HALF MOON BAY...
For several weeks, anglers fishing out of Half Moon Bay have reported excellent salmon fishing, with limits taken on many days. However, anglers are finding slower action now, since the fish pushed further out to sea.

"The fishing has been difficult. We got a little wind rolling through, and the salmon were pushed nearly 40 miles out from the harbor, making the trips long and rough," reported Peggy Beckett of Huck Finn Sportfishing. "Of course, we still managed to put fish in the boat, but the numbers varied from less than one fish per rod to limits aboard Ankeney Street."

"Most of the smaller fish have been hanging just outside the harbor, but catching the bigger fish has been best around the N. Buoy," explained Beckett.

"A lot of people have the idea that we are shut down for rockcod and lings, but we are still running rockfish and lingcod trips in 120 feet of water and less," she emphasized. A recent trip to Pescadero aboard Queen of Hearts yielded limits of assorted rockcod, 8 lings, 31 cabezon and 1 flounder.

BERKELEY MARINA...
Ocean fishing for salmon has provided solid action for both trollers and moochers fishing out of Berkeley Marina Sportfishing Center. Anglers are averaging 1 to 2 chinooks per rod, depending on the day.

Twenty passengers aboard New Easy Rider ventured out on June 26 to catch 24 fish up to 28 pounds. Following up with a solid 34 fish to 36 pounds were the 20 boaters aboard the El Dorado I.

The hot boat of the day; New El Dorado III, managed to return with 46 fish (limits) for their 23 passengers.

Live bait trips out in the bay also continue to produce solid action. A recent trip aboard the Golden Eye yielded 20 striped bass to 20 pounds and 6 halibut to 15 pounds for 10 anglers.

EMERYVILLE...
Salmon fishing off Point Reyes and along the Marin County Coast provided outstanding action for boaters leaving out of Emeryville Sportfishing Center over the past week. Since the opener, anglers have caught near-limits to limits on each available trip, weather permitting.

"Most of the fish are being taken while trolling or mooching anchovies 30-50 deep," said Craig Stone of Emeryville Marina Sportfishing Center. "Although we are seeing an average weight of 12-15 pounds, it's been common on every trip to bring back a fish over 30 pounds.

Unfortunately, live bait pot luck trips have dropped off to less than one fish per rod over the past week, noted Stone. Craig attributes the slower action to bigger tides rolling through the main bay.

RICHMOND...
With rough weather outside of the Golden Gate for the past few days, anglers are focusing on the north bay for leopard shark and the Berkeley Flats for halibut and striped bass.

A recent live bait trip to Berkeley Flats by Captain Barry Canevaro of The Fish Hookers Sportfishing produced 5 halibut to 12 pounds, and 2 stripers up to 9 pounds. "All of the fish were caught while drifting the outgoing tide," explained Canevaro.

"I ran out late last week for leopard shark in the north bay and we found fantastic fishing using midshipmen," reported Canevaro. Barry's three angler boated limits of shark while fly lining. The biggest fish boated during this expedition was a 51 incher, weighing 30 pounds.

BODEGA BAY...
Angling off the Russian River for salmon has produce steady action for limits of quality salmon averaging 15 pounds.

"We've been running out just above the Russian River for salmon, and our past two trips out have yielded limits," reported Dave French of Blockbuster Charters out of Bodega Bay. The biggest salmon boated during the last two days of fishing was a hefty 34 pounder pulled in by a passenger aboard the vessel Blockbuster.

"We also had the vessel Pay Back running out for salmon in the same area, and they returned about half an hour prior to us with limits as well," stated French.

FORT BRAGG...
If you want to catch a hard-fighting king salmon, now's the time to fish off Fort Bragg. "It's been tough keeping these active salmon on the hooks, but we are not complaining in the least," said Teresa Akin of Noyo Fishing Center. "Our boats are running out 3 miles to the north and are finding wide open result trolling hoochies with a cut bait, or bait-less rigs."

According to Akin, the fish are averaging 15-20 pounds, with 35 pounder taking big fish honors.

Randy Thornton of Telstar Charters confirmed the hot action being experienced by Fort Bragg anglers fishing north of the reef in 250 feet of water. "Our last trip out yielded full limits of quality salmon weighing up to 29 pounds," noted Thornton.

"All of our recent trips out for salmon have produced near-limits to limits, including a lot of chinooks over 20 pounds," added Thornton.