lingcod from Capt. Tobin, Capt. Kann, and Capt. Terra! Once again Capt. Ewing of the SOUTH BAY has delivered to us some delightful Bank Rockfish and we have some Brown Rockfish caught by Capt. Terra. So we should have a local fish bonanza for you!

Last week we spoke about the 5 different West Coast Salmon. Each week we would like to talk a little more about each of them.

Well with that in mind......

Did you know?

Chum, nicknamed dog, or calico. None of which names sell well, so you will often see them as “Silverbrite” or “Keta.” The spawning males develop enormous canine-like fangs, and have a striped calico color.

The Chum Salmon is the least commercially valuable Salmon. Despite being extremely plentiful in Alaska, commercial fishers often choose not to fish for them because of their low market value. They are a traditional source of dried Salmon, and are most often canned or smoked. Most Chums are caught by purse seines and drift gillnets, but fish wheels and set gillnets harvest a portion of the in river catch. Next week pink salmon!

If you make it out to the dock this week check out the my pet Sheephead fish. We have it in one of the tanks on the patio and it it seems to like getting a steady diet of pink shrimp. It is an interesting fish!

Did you know all Sheephead are born female! And for reasons not fully understood, they change to males later in life?

 

 Tognazzini, Family & Crew
F/V "Bonnie Marietta"

 

Thursday 12 June 2008

Cheers Mates!

What a nice week it has been with all the celebrations going on and the fabulous weather we’ve been having.

During the week Capt. Mark continued his search to bring the very best Salmon to Dockside and his determination paid off again as we received some really beautiful Troll caught King Salmon from Alaska! Like last week, we are able to offer filets for $18.95, which is a good value considering what’s out there, and we truly believe that we have the finest wild hook & line caught King Salmon anywhere around!

Did you know…

There are five commonly caught Pacific Salmon? Some of you may be a little confused about the different varieties of Salmon available this year, so we thought you might be interested to know a little more about them:

Chinook Salmon
Also known as King Salmon. These are the largest of the Salmons, at times reaching sixty pounds or more! The flesh of this Salmon is rich and buttery which is because of the high oil content, and they have a delicate texture. King is also one of the most flavorful of the Salmons.

Sockeye Salmon
Also known as Red Salmon. This fish is second to the King in oiliness and flavor. Like King Salmon, the Sockeye usually have a deep red flesh and a very good flavor.

Coho Salmon
Also known as Silver Salmon. The oil content of this fish is lower than the King or Sockeye, but it still has a very good flavor.

Pink Salmon
Also known as Humpy Salmon. These fish are named for the pink color of their flesh. They have a low to moderate oil content and a light rosy pink colored flesh.

Chum Salmon
This salmon has several aliases.. Silberbrite Salmon, Keta Salmon and (my favorite name) Dog Salmon, which is because of the large teeth they grow during the spawn. The Chum Salmon’s flesh is variable in quality, usually its pale in color, and has a coarse but firm in texture. They have the lowest oil content and are less flavorful than the others.

So now you know!

This week our menu selection includes the ever-so-popular Halibut Cheeks – a delightful piece of fish that everyone must try. This fish is only available during the Alaskan fresh Halibut season. You can enjoy them this weekend in the Fish Market for $12.95 a pound, and we will also be featuring them in the Restaurant as one of our Specials.

Capt. Mark also arranged for us to have fresh White Sea Bass and some local Halibut! Details on these won’t be available until late Friday afternoon. So call or stop by if you have any further questions.

On a final note, Capt. Ewing of the “SOUTH BAY” headed out of port this morning on a fishing trip. So we shall soon have his selection of Rock Fish and Petrale Sole along with an assortment of other fresh fish!

Congratulations to all you graduates, we wish you safe and happy celebrations! We also hope all you DADs out there enjoy a fabulous weekend full of food, fun, family and laughter.

Salmon Salutations and Happy Graduations!Capt. Mark & Bonnie

Tognazzini, Family & Crew
F/V "Bonnie Marietta"
Tognazzini's Dockside Restaurant & Fish Market
 

Thursday 5 June 2008

Ahoy,

Wow, did the wind blow earlier this week! The Coast Guard even had one of their 87-foot patrol boats come in for a couple of days to get out of the wind and heavy seas. It was headed north bound and the buck uphill was not worth the abuse the boat and crew were taking.

Tonight here in the harbor it is a 100 percent turnabout with a truly spectacular evening and just a light breeze.

Of course, the ocean conditions made access to local fish tough, but we still have a limited selection of both local rockfish and lingcod. The Capt. continued his quest to bring the very best salmon to Dockside and his persistence paid off as we received some beautiful Troll caught King Salmon from Alaska. Although still expensive this week we did see a price reduction so we are able to offer filets for $18.95. As with last week, we honestly believe we have the finest wild hook & line caught King Salmon anywhere around.

Another interesting offering includes halibut cheeks. If you have never experienced this delightful piece of fish you should give it a try. Yes, it is actually a real halibut cheek, only available during the Alaskan fresh halibut season. They remind Capt. Mark and myself of a cross between a scallop, shrimp, crab, and fish. We order them weekly but often only receive 10 pounds or so. Today we were blessed as our full 50-pound order came in. They will be available this weekend in the market for $12.95 a pound, and also in the restaurant as a featured special.

Hope you are enjoying the start of the summer season.

Regards,

Capt. Mark & Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 29 May 2008

Ahoy Friends,

The Bonnie Marietta rests quietly in her slip, all dolled up with no place to go. This salmon closure is unnatural for Capt. Mark, but of course it is out of his hands. Can’t remember when he last spent the entire month of May tied to the dock. This doesn’t mean he isn’t working, however, because Dockside keeps both of us quite busy.

The windy and rough ocean subsided some this past week, and many fishermen were thankful. Here at Dockside we also benefited with a great supply of local fish. Capt. Tobin of the “Pleasure”, our steady supplier of lingcod, was joined by both Capt.’s Kann, and Appel with some good lingcod catching. You will find the fillets for $8.95 a pound, while supplies last.

Many customers have been looking to treat themselves to a piece of salmon, and Capt. Mark was successful in locating some Wild Kings caught by Alaskan gillneters. Although not caught by a barbless hook, like is done on the Bonnie Marietta, the Capt. assures this Wild Kings to be the next best things to his own salmon. They are sustainably caught as listed by most all seafood watch lists, including Monterey Bay Aquarium. Though these King salmon fillets will be just under $20.00 a pound, they will be the finest salmon available in this part of the state.

Capt. Ewing of the “South Bay “delivered again this week and our supply of Bank Rockfish is outstanding. He also provided an assortment of blackgill red rockfish, blackcod, and petrale sole; these supplies are limited at this time.

A lot of comments have been e-mailed to us regarding the difference between rockfish and “red snapper”. Here is a little more information to help you out: If you shop where they have both “Pacific” or “Local Red Snapper” and Rockfish, then you know they are using smoke and mirrors. As a matter of fact, places have been known to take rockfish fillets, place them in the tray horizontally with white side up and sell them as rockfish. Then they take the same fillets, place them vertically, red side up and sell them as “red snapper.” Same fish, different presentation and often different prices. But all from the same sack in the back.

Thanks for your continued interest even though the Bonnie Marietta and the Capt. are idle!

Regards,

Capt. Mark & Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 22 May 2008

Ahoy!

Wow, what a couple of windy days we've had!

This time of year we usually get lots of small craft to gale warnings, but yesterday we even had storm warnings!

Did you know that ....
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY: Is to alert mariners to sustained (more than two hours) weather or sea conditions, either present or forecast, that might be hazardous to small boats? If a mariner notices a Small Craft Advisory pennant displayed he should determine immediately the reason by tuning radio to the latest marine broadcast. Decision as to the degree of hazard will be left up to the boatman, based on his experience and size and type of boat. The threshold conditions for the Small Craft Advisory is usually 18 knots of wind (less than 18 knots in some dangerous waters) or hazardous wave conditions.

GALE WARNING: Is to indicate winds within the range 34-47 knots are forecast for the area.

STORM WARNING: Is to indicate winds 48 knots and above, no matter how high the speed, are forecast for the area. However, if the winds are associated with a tropical cyclone (hurricane), the STORM WARNING indicates that winds within the range 48-63 knots are forecast.

Regardless of the windy weather, Capt. Ewing of the "SOUTH BAY" was able to sneak in a couple of fishing days and returned to port safely with a pretty good catch. As a result, we have a very nice supply of fresh fish to offer over this holiday weekend. If you haven't had a chance to try some of the Bank Rockfish, it is simply delicious! Of course, we will continue to feature it in the Fish Market as well as in the Restaurant. Some other bounties from the sea include, local Petrale Sole, Black Cod, Sitka Alaska Lingcod and a fresh load of San Francisco Dungeness Crab.

On Memorial Day we remember the fallen heroes of all wars.

Capt. Mark & Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 15 May 2008

Ahoy!

Looks as if this fabulous weather should hold for the weekend. The absence of the NW wind has made the bay waters shimmer like glass!

Did you know?

This weekend kicks off the first annual Morro Bay “Mermaid & Pirate Parade”, and since Dockside is partial to mermaids we will be providing free refreshments for the participants at the Fish Market. If you have little ones, or grand little ones who like to dress up like sea creatures, mermaids, or pirates, this event should be fun. Come by for complementary drinks, chowder bread bowls, and Docksides own "Sea Dog's."

Many of you have asked where the boat has been recently? Well, Capt Mark took the “BONNIE MARIETTA” down to the Santa Barbara Harbor boat yard where she was hauled out and has been getting a major hull makeover! He just brought her home last night and I must say, she is looking pretty gosh darn gorgeous!

And now for this week fish facts:

Capt. Ewing of the “SOUTH BAY” continues to keep us in supply of fresh local rockfish. Once again this week we are happy to offer a nice selection to you, both in the Fish Market and Restaurant. Thanks again to Capt. Tobin of the “PLEASURE” for his steady daily supply of lingcod. And Capt. Smith of the “HEAVY METAL” for Vermillion Rockfish that continues to be a pleasant addition.

Have a great weekend!

Capt. Mark & Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew

 

Thursday 8 May 2008

Proud to have the finest Rockfish fillets at $5.95 lb.
Fri. Sat & Sun, May 9th, 10th & 11th

Ahoy & Happy Mother’s Day!

Oops, some how I let last Thursday swim right on by without sending you our weekly update! With no Salmon season this year it just doesn't seem like May! News about the Salmon seems to be a daily event, so until all settles we will reserve our comments.

Meanwhile, we are always looking for opportunities to provide outstanding fish at a great value to you. This week will be one of those times. Even though Capt. Mark’s favorite fisheries are Salmon and Albacore, when it comes to sitting down to a fish dinner, both of us absolutely love all the different Rockfish species. This weekend we will be featuring “Bank Rockfish” caught by Capt. Ewing of the SOUTH BAY. You may have read about Capt. Ewing recently, for he is the "Captain" who is working with the Nature Conservancy to help provide fish with an "old school" trawl.

Bank Rockfish are one of approximately 60 different Rockfish sold as "Red Snapper." Many of you have brought local " Red Snapper", or have gone out to dinner and have been sold local "Red Snapper." However, true "Red Snapper" is not caught on the west coast of the United States. Restaurants, and many fish markets will tell you they have local or pacific "Red Snapper", but don't believe them; its actually Rockfish. Here at Dockside, we like to call fish by what they really are, not by a name that helps sell it. This is why you will never find local or pacific “Red Snapper” here.

Now back to this weekend! In honor of Mother’s Day starting Fri. May 9th and continuing through Sat. May 10th and Sun. May 11th we will be proud to have the finest Rockfish fillets available in the Fish Market at $5.95 a pound! In the Restaurant they will be featured as our fish of the day, as well as in our Specials. If you like a firm, white, moist and mild fillet, you'll love this delightful rockfish. They have a tremendous shelf life and are an excellent choice. With the onset of May, we also have ample amounts of other fish including Lingcod caught by Capt. Tobin of the PLEASURE and some beautiful whole Vermillion Rockfish provided by Capt. Smith of the “HEAVY METAL”.

Did you know? Bank Rockfish, known locally as “Red Widows” are a favorite meal for many commercial fishermen. The “Bank Rockfish” ranges from British Columbia to Baja but is rarely found in recreational catches as they usually spend their lives in deep water. That means usually outside 100 fathoms (600 feet). They are dusky red on the back with lighter red sides and black lines in their fins. The females grow to be bigger than the males, and can produce up to 600,000 eggs. Wow, imagine what Mother’s Day is like for the Bank Rockfish?!!!

Wishing you all a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Capt. Mark & Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew
F/V "Bonnie Marietta"
Tognazzini's Dockside Restaurant & Fish Market

 

Thursday 24 April 2008

California Halibut at $9.95 a pound for fillets this weekend April 26 th and 27 th.

Ahoy Mates!

We are approaching that time of year again when our attention goes to the Salmon season. This is also when we start sending out our weekly e-mail updates which are typically posted on Thursday evenings beginning in May and continuing through September. This is the normal fishing season for Capt. Mark and the "BONNIE MARIETTA". He usually starts off with Salmon in May and then switches over to Albacore sometime in the late summer. The balance of the year we only send occasional e-mails when something special is happening at either Dockside Restaurant or Dockside Too Fish Market.

Direct sales of Salmon from the "BONNIE MAIETTA" have been dismal at best the last two seasons, and three seasons now for Albacore. Although Capt. Mark is pretty talented, if no fish show, then it is beyond his God given ability to change that. When we get an Albacore run or a Salmon season we will be selling direct to you once again, from the deck of our boat. The Capt. has never let a few poor seasons discourage him, and in his 38 years of making a living from the Pacific he has seen it all from good to bad and everything in between.

Anyhow , we have lots to talk about. By now most of you already know we are not being allowed a California Salmon season for 2008. There are many reasons for this but over fishing in not one of them. During the following weeks we will provide further information regarding our Salmon fishery.

For the time being lets talk about some good stuff.......
Several weeks ago we did a California Halibut special at the Fish Market. It was so popular that Capt. Mark has been looking for another opportunity to do it again. Capt. Evans our regular Halibut catcher has mostly watched the wind blow from the safety of the harbor. So Capt. Mark arranged to receive more California Halibut from Capt. Palma of the "THRUST", who fishes out of San Pedro. Fishing has been good enough for Capt. Palma that we once again will offer California Halibut at $9.95 a pound for fillets this weekend April 26 th and 27 th. Of course you will see it in the Restaurant over the weekend as a featured special too.

Just for the Halibut, have a great weekend!

Capt. Mark & Bonnie Tognazzini, Family & Crew