The Fish Sniffer

(Berkeley) The storms that have been pushing through the state have stirred up some big swells. As a result charter boats have been in port for nearly a week and there is no definitive word when it will be calm enough for them to get back out after crabs and rockfish prior to end of rockfish season on December 31.

Private boaters are reporting some sturgeon action down in the south bay. 

Overall, the best sturgeon action is taking place in the extreme end of the south bay from the Dumbarton Bridge south. The top baits include herring, mud shrimp and ghost shrimp.

If you don’t want to make the run all the way to the south, Coyote Point, Candlestick Point, Bay Farm Island and the Alameda Rock Wall are all spots that traditionally produce diamondbacks at this time of the year. You’ll want to employ the same baits being used in the extreme south bay and focus your efforts on working the edges of channels. 

Bank anglers fishing from both the south and central bay shorelines are picking up a fair numbers of surfperch while tossing shrimp baits and pile worms.