During his latest trip to The Slide, Chapin was accompanied by Jeff Maclean of Outdoor Sportsman in Stockton and his fishing partner, Ted Leonard. "We trolled Rotary Killers and Crippled Anchovies to boat six fish (full limits) averaging 14 pounds and going up to 22 pounds," explained Chapin.

Local anglers departing from Capitola and Santa Cruz also weighed in limits of kings to 33 pounds that were taken at the mouth of the Pajaro River in Monterey Bay, according to Mike Hicks from Capitola Boat & Bait. There are not many anchovies in the bay yet, so trollers are doing best now that the fish are scattered.

Larry James weighed in the biggest limit this weekend with two kings weighing 13 and 33 pounds. James fooled the fish while trolling white hoochies at the mouth of the Pajaro River on Easter Sunday, April 20. James was accompanied by Cliff Volstorff, who boated his limit of kings weighing 6 and 12 pounds.

Anglers fishing out of Chris' Fishing Trips in Monterey also experienced solid action over the same weekend when moochers averaged 20 fish per boat, according to Donnie Davi. "Our four boats mooched with anchovies from Cypress Point to Moss Landing and in between at Mulligan Hill," said Davi. "The passengers caught fish weighing 9 to 30 pounds at 20 to 60 feet deep. The average salmon weighed 15 pounds."

The bite slowed early in the week, though anglers still averaged one fish per rod. "The fish were caught mooching anchovies on the outside of Point Pinos," added Davi.

During the first week of salmon fishing, Bodega Bay trollers weighed in limits of chinooks ranging from 8 to 28 pounds. "Although the bite started out slow, this was one of the best opening weeks we've had," reported Rick Powers at Bodega Bay Sportfishing.

"When we first started the day on April 13, things were not looking good since we didn't have a single fish in the box at noon," said Powers. "So I decided to move from the deep water to southwest of the Whistle Buoy where the water was shallow and the bite turned on."

For the next few hours, Powers and his clients hooked into between 25 and 30 fish and landed 18 salmon to 13 pounds for 13 passengers. "It took us a while to find the fish, but once we did, the bite really turned on," exclaimed Powers.

Two days later, the New Sea Angler took out 12 anglers for a trolling trip that produced 15 salmon to 19 pounds. The action improved the next day when 17 anglers scored limits up to 20 pounds. "On Thursday, we were one fish shy of limits for 12 anglers," added Powers. "Francis Ritz of Healdsburg landed the largest fish, a 28 pounder."

The New Sea Angler finished off the week with a half-day trip that yielded 18 salmon to 19 pounds. The Dandy returned with limits of kings for two anglers the same day.

At press time, a strong storm was forecasted to arrive in the Monterey Bay and Bodega Bay areas. Make sure that you check the weather forecast before going out in the ocean on your boat.