Although the rockfish season is closed, you can catch sanddabs and other tasty flatfish that inhabit the California waters, including California halibut, starry flounder and petrale sole. When crab season starts, some sportfishing operations will also offer crab/rockfish combination trips. The crab season opens on November 30 in Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties and on November 9 in all other counties.

The Pacific Sanddab (Citharichthys sordidus) is a member of the Bothidae family (left-eyed flounders). These abundant fish occur in a wide range from the Bering Sea to Cabo San Lucas. Another species of sanddab, the longfin sanddab (Citharichthys xanthostigma), occurs from Monterey to Costa Rica.

"Since the rockcod season is closed, we are now offering sanddab trips every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.," explained June Davis from Virg's Landing. "On our first sanddab trip on November 2, the 17 passengers came back with lots of sanddabs. These trips are entertaining and productive, fishing shallow water to 100 feet. Sanddabs are a true delicacy of the sea and it's easy to bring home a bucketful."

Sam's Fishing Fleet in Monterey is also booking sanddab trips aboard the Star of Monterey and Point Sur Clipper, according to Jim Rasler. The fleet is also preparing special trips for white seabass, one of the most prized species in Monterey Bay. "The good thing about the bay is that we have such a wide area to cover, with lots of options for fishing trips," explained Rasler.

Jim suggested using light salmon rods with 20-25 pound test for the flatfish. "If you plan on coming out for a squid jigging trip, you'll want to bring out a one ounce feather jig to use for the squid," he noted.

"We just got back in from fishing off Del Monte Beach and our passengers caught an average of 50 sanddabs each," reported Todd Arcoleo from Chris' Fishing Trips. "They enticed the fish with strips of squid."

Anglers will be offered daily trips aboard the Caroline, New Holiday, Checkmate and Tornado for sanddab and other flatfish species. Trips depart from the harbor at 7:30 a.m. on weekdays and 6:30 a.m. on weekends.

Stan Chonacki from Randy's Fishing Trips confirmed the solid sanddab action taking place in Monterey Bay. "We just arrived back at the harbor after a just few hours on the water with buckets full of sanddabs and squid for everyone aboard," said Chonacki.

After the crab season starts on November 9, the Berkeley Marina Sports Center and Emeryville Sportfishing Center will offer trips targeting sanddabs and Dungeness crab. The rockfish/crab combos have been very popular over the past few years, so these sanddab/crab trips provide an alternative, now that rockfish and lingcod season is closed.

Bodega Bay anglers are also preparing for the Dungeness crab opener set for November 9. Anglers will be able to fish for crab, sanddabs and halibut aboard the Predator, according to Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sportfishing. Powers anticipates fishing the Russian River mouth for halibut and going out into deeper water for sanddabs.

When crab season begins on the North Coast on November 30, the Noyo Sportfishing Center and Anchor Charters will both be booking crab/sanddab combo adventures.

For more information regarding sanddab/crab combination trips, review the sportfishing section of our print magazine (Subscribe Now). Make sure that you review the 2002 Ocean Sport Fishing Regulation Book before making your journey onto the water.