Check out the new Issue of The Fish Sniffer magazine for September 19, 2025

In this issue of The Fish Sniffer, we are looking forward to Fall, the best season of the year for some of us. The Fall is the time when all beings start to prepare for the tough winter season. For Fishing in Northern Californi, that means the trout, salmon, bass, panfish, stripers, catfish and all other species go on the bite to fatten up for the lean winter season Lakes like Eagle, Shasta, New Melones, Folsom and Berryessa and most others will feature some of the best fishing of the year. Striped bass fishing in the Delta will take off for stripers and the Bay and Ocean will see halibut, rockfish and lingcod go on the bite.

The golden mussel problem is still impacting boaters all over the state and has caused major boat launch closures and strict new inspection and quarantine rules several lakes in our area. These rules are starting to change, and some lakes like Oroville and Bullards bar are allowing boaters to launch the same day after an inspection. Be sure to check out the regulations at any lake you want to fish before you go.

All you need to know about fresh and saltwater fishing in Northern California is now available in the new issue of The Fish Sniffer Magazine!

Fishing this fall is still going strong up and down the Bay Area coastline! All the usual suspects (halibut, lingcod, rockfish) are readily available. Sandy areas are producing halibut and rocky reefs are good places to target lingcod/rockfish. All can be caught on artificials but I prefer live bait for the best results. Any baitfish in the 6-9" range should get the job done! Targeting depths of 30-70 feet of water will give you a good chance at a nice halibut or lingcod. For anglers with offshore capabilities, albacore and the occasional bluefin tuna have also been caught. However, all those were seemingly on hold for the 4 day salmon season we had in the first week of September. I fished the first day in Half Moon Bay and the fishing was tough. Some got skunked and a few lucky anglers went home with limits. I was lucky enough to get a keeper just inside the green can trolling a Watermelon Apex at 27 pulls with a deep six diver. Video is live on youtube!

On September 2nd, I decided to go to Santa Ana River Lakes again in the afternoon to fish for catfish and test my luck. I went for the midday session and that ranges from midday up until 11 PM.

It was really hot that day. The sun was super hot out with the temperature being in the 90s, but that didn’t stop me from going up there. The water was still kind of cool to the touch even with the heat, it wasn’t enough to warm up the water as much.

From midday up until 7 PM. When it was close to 8 PM, I decided to rebait again using nightcrawlers with marshmallow dipped in hogwild cheese dip bait. I cast as far as I can near the boat dock of the lake and no less than 15 minutes, the rod bent down crazy. The fight was about 5 to 6 minutes, and I managed to land a 5 1/2 pound catfish.

After that, the bite kept going for the next three hours. I managed to catch four total that day on a Carolina rig with a 2/0 Circle hook and about a 12-inch leader. The other bait of choice was also shrimp with marshmallow showered in the magic fish water fish attractant, which managed to catch 2 cats that day.

Safe to say, as the weather is getting hotter the kitties come out to play at night.

Jigging for Late Season Kokanee

by Jack Naves

In the middle of summer, kokanee roam like grazing cattle over open water feeding on plankton.  Catching them can be as easy as showing up and trolling popular lures like spinners or squids. As summer progresses, the bite gets tougher.

Late summer and fall, when kokanee start to resemble miniature crocodiles, most folks give up on chasing them and switch to other pastimes. These pre-spawners can be finicky - catching them on trolling gear can be unpredictable. They will typically form tight schools and stage outside of creeks or rivers where they will spawn later in the fall. So how do you get them to bite?

Jigging, or ‘spooning’, is an old school technique that few Northern California anglers employ for kokanee. If you search the web, you will find lots of information from other states like Washington and Oregon, but not much from California. Kokanee are kokanee, so why not try it here?

Back in September of 2011, I decided to challenge myself and imposed self-declared a no-trolling rule on a solo trip to Pardee Lake. Though it took me a while, I was able to knock out a limit of smoker-quality kokes and was back on the road before lunchtime. Let’s look at the gear you’ll need to jig up a kokanee limit of your own.

Downrigger trolling rods won’t work great for jigging, as they are too limber. Instead, use a fairly stiff medium graphite bass-fishing-type rod that’s six to seven feet long with a fast tip. Spinning reels make it easier to quickly descend the lightweight jigs, while a line-counter baitcasting reel can help to figure out the depth at which you are fishing. I normally just look at my jig on the sonar screen to determine my...

Victory: Broad Coalition Stops Governor’s Trailer Bills to Fast-Track Delta Tunnel

SACRAMENTO - A broad coalition of Tribes, environmental justice groups, family farmers, fishing groups, conservationists, Delta communities and elected officials celebrated victory in their campaign to stop Governor Gavin Newsom's trailer bills to fast-track the Delta Tunnel, a project that would destroy the imperiled Sacramento-San Joaquin River ecosystem and Delta communities.

At midnight on Sept. 10, Newsom’s Delta Tunnel trailer bills died after no legislator stepped up to carry them forward because of the massive opposition to the bills.

In a statement, Delta Caucus Co-Chairs Senator Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) and Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) applauded the defeat of what they called “the governor’s controversial proposal to fast-track the costly and destructive Delta Tunnel Project.”

The proposal that sought to greatly accelerate the construction of a 45-mile-long underground tunnel that could cost upwards of $100 billion through the fragile Delta region is not advancing this year after the Legislature rejected the governor’s plan.

“Defeating the tunnel fast-tracking proposal is a major victory for California and the Delta, and for the communities, farms, and historic resources surrounding the largest estuary on the West Coast. The tunnel project not only would devastate much of the Delta region, but is also unaffordable and unnecessary,” said Sen. McNerney, whose district includes the heart of the Delta region.

“We want to thank Senate and Assembly leadership for protecting the fragile Delta region and the thousands of Californians who called on the Legislature to reject the fast-tracking plan. Assemblywoman Wilson and I stand ready to work with the Legislature and governor on alternatives that will cost far less and will safeguard California’s main water supply system without inflicting major harm to it, such as fortifying Delta levees and increasing water recycling, water efficiency, and...

Marin County Coast Facts:

Groundfish Regulations Summary Update:

• Effective August 28, 2025: Recreational regulations allow take of rockfish, cabezon, greenling and lingcod in all depths for state waters in the Northern, Mendocino, San Francisco, and Central Groundfish Management Areas through December 31, 2025. There are temporarily different regulations for rockfish, cabezon, greenling and lingcod in federal waters in these Management Areas. Regulations in federal waters may vary by management area. Before fishing, anglers should verify if their planned fishing location is in state or federal waters and what regulations apply in each water area. The state waters boundary line can be viewed on the Ocean Sport Fishing Map: https://cdfw.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=c00c82e1f32a49e99c747e2411e3439e

Updates to federal regulations are expected in mid-September. Check back frequently for updates to federal regulations.

Charter boats:

Sportfishing boats from throughout the Bay Area target salmon, halibut, striped bass, lingcod, rockfish and other species on San Francisco Bay and outside of the Golden Gate during their respective seasons.

Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco:

Unforgettable Fishing Adventures (415) 656-656-5318; Gatecrasher Fishing Adventures, (925) 497-717; the Bass Tub, (415) 456-9055; Lovely Martha, (650) 619-6629; Silver Fox Sportfishing, (415) 367-5600; and Flash Sport Fishing Charters, (510) 851-2500.

Berkeley Marina:

New Easy Rider, (707) 422-2050; California Dawn, (510) 417-5557; Pacific Dream, (510) 993-4414; Happy Hooker, (510) 223-5388; Hook’d Up Sportfishing, (707) 655-6736; and Goldeneye 2000, (510) 610-0888. For more information, call the Berkeley Marina Sportfishing Center, (510) 849-3333.

Emeryville Sportfishing Center:

New Huck Finn, C Gull II, Kingfish, Diamond, Scallywag; Pacific Pearl, Oakland Anglers II, Lady K, Playn Hooky and other boats. For more information, call Fish Emeryville, (510) 652-3403.

Pyramid Lake Opens October 1st!

We in Northern California are very blessed to live close to what I consider to be the best trout fishing in the world! Pyramid Lake, Nevada, is a world class trout fishery that is the home of the World Record Lahontan Cutthroat trout of 41 pounds. Pyramid is the only habitat in the world for the Cui-ui fish that has been around for over 2 million years. The lake is widely acclaimed as the most beautiful desert lake, and has been attracting fishermen for decades.

Pyramid is the largest lake in Nevada, covering over 125,000 acres and with a maximum depth of 350 feet. It is slightly larger than its famous neighbor, Lake Tahoe. It is fed by the Truckee River, which flows out of Lake Tahoe and through the city of Reno, before dumping into the south end of Pyramid Lake. It is located 35 miles north of Reno

There are two separate species of Lahontan cutthroat inhabiting the lake, the Pilot Peak strain and the Summit Lake strain. The Pilot Peak strain trout grow extremely fast, feeding on Tui Chubs and Cui-ui, and fish up to 31 pounds have been caught in the last few years. Studies show that they can grow at an astonishing rate of up to 5 pounds per year, with 4 year old fish weighing 20 pounds!  Today, the average size trout is 4 to 7 pounds, and if an angler doesn’t land one over 10 pounds in a day of fishing, he tends to be slightly disappointed! There is no other trout fishery in the world that I know of where an angler would be even a little disappointed with 4 to 9 pound trout!

The Trout Season at Pyramid runs from October 1st through June 30th. Bag...

Silver Horde for excellent Pyramid Lake Spoons and Plugs!

Silver Horde is a top manufacturer of salmon and trout fishing lures and accessories.

Whether trolling for kings in the ocean, trying to fool Alaskan silvers or just to catch rainbow trout and cutthroat trout in Northern California lakes, lures and accessories from the folks at Silver Horde/Gold Star are some of the best fish catchers around.

We have had great luck fishing with Silver Horde spoons and cut plugs at Pyramid Lake. They are one of our first go to lures to start the day. The Kingfisher Spoons in 3 3/8” length in bright chartreuse and orange colors have caught many nice cutthroat for.  The Silver Horde cut plugs work extremely well to lure the big trout to the net. The cut plugs have a very active wobble action, punctuated by an extreme cut to the left or right as the plug is trolled at speed. We use the 4 inch size that work the best at 2.5 to 4 mph.

Kingfisher & Kingfisher Lite Spoons

Silver Horde Kingfisher Spoons have proven themselves for trout and landlocked salmon throughout Northern California, especially in lakes like Shasta, Oroville, Folsom, Don Pedro and more. The Kingfisher spoon is a thin wobbler with a great fish attracting action at trolling speeds from 1.8 to 3.5 mph. They come in four sizes that range from 2 inches long to 3-3/8 inches. Over 50 color choices in standard, glow and Ultra Violet finishes are available. The Kingfisher spoons are rigged with stout hooks with welded rings for durability.

The Silver Horde larger commercial spoons such as the S2B5 and S2B6 with the hammered finish have been particularly successful at Pyramid Lake for big cutthroats. These hammered spoons in bright colors really do well.

Silver Horde...

American River

Salmon Move Into River Steelhead, Stripers Offer Solid Action

RANCHO CORDOVA – Releases to the American River remain low at 1640 cfs, but the fall full moon has arrived. “So salmon have started to make their way up the river," reported Kailyr Perry of Kailyr’s Guide Service.

“Bank fisherman should toss spinners and spoons and drift eggs under bobber for best salmon success,” he advised.

Boat anglers should backtroll or anchor up with Kwikfish, Brad’s Killer Fish and plugs. Side drifting or boondoggling salmon roe is also effective for catching the Chinooks.

“Stripers and summer steelhead remain in good numbers. We are using jerk baits and paddle tails for stripers; as we go into this fall transition the bite will explode,” he stated.

“We’re catching steelhead up to 8 lbs., but most will be 2 lbs. to 4 lbs.,” Perry added. “Due to lower releases from Folsom and Nimbus dams, we will not get more water until late October or November unless we get heavy rains.”

• Dan Bacher

Collins Lake

Channel Cats, Panfish Roam The Shoreline

OREGON HOUSE – Catfish, panfish and black bass offer anglers their best chance of catching fish at Collins Lake now, although anglers fishing in deep water continue to catch some holdover rainbow trout.

“Your best bet for the catfish is to fish mackerel and crawlers from the shore,” advised Cal Kellogg at fishcallogg.com. “Channel cats up to 6 pounds are being caught by anglers fishing early and late in the day from dam to the campgrounds.”

One angler reported catching crappie and redear sunfish while fishing nightcrawlers and small jigs around brush and structure.

“If you want to catch trout, you need to fish deep, around 40 feet deep, until the surface water temperature cools down and the fall turnover begins,” he tipped. “You should troll with soft plastics, Berkley Gulp, PowerBait and Trix minnows. You can also drift Power Bait at the depth where the fish are holding.”

For spotted and largemouth bass, anglers should use soft plastics on drop shot rigs, swimbaits and spoons around offshore structure and bait schools.

The lake level is 26 feet from full. The surface water temperature is 77.3 degrees and the water is clear.

The Collins Lake Resort is preparing a trout planting schedule, tentatively starting mid-October, according to Ed Palma. Look for improving trout action with the arrival of fall rainbow plants and cooling water temperatures.

• Dan Bacher

East Bay Lakes Roundup

Perfect weather, light crowds and decent fishing!

ALAMEDA COUNTY – The weather is perfect, school is in, and the crowds are light, seasonal plants may have ended but there is still plenty of action to be had.

Lake del Valle - Paul Clouse and Al Hurwitz continue their quest for DV smallies and are starting to see some decent numbers. Last week the pair took a total of 12 fish (the one Bluegill and 11 Smallmouth). The smallies were mostly on the dink side, except for one weighing 2 pounds. The fish were mainly caught on the western shore of the lake opposite Swallow Bay trolling 1/4 oz Panther Martin Spinners in a salamander pattern at 16-21 feet below the surface in 20–30-foot water columns at a speed of 2.0-2.4 mph.

Largemouth remain another solid target, with a decent morning and evening bite and with water temperatures slowly dropping the bite window is stretching longer into the day. Additionally, the fish are moving into deeper water and are a bit easier to target in the cleaner water. Catfish are still more than available, panfish are at about their largest size of the season, and there are still some outliers such as the occasional striper. Weedless plastics, chatter baits, shallow divers and spinners will all work for bass.

Cut baits like anchovies and sardines are best for the cats and worms under a bobber or small jigs should produce both crappie and bluegill. There was a surprise DFW trout taken this week

A caution advisory for algae remains in effect but has had little effect on the fishing. The water level is good, and water temperatures have been between 75 degrees in the morning and 79 degrees in the afternoon.

Contra Loma – There has been little...

Los Vaqueros Reservoir

South Side of Reservoir Opens Back Up to Public, Catfish Is Best Bet

LIVERMORE – From September 2-4, the south side of the watershed was fully closed, including Los Vaqueros Road and the Los Vaqueros Marina. But on September 5 the road reopened to the public.

"We're glad to welcome visitors back to the South side today after the temporary closure,” according to the Los Vaqueros Marina staff. “Road repairs are still underway, so please continue to drive with caution. As always, we appreciate your patience.”

Meanwhile, there have been six plants of channel catfish in Los Vaqueros this summer.

The latest plant by Tsai Enterprises was on August 19 when 1,000 pounds of catfish were stocked in the reservoir. They also stocked 1,000 pounds of channel cats on July 15.

Big fish honors go to Ricky, who caught a hefty channel catfish off the fishing pier. The size of the fish and the bait the fish was caught on were not provided.

For those targeting catfish, chicken liver and anchovies are the best choices of bait. There has been a steady number of catfish being caught around the reservoir. South Cove, Cowboy Cove and Oak Point are some of the popular spots, according to the Los Vaqueros Marina. Expect to catch channel cats averaging 2 to 5 pounds, along with some bigger fish.

“Striper fishing is mixed with both shakers and legal sized fish being caught from around the reservoir,” the marina reported. “Cut anchovies or shad are the baits of choice, either from shore or a boat. Cowboy Cove and Howden Cove seem to be the hot spots for stripers. Just a reminder: stripers need to be 18 inches or more to be legal. Please release the small fish as quickly and carefully as possible....

Lake Oroville

Fishing Pressure Light for Kings and Rainbows Despite Great Bite

OROVILLE – Since so many anglers are fishing the Feather River for the chance to catch their first river salmon in 3 years, fishing reports from Lake Oroville have been scarce.

However, Bret Brady of Bare Bones Guide Service reported top-notch fishing on this most recent adventures at Oroville.

“Fishing has been fantastic,” said Brady. “We are catching rainbows up to 5 lbs. and kings up to 4.5 lbs. Rainbows are coming from 55–65 feet, while the kings are coming from 85–95 feet. Fish are in great condition and actively feeding.”

“There is very little fishing pressure,” he advised. “Focus on finding the bait—fish are concentrated wherever bait is present. Use Uncle Larry’s Pearl Squid (both colors), a 360 flasher in various colors, and a 5.5-inch dodger at 2–2.3 mph for best results.”

David Derby confirmed the excellent salmon and trout fishing on the lake on the Lake Oroville Fishing Reports Facebook Page:

“We caught five kings and three rainbows this morning west of the green bridge 80’ down. The fish were still biting when we left. We had a fun day,” he reported.

Meanwhile, Inspectors for DWR’s invasive mussel prevention program at Oroville found suspected golden mussels during a routine inspection of a pontoon boat on September 4.

“The pontoon was previously moored at the Pittsburg Marina and had been power washed prior to traveling to Oroville,” DWR reported in its weekly update. “Thanks to DWR’s mussel inspection program, the boat was prevented from launching at DWR’s Oroville facilities.”

“Staff immediately contacted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for further inspection and decontamination at another facility. The vessel was quarantined and will not be allowed to launch at a DWR reservoir until CDFW confirms that...

Lake Berryessa

Catfish, Salmon and Bass Highlight Early Fall Catches

SACRAMENTO – Cal Kellogg of fishcalkellogg.com reported experiencing the “most interesting trip I’ve ever had on Lake Berryessa” while fishing with Nate Kelsch from Big Nate’s Guide Service. Their target was lunker catfish – and they caught those, as well as a smallmouth and largemouth bass.

“We went into a cove and marked what we thought were channel catfish,” said Kellogg. “The fish were exploding on bait that jumped onto the shoreline to flee the big predators.”

“Over 40 feet of water, we put squid and anchovies on our hooks. Kelsch hooked and landed a channel cat over 20 pounds at 15 feet below the surface. We missed another fish and I then I hooked and landed a catfish weighing about 12 pounds,” Kellogg continued.

“We also caught and released a 3 lb. smallmouth on an anchovy and a 3-1/2 lb. largemouth on a whole squid,” noted Kellogg. “There didn’t appear to be any small catfish there – there were only huge marks on the fish finder.”

The kokanee, king salmon and rainbow trout action at Berryessa is also going strong.

On his latest trolling adventure, Nate Kelsch reported, “Today I had the pleasure of taking Dave, Amy and Lyle out on Berryessa for a potluck trip and they absolutely smashed the donkeys, scoring the largest kokanee that I’ve seen since 2021, big king salmon and some beautiful trout. What a day! These potluck trips are a blast as I try to get you a nice combo of what this amazing fishery as to offer.”

“I can’t preach enough about the Tackle that we are using, which is all available in my Kokanee Kit from Catch America!!! These 6 in Offset Dodgers. Tpex lures and Uncle Larry’s Spinners, tipped with...

Feather River

Anglers Score Salmon Limits on River

OROVILLE – The salmon season closed after September 15 in the Feather River from the unimproved boat ramp above the Thermalito Afterbay Outfall to 200 yards above the Live Oak boat ramp.

The section from 200 yards above the Live Oak boat ramp to Highway 99 bridge remains open through October 31. The bag limit is one Chinook salmon: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=202686&inline

Before the closure of the upper section of river, Justin Leonard of Out Cast Guide Service reported solid Chinook salmon action, with some slower days mixed in.

"It was a tough morning," said Leonard on September 12. "The releases to the river dropped over the last couple of days. But we still ended up with limits of salmon for six people. The fish ranged from 8 to 22 pounds."

"We caught all of the fish while boondoggling with roe. There are a ton of fish in the river now. Anglers are now finding decent salmon action downriver. We will be fishing the lower river once the closure of the upper river goes into effect,” he concluded.

Lake Almanor

Good fishing all over the lake.

 The weather returned to pleasant following days that featured afternoon thunderstorms. The conditions are almost identical to the last report, with little changing out on the water. The water level continues its slow decline of about 1/10 of a foot/day and currently sits at 4486. Flows on all the lake’s tributaries are at seasonal norms. Water temperature is at or near 70. Bug hatches continue in many areas of the lake, but a good number of fish, including trout and Smallies, have shifted their attention back to the lake’s pond smelt population. The trout are now spread throughout the entire lake. With localized dense pockets of fish tightly grouped on bait. Find one of these groups and stay on them for some wild bites. Action for trollers is happening at a variety of locations around the lake, from the dam to Big Springs. Both sides of the peninsula have been giving up fish as well. Trout have been caught on a wide variety of offerings recently. Slow trolled worms and plastics along with fast trolled spoons in bright as well as bait fish patterns have both produced fish this week. 35 to 45 feet seems to be holding the bulk of the active fish. The catch continues to be a mix Rainbows and Browns along with a few salmon. Bait fishermen have been netting a few fish at several locations including the dam and east shore around Dorado as well as eastern side of the peninsula. Fly anglers suspending nymphs under indicators are tempting the fish that are keyed in on the aquatic larvae  Bass anglers have been throwing jigs on rocky points and shore lines for smallies keyed in on smelt as their food source. Lots of trout stacked up in...

Rio Vista/Delta

Trolling, Bait Fishing Produces Striper Limits

RIO VISTA – The striper bite for trollers in the Delta continues to be excellent, according to legendary trolling expert Mark Wilson. Mark tells me that he and his friends have been concentrating on the Sacramento River below Rio Vista.

Mark said he’s been trolling the West Bank from Sandy Beach down river to the Red Barn for 20 to 30 keepers per trip, releasing all but their limits. He’s trolling any green colored Yozuri or P-Line Predator deep diving lures in 12 to 15 feet of water for his best action.

Mark added that when the wind prevents them from trolling the West Bank, he’s been going into Broad or Montezuma Sloughs. Both sloughs are holding stripers averaging 7 pounds similar to the main river. Mark is finding that the incoming tide has been more productive, but he’s also catching stripers on the outgoing tide as well.

There is no sturgeon report this month as sturgeon fishing closed on June 30th from the west side of the Carquinez Bridge east to downstream of the confluence of the Feather River on the Sacramento River and downstream of the I-5 bridge on the San Joaquin River. Sturgeon fishing will resume again on October 1, 2025, so look for a sturgeon report once the fishery opens after October 1st.

Cal Kellogg of fishcalkellogg.com reported catching some quality stripers lately. On his latest solo trip, Kellogg reported catching and releasing a 22 lb. striper and catching and keeping an 8 lb. striper in the Delta.

“The big fish measured 40 inches long,” said Kellogg. “I saw good marks on my fishfinder on the San Joaquin River between the Mokelumne and the mouth of Fisherman’s Cut. I put on a bluegill for bait in 18 feet...

Bodega Bay/Tomales Bay

Rockfish and Lingcod Bite Continues At Fast Pace

BODEGA BAY – Anglers aboard the New Sea Angler found solid fishing during the four day salmon season from Point Reyes to Point Sur. Now the charter boats are back to targeting rockfish and lingcod with great results.

23 anglers caught 47 salmon to 27 pounds on September 5 while trolling aboard the New Sea Angler south of Point Reyes, reported Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sportfishing. The 25 anglers bagged 32 salmon to 26 pounds while trolling anchovies the previous day. The weather conditions were excellent.

On his most recent rockfish adventure, the 14 anglers aboard the New Sea Angler bagged 140 rockfish, full limits, and 10 lingcod up to 14 pounds. “The fish were all quality bottomfish – there were no school fish,” Powers noted.

On his previous rockfish adventure, the 6 anglers fishing with Powers landed 160 rockfish, full limits, and 12 lingcod to 12 pounds.

The anglers have been catching quality canary, brown, copper and vermilion rockfish. Anglers are hooking the fish while using shrimp flies baited with squid strips, bars, jigs, swimbaits and other offerings.

The recreational groundfish regulations in the San Francisco Management Area (from Point Arena to Pigeon Point) are available here: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=185056&inline

In Tomales Bay, Willy Vogler at Lawson’s Landing in Dillon’s Landing reported spotty halibut fishing. He posted a report from “Swampy” that detailed the state of halibut fishing:

“Should have been here yesterday. It was a tough bite today, but plan C and D finally worked. We hit the bar and interior hard for two halibut. Jake, Swampy Jr, scored a 14 pounder and Alex got a clicker. We had a great time as always. She ain’t singing yet,” Swampy stated.

"The fat lady is surely warming up, though,”...

Half Moon Bay

Rockfish Limits The Rule Off San Mateo County Coast

EL GRANADA – If you want to catch a limit of colorful rockfish, along with getting the chance to battle a big lingcod or halibut, the San Mateo County coast is a superb prospect at this time. The new groundfish regulations allow anglers to target rockfish and lingcod at all depths in state water.

The Queen of Hearts reported in with 120 rockfish and 2 lingcod for 12 anglers on their latest trip out of the harbor. The boat came back with 228 rockfish, 2 lingcod and 2 cabezon for 23 people on their previous trip, reported Wallace Klughers, Captain of the Queen of Hearts out of Half Moon Bay Sportfishing and Tackle. Another trip yielded 240 rockfish, 5 lingcod and 2 halibut for the 24 anglers aboard the boat.

Recreational Dungeness crab season is closed until the first Saturday in November, but the rock crab season is open all year using either hoop nets or snares. Anglers interested in catching rock crab can fish off the fishing pier inside the harbor as well as on the jetty.

If you're interested in monkeyface eel, there are plenty of them available hidden in the jetty rocks for poke-pole anglers.

Groundfish Regulations Summary Update: Effective August 28, 2025: Recreational regulations allow take of rockfish, cabezon, greenling and lingcod in all depths for state waters in the Northern, Mendocino, San Francisco, and Central Groundfish Management Areas through December 31, 2025.

There are temporarily different regulations for rockfish, cabezon, greenling and lingcod in federal waters in these Management Areas. Regulations in federal waters may vary by management area. Before fishing, anglers should verify if their planned fishing location is in state or federal waters and what regulations apply in each water area....