Morro Bay/Avila Beach
The rockfish and lingcod season opened below Pigeon Point on May 1, so anglers in the Morro Bay and Avila Beach region have been fishing for nearly a month as of press time. In that time, anglers experienced slow to fair action as a result of cold water conditions. Recently the water temperature has inched up and the fishing has taken a turn for the better as a result.

The folks at Virg's Landing reported productive fishing for rockfish when the conditions cooperate. When the water is rough and the drift is fast the scores drop off. Overall anglers are averaging half to three quarter limits of rockfish.

"The fishing is going to get quite a bit better as time goes on, but at this time anglers fishing offshore of Morro Bay are hooking rockfish along with the occasional lingcod," disclosed Del Kyle at Portside Marine.

Alex Cossoboom at Patriot Sportfishing described the rockfish fishing as fair to good depending on the day. For example on May 24, the Pacific Horizon took out 46 anglers on a full day trip and they scored 26 lingcod, 86 red rockfish, 138 assorted rockfish and 230 bolina. Drew Layous won the jackpot with a 16 pound lingcod.

On the same day, the Patriot took out 42 anglers on a half day adventure. They scored 17 red rockfish and 173 assorted rockfish. Susan Thomson won the jackpot for her 3 pound vermilion rockfish.

Monterey/Santa Cruz
Although rockfish continue to provide the top action for anglers fishing the reefs from New Year's Island to Big Sur, big schools of stripers have descended on the beaches of Monterey Bay.

"Beach fishing for stripers is on fire," said Jim Franco at J&D Auto Gone Fishing. "Schools of fish are showing everywhere from Fisherman's Wharf #2 to the Monterey Dunes. Anglers are tossing out Pencil Poppers, Jumper Minnows and Fish Traps in green mackerel and redhead/white."

The striped bass are averaging 8 to 11 pounds, with some larger fish mixed in. "One angler reported catching and releasing 6 stripers at Reservation Road this morning," noted Franco.

"The striped bass are still being caught from New Brighton to Marina," confirmed Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine in Santa Cruz on May 24.

Rockfish action in the local reefs and off Point Sur was excellent on Memorial Day weekend, according to Captain Brian Cutting of Randy's Fishing Trips. The 15 anglers aboard the Sur Randy on May 24 bagged limits of yellowtail, blue and olive rockfish off Cypress Point, while the 7 anglers aboard the Chubasco also landed limits of rockfish and one keeper lingcod off Carmel.

Sunday produced similar action, with the 26 anglers aboard the Chubasco nailing rockfish limits off Point Sur and the 18 people on the Sur Randy bagging rockfish limits and 3 lingcod in Carmel Bay. Monday's trip to Carmel also produced limits of blue, yellowtail and live rockfish. Anglers found the best action while using white bars with feather jig teasers.

"Rockfish action is good," said Chris Arcoleo of Chris' Fishing Trips. "The Caroline had 20 limits of rockfish and 6 lingcod to 14 pounds off Point Sur on Memorial Day, while the Checkmate came back with 15 rockfish limits," said Chris Arcoleo of Chris' Fishing Trips.

The latest trip by the Velocity to New Year's Island produced limits of assorted blues, coppers and yellowtail rockfish and one lingcod for 26 anglers, according to Ken Stagnaro of Stagnaro's Fishing Trips in Santa Cruz.

Half Moon Bay
Rockfish and lingcod fishing had been fairly slow for Half Moon Bay anglers traveling south of Pigeon Point. This week things took a turn for the better and charter operators reported an improvement in the action.

"I'm on my way back to Pillar Point right now will limits of rockfish and a ling per rod for 10 anglers," exclaimed Captain Tom Mattusch of Hulicat Sportfishing. "We got our fish while working near Franklin Point, just below Pigeon Point. We tried dropping bars and bait, but the most effective thing was an unbaited shrimp fly."

"The rockfish fishing has been pretty darn good," related Peggy Beckett of the Huck Finn Sportfishing Center on May 24. "Yesterday the Que Sera Sera and the New Gravy both scored limits of rockfish. The New Gravy had 9 limits of quality rockfish while fishing just below Pigeon Point. The Que Sera Sera fished near Franklin Point and nailed 6 limits of rockfish."

"Considering how cool the water is the rockfish fishing is really quite good. Yesterday we averaged 8 fish per rod on the Queen of Hearts while fishing below Pigeon Point," reported Robert Hansen of the Half Moon Bay Sportfishing Center. "Today the weather was rougher, so the action was a little slower."

San Rafael
The halibut fishing is going strong in San Francisco and San Pablo bays for anglers drifting dead and live bait.

"We didn't fish over Memorial Day weekend," said Gordon Hough, captain of the Morning Star, "but we did get out for halibut on Thursday and Friday. The fishing was surprisingly good, considering the big tides and muddy water that we encountered. We caught most of our fish on the incoming tide."

The 12 anglers fishing aboard the Morning Star bagged 8 halibut while fishing frozen anchovies and live shiner perch in 10 feet of water. Chuck Lewis landed the largest fish, a 12 pounder.

"The halibut were all big enough - averaging 6 to 8 pounds - that we didn't have to measure them," said Hough.

The fishing was even better on Friday when 11 anglers nailed 14 halibut to 12 pounds and one 10-1/2 pound striper. Nancy Henderson of Sonoma nailed the jackpot halibut. "We caught half of the halibut at Southampton Shoal and the others at Paradise Cay, or 'Last Chance Hotel' as I like to call it," added Hough.

"Fishing was terrible over Memorial Day weekend due to big minus tides and windy weather," said Keith Fraser at Loch Lomond Live Bait and Tackle. "However, the terrific halibut action should resume with smaller tides. One of the best halibut areas is from the Marin Islands to the Brothers in 15 to 30 feet of water."

Berkeley/Emeryville
There are big numbers of halibut holding all over San Francisco Bay. Stripers are not nearly as plentiful as the halibut, but there are catchable numbers of bass around and some of them are husky double digit fish.

Captain James Smith of the California Dawn has been averaging from over one fish per rod to limits while trolling for halibut in various areas of San Francisco Bay. Most of the halibut that Smith's clients catch run 6 to 7 pounds, but larger fish in the 12 to 20 pound range are showing too. Many of the stripers picked up by Smith's anglers are running between 7 and 11 pounds.

Smith has been producing fish for his customers while trolling frozen anchovies teamed with small trout size dodgers. Sling Blades in the green UV finish have been highly effective, as have chartreuse Sep's dodgers.

Captain Joey Gallia of the New Easy Rider has also been nailing halibut and the occasional bass while working various areas of the middle and north bay with frozen bait.

Gallia's clients have been scoring better than a halibut per rod, on some days much better and they've been adding a few bonus stripers as well.

Charter anglers departing from the Emeryville Sportfishing Center aren't getting left out of the solid halibut and bass action. On Saturday, May 23, the New Huck Finn, C-Gull II, New Salmon Queen, and Talisman took out a grand total of 53 anglers. They scored 31 halibut to 14 pounds and 12 stripers to 22 pounds while trolling and drifting with frozen bait.

Fort Bragg
Rockfish season is now open for anglers departing from Noyo Harbor. The water is cold, so the fishing hasn't been red hot, yet anglers that put in a strong effort are being rewarded with limits of quality bottomfish.

"I just got in from a combo trip a few minutes ago," related Captain Randy Thornton of Telstar Charters on May 24. "I had 15 anglers aboard the boat today. They landed three quarter limits of rockfish and added 50 crabs. Most of the guys that fished hard ended up with limits of quality blacks, gophers and variety of other bottom dwellers. We had 3 shaker lingcod, but we didn't get a keeper. The rockfish were caught while fishing about 5 miles to the north of Noyo Harbor in 50 feet of water."

"I'm glad to report that the crabbing seems to be on the upswing. Last week we struggled with crabs, but today we did pretty well. We'll continue running combination crab and rockfish trips as long as we can," added Thornton.