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

Don Pedro Lake

Trollers Battle Rainbows and Kings

LA GRANGE – The rainbow trout and king salmon fishing continues to be superb on Don Pedro Reservoir this September.

“I had another incredible day with return clients, Greg, Angela and Don, at Don Pedro,” said Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing after his most recent trip. “The fish were happy to see us and couldn’t wait to jump in the net. They had 14 rainbows, 3 king salmon and one spotted bass. There were a few missed and lost fish also in the game. The weather was perfect with a little breeze.”

The rainbows ranged from 1 to 2-3/4 pounds and the kings went up to 2 pounds. They trolled with custom spoons at 45 to 65 feet deep. The shallower rods, at 45 to 55 feet, produced most of the fish, Smith noted.

On his previous trip, Smith reported fast fishing for rainbows and kings.

“It was a short trip. It took a little over two hours to land 10 fish, all rainbows, and lose 10 in the process. It was a great day with guys Arik and Mark,” he stated. “They also caught and released five bass, including two largemouths and two spotted bass.”

The rainbows ranged from 1 to 2 pounds. Again, Smith trolled with homemade spoons at 45 to 65 feet deep.

“We’ve seen a lot of kings from 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 pounds this season,” he added. “Next year those fish will be 4 to 6 pounds,” Smith concluded.

Don Pedro Lake is holding 1,902,345 acre feet of water, 94 percent of capacity and 114 percent of average. The lake level is 819.64 feet elevation.

• Dan Bacher

Napa River

Trollers Score Big on Striped Bass

NAPA – If you’d like to troll for stripers on the Napa River from Cuttings Wharf, then Dennis Grossi of Grossi’s Guide Service has a great report for you.

Dennis tells me that he experienced the best month of August he’s had on the water since he began guiding. Dennis has been putting his clients on limits to early limits of stripers on every trip.

Dennis is having his clients troll ¾ and 1 ounce Rat-L-Trap chrome and chartreuse lures 120 to 150 feet behind the boat for stripers averaging 6-7 pounds. The last of the outgoing tides have been the best, but the incoming tides have also been working for him. The good thing is that Dennis hasn’t had wind issues.

• Ken Baccetti, President of the California Striped Bass Association (CSBA), Isleton-Delta Chapter

New Melones Lake

Go Deep For Kokanee Salmon

ANGELS CAMP – The kokanee season is near its end at New Melones Lake, but Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Sportfishing reported top-notch fishing for kokanee at this Mother Lode reservoir.

“Quick limit from New Melones this morning,” said Wise after his latest trolling adventure. “We saw easy pickings while pulling Mag Tackle and Paulina Peak gold dodgers with Apex lures, tipped with Pautzke’s fire corn and herring gel down to 110 feet.”

On a previous trip, he reported, “It was a fun morning on New Melones with three new clients and newbies to Kokanee fishing, they were greeted with a great bite and ended up with limits without losing one single fish.

“There were lots of familiar faces on the water this morning and Stan came thru like always, breakfast bananas were hurled at my boat and ate immediately. John Dahl and Joe were out as well,” Wise said.

Wise used Paulina Peak Tackle gold dodgers paired with Turtle lures and apex lures down to 110’ with Pautzke’s fire corn and herring gel.

Boaters interested in participating in the new seal program can obtain a quarantine seal to attach to your boat and trailer at this time. Please visit the Glory Hole boat launch location between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to obtain one from a park ranger free of charge, to begin the 30-day quarantine period prior to any future boat launching at New Melones.

For questions about this suspension and the new protocol, contact a New Melones staff member at 209 459-7290 or visit the New Melones website.

New Melones is holding 1,635,838 acre feet of water, 68 percent of capacity and 120 percent of average.

• Dan Bacher

Russian River

Largemouth Bass Were Biting Before Low Flow Closure

GUERNEVILLE – The Russian River is closed to all fishing, due to the CDFW’s low flow closure that requires flows to be above 300 cfs at the Hacienda Crossing for anglers to fish. The flows were 170 cfs at press time, according to Scott Heemstra at King’s Sport & Tackle.

Before the low flow closure, Andrew Ahn, fishing guide, reported catches of both largemouth and smallmouth bass on his last fishing adventure on the Russian:

“My good friend Bob, a client from my first year guiding, took me out yesterday and today. Yesterday was a photo safari of our local wildlife: we got otter, mink, and birds galore.

“Today we fished and we fished hard. My only goal was to get him a three pounder! And I got him a three pound two ounce largemouth.

“The fishing wasn’t horrible but we lost a lot more fish, including some better ones, then we brought in. Nobody’s fault; sharp barbless hooks and good fighting bass seem to be fisherman’s banes some days.

“The big surprise was Bob got the biggest smallmouth so far this year at about a pound. Man do they fight, we thought it was another giant largemouth.”

On their previous trip, Ahn reported:

“Mac asked to go out again today and he asked Steve to join him. I was more than happy to go out with these two great fishermen. Heck, Steve became a regular this year and is the best Senko man this year.

“The bass didn’t oblige us for what I was hoping to be an epic day. I don’t know what was going on, but the bass sure weren’t playing like a normal late August day. I worry the water is getting too picked on; but...

Eagle Lake

Fat Rainbows reward fishermen at Eagle Lake.

Tim Noxon of Fish Traveler Guide Service gave us this report from Eagle Lake. The fishing has been kind of slow at the lake with people struggling to find the trout.  Some of the fish we are taking trolling are tipping the scales in the high 3 to high 4 lb range.  We did pick up a 5lb 1oz ELT a few weeks back as well. Right now we are catching these fish trolling naked night crawlers over shallow structure in deep water. We keep the bait near the structure on the edge of deep water, trolling slowly with the nightcrawler wiggling nicely.

The trout fishing will pick up as the lake cools off in the coming fall weather. As the bite picks up trollers will catch them on Thomas Bouyants, Excel and Needlefish spoons, as well as the traditional Jay Fairs trolling flies. October and November are usually the best months to catch big Eagle Lake rainbows.

You are welcome to check in with me anytime for a current report before heading up to Eagle Lake to fish. Tim Noxon, Fish Traveler Guide Service. 916-201-4648 or www.fishtravelerguideserviceeaglelake.com

Looking to rent a cabin for the fall season? Contact John & Linda Hembree at 209-768-5581.

Folsom Lake

Fishing for Black Bass, Trout and Salmon Should Improve With Cooler Weather

FOLSOM – Since the Labor Day weekend brought big crowds of recreational boaters to Folsom Lake, the lake has quieted down. Few anglers have reported on their success at Folsom since the rainbow trout and king salmon bite slowed down.

However, the fishing for trout, salmon and black bass should improve with the arrival of cooler weather.

One local angler reported catching and releasing around a dozen bass while fishing with jigs. The fishermen said the five biggest fish weighed a total of 18 pounds, according to Don Paganelli of Paganelli’s Bass Fishing.

“Your top prospect for bass now is to use drop shot rigs with soft plastics and jigs in 20 to 30 feet of water,” advised Paganelli. “Keep your eye on the water level. If the lake begins dropping again, then you should go down to 30 to 40 feet deep.”

The open launch ramps are Granite Bay Stage 2, Brown’s Ravine Main Ramp and Brown’s Ravine Hobie Ramp.

Folsom Lake is holding 468,870 acre feet of water, 47 percent of capacity and 89 percent of average. The water level is 411.87 feet in elevation.

Here are the new boating requirements:

Vessels completing the 30-day quarantine may return to Folsom Lake have the seal removed by authorized staff, and be allowed to launch. Boaters wishing to return to the lake in the future will have the option to have their boat sealed upon exiting the water and will not be required to quarantine thereafter as long as the seal remains intact.

All trailered vessels are subject to the inspection, quarantine and seal program. Hand-launched, non-motorized watercraft, such as kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, rowing shells, outrigger canoes and rowboats are not subject to the inspection, quarantine...

Lake Tahoe

Kokanee on Fantastic Bite in August

Fishing remains consistent on Lake Tahoe with surface temps in the mid-60s°F. Kokanee are concentrated on the west shore between DL Bliss and Sugar Pine, running 40–60 feet deep and up to 17" long. Mackinaw are deeper—120–300 feet—near the Cal Neva Hole and South Lake, with fish hitting on trolled plugs or jigged minnows. Trout are around 100 feet, hitting Rapalas for boat anglers. Shore anglers are picking up the occasional trout around 30 feet off the bank. Boat traffic has slowed but can still spike with weather; best action is early or late.

The folks at Tahoe Sportfishing gave us this report: “We were pleasantly surprised with August. The kokanee salmon showed up in numbers that we haven’t seen in a year or two. They went from being tightly schooled in one area to being spread out and schooled up thick about 80 feet down all across the South Shore. By the end of the month, we started to see the first signs of them turning, but the fishing remained excellent. We landed over 3800 kokanee for our clients in the month of August. We’re also seeing some nice lake trout underneath the salmon schools and picking up a few each trip.”

The kokanee are averaging 12-14 inches but we are seeing multiple 15-17 inchers daily. There are bigger ones out there as well – our biggest of the season is 20 inches.

We are picking up Mack’s on the kokanee gear almost every trip, but if you want to just target Mack’s we are using live bait bouncing the bottom. We have been strictly using Tahoe Trolling Company flashers number 9’s and 10’s with a wedding ring or hootchie tipped with white corn.

Truckee Area Lakes

Donner Kokanee and Mackinaw, Boca Browns Lead Early Fall Angling Parade

TRUCKEE – Donner Lake: Fishing is steady for all species. Kokanee are hanging around 50 feet, while macks are sitting deep at 120 feet and taking large plugs or spoons. Rainbows are the best bet for shore anglers, with China Cove and the west-end ramps producing on worms and PowerBait. Midday boat traffic can slow things down, but evenings pick back up nicely.

Boca Reservoir: The reservoir is fishing consistently for both boat and shore anglers. Surface temps sit in the low 60s°F, with rainbows and browns near the dam hitting worms, eggs, and spoons. Kokanee are around 50 feet. Bank anglers are doing well near the west-end creek, while trollers are connecting with sierra spoons or dodgers tipped with crawlers. Boca Reservoir is 80% full with easy access.

Stampede Reservoir: Surface temps are in the low 60s°F and the bite is still strong. Kokanee are running around 60 feet near the island and dam for boat anglers. Shore anglers chasing trout are finding good success off the dam and drop-offs, especially mornings and evenings.

Prosser Creek Reservoir: Bass and trout are both active at Prosser Creek Reservoir. Surface temps sit in the low 60s°F, with water levels around 80% full. Bass are holding in coves, while trout are 40–60 feet down. Trollers are scoring with Rapalas, while shore anglers at the dam are picking up trout at sunrise and sunset with worms, eggs, or PowerBait.

Jackson Meadows: The boat ramp remains closed, so shore fishing is the only option. Recent stocking near the dam and Pass Creek boat ramp has the bite strong, and with minimal boat traffic, pressure is light. Mornings are especially productive.

• Mountain Hardware, Truckee

Fisherman’s Wharf/Berkeley

Take Your Pick of Stripers, Halibut or Rockfish

SAN FRANCISCO – Captain Craig Hansen of Argo Sportfishing tells me that he’s been navigating from his berth at Fisherman’s Wharf and drifting live bait with his customers at many locations in the bay and ocean depending on the tides and weather. Capt. Craig told me that he’s been finding stripers at Racoon Strait, and he’s been boating halibut at F-Buoy on the Berkeley Flats and on the North or South Bars out the Golden Gate.

Meanwhile, Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions tells me that he’s been putting his customers on striped bass at Angel Island and Red Rock in the bay drifting live bait. Capt. Ron continued to tell me that he’s been going out the Gate and drifting live bait at Seal Rock near the Cliff House and the North and South bars for halibut for his clients. Capt. Ron also stated that the weather and tides dictate where they are fishing.

Finally, I’d like to tell you about a couple of special days this author spent on the water recently thanks to the Roger Thomas Grant. If some of you may recall, Roger Thomas was the owner and captain of the fishing vessel Salty Lady out of Sausalito. Well, when Captain Thomas passed away his trust included a grant to take children out fishing.

The Golden State Salmon Association (GSSA) manages these funds that are available to children’s organizations to take these youngsters out on the water where they have probably never been before. Since I’ve been a board member of the Salesian Boys’ and Girls’ Club (SBGC) in San Francisco’s North Beach for more than 22 years, and I did know about this fund managed by GSSA, I’ve been arranging trips for the SBGC for...

Monterey Bay

Boats Target Halibut, Lingcod and Rockfish

SANTA CRUZ – Now that the four-day fall salmon season is over, anglers are back to concentrating on rockfish, lingcod and halibut in the Monterey Bay region. Limits of rockfish are the rule for anglers boarding party boats.

“The rockfish were on the bite up the coast near 3 Mile and 4 Mile Beaches,” reported Todd Fraser of Bayside Marine on September 13. “The halibut were a little more elusive today. There was some wind chop up the coast, which didn't help the anglers drifting. There were a few halibut caught in Capitola and near Pajaro.”

On the previous day, Fraser said, “The anglers fished up the coast early for rockfish and lingcod. The lingcod were on the bite near Davenport. There were a few halibut caught near Davenport. The wind was up by mid-morning, making it bumpy near Davenport. The anglers who fished from Capitola to Pajaro found a few halibut and sanddabs.”

Charter boats out of Chris’ Fishing Trips in Monterey reported top-notch fishing for rockfish on trips. The boats are returning with daily limits of rockfish, along with a few lingcod. Anglers are using shrimp flies baited with squid strips, jigs, bars, swimbaits and other offerings to nail the bottomfish.

The Checkmate checked in with limits of rockfish (230), 3 lingcod, 1/4 limits of chilipeppers and 10 petrale sole for 23 anglers on Saturday, Sept. 13. On the same day, the Caroline tied up at the dock with limits of rockfish (230) and 8 lingcod for 19 anglers. The Checkmate returned with limits of rockfish (230) and 3 lingcod on September 12.

Salmon fishing for the charter boats was tough during the four-day salmon season, with 0 to 2 salmon reported per boat. The anglers were mooching with anchovies...