By: The Fish Sniffer Staff
October 10-12, 2009
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Morro Bay/Avila Beach
Things are going great for anglers targeting bottomfish along the Central Coast, provided the ocean conditions are reasonably calm. Tuna have also been in the mix on calm weather days.
The folks at Virg’s Landing have been offering a mix of rockfish and tuna fishing trips. On the rockfish front limits are the rule when the conditions allow anglers to focus on bouncing the bottom.
Tuna scores haven’t been outstanding during overnight adventures, but thus far a solid one fish per rod average has been the norm. When and if the tuna move toward the coast, scores should climb dramatically.
On September 25, three boats fished out of Virg’s Landing. The Fiesta concentrated on rockfish with 13 anglers aboard and they ended up with a grand total of 20 vermilion rockfish, 65 copper rockfish, 44 assorted rockfish, 1 bocaccio and4 lings.
The Harbor Pathfinder headed out with 23 anglers on a half day trip. The anglers busted a total of 12 copper rockfish, 197 assorted rockfish, 15 vermilion rockfish and 6 bocaccio.
The Pacific Queen targeted tuna with 30 anglers aboard. The result was 26 albacore, 1 skip jack and 3 bluefin tuna.
At Patriot Sportfishing in Avila Beach, the focus has been on rockfish fishing. On September 26 a pair of boats headed out in search of rockfish.
The Pacific Horizon’s 38 anglers busted 162 assorted rockfish, 28 vermilion rockfish, 1 halibut and 1 lingcod. The Patriot bagged 164 assorted rockfish and 42 vermilions.
Monterey/Santa Cruz
The rockfish action remains consistent on the Monterey County coast, but the most exciting action available now is for white seabass.
“The skiff anglers have been catching the seabass on live squid in the bay on the other side of the breakwater,” said Todd Arcoleo of Chris’ Fishing Trips. “Allan, one of the deckhands, caught three seabass weighing 40,50 and 60 pounds in his boat today, September 28.”
He noted that many skiffs have been returning to the dock with 3 to 5 seabass per day.
Charter boats fishing over the weekend of September 26-27 scored limits of rockfish off Big Sur and in the local reefs. On the previous Wednesday, 25 anglers caught limits of vermilion, copper, olive and yellowtail rockfish and 20 lingcod while fishing off Point Sur aboard the Star of Monterey.
“The rockfish action has been up and down,” reported Brian Cutting at Randy’s Fishing Trips. “A trip by the Monterey Disabled Veterans returned with half limits of limits Saturday in two hours of fishing on the Sur Randy and the Chubasco. Anglers fishing aboard the Chubasco Sunday took near-limits of rockfish on a trip to Point Sur.”
“The albacore waters are calm today and anglers are loading their boats,” said Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine in Santa Cruz on September 27. “The scores are coming from the areas around 36'17/122'55 and 36'15/122'58. The inshore waters are calm for anglers who want to target afternoon halibut, rockfish and seabass.”
The Velocity out of Stagnaro’s Fishing Trips in Santa Cruz returned with full limits of rockfish after fishing at Ano Nuevo Island on their latest bottomfish adventure. The anglers caught a nice mix of Black, yellow and red rockfish.
Half Moon Bay
Anglers departing from Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon bay haven’t been suffering from a lack of opportunity in recent days. Rockfish are providing limit style action, some large lingcod have shown and the tuna action for boats running south has been very good.
“The New Captain Pete, Gravy, New Gravy and Que Sera Sera all went our for rockfish yesterday and they all caught full limits of rockfish. A guy on the Gravy bagged a 25 pound lingcod.”
Rockfish season is local waters is slated to run until October 31.
“Last Wednesday the Connie O took 4 guys out for albacore. They boated a grand total of 32 tuna. They found the fish to the south about 55 miles from port,” disclosed Beckett.
“We have found cooperative rockfish everyday this week and have sent everyone home with limits every day along with an occasional lingcod here or there,” related Sherry Ingles of The Half Moon Bay Sportfishing Center and Queen of Hearts Sportfishing. “Weather continues to look like it will cooperate through this week, but there are changes I see in the future that tend to indicate that it may just ramp up again a bit next week. As always, we'll take it as it comes day by day.”
San Rafael
It’s already October, but live bait drifting for halibut continues to be surprisingly good on San Francisco and San Pablo bays. Anglers are hooking the halibut at Red Rock, Paradise Cay, Angel Island, Raccoon Strait and Southampton Shoals.
For example, “Ralph the Mailman” of Novato bagged 3 keeper halibut from 6 to 10 pounds and one 7 lb. striper while drifting live shiner perch in Raccoon Strait on Saturday, September 26, reported Keith Fraser at Loch Lomond Live Bait and Tackle.
Jim Cox, captain of the Touch of Grey, has been averaging 1-1/2 halibut per rod. His fish have ranged from keeper-sized to 13 pounds lately, according to Fraser.
“Shore and boat fishing for stripers has been productive on the moving tides,” said Fraser. Shore anglers are fishing the shoreline from the bait shop to China Camp, while boaters are fishing the area from China Camp to Hamilton Field. Limits of fish remain common.
Berkeley/Emeryville
The fishing both inside and outside the Golden Gate is excellent and yet fishing pressure is light, making this a perfect time to book a charter boat trip.
“The fishing has been pretty good for us,” reported Captain James Smith of California Dawn Sportfishing. “ On Saturday, September 26 we had 16 stripers and 15 halibut for 15 anglers while fishing inside the bay. The next day we went out to the Farallon Islands on a lingcod special trip and ended up with 20 limits of lings to 15 pounds.”
“I’m hoping to move the boat up to Martinez and begin concentrating on stripers in about two weeks,” added Smith.
“There hasn’t been a lot of angler interest lately, so I haven’t been doing a whole lot of fishing,” related Captain Jim Smith of Happy Hooker Sportfishing. “I did have one trip over the weekend with 26 anglers aboard. We ended up with 10 halibut and 10 bass. The bass were nice big fish. We got a lot of them while fly lining live sardines.”
Jim Smith plans on moving the Happy Hooker up to Martinez during the final week of October.
Captain Joe Gallia of the New Easy Rider reported very good halibut fishing inside San Francisco Bay. “A fresh group of halibut have moved into the bay and we are doing really well while drifting with live sardines,” said Gallia.
Gallia has also been fishing the ocean for lingcod and rockfish with good success.
Things are going well at the Emeryville Sportfishing Center for anglers targeting halibut, rockfish and lingcod.
On September 27, 6 charter boats departed from the Emeryville Marina. 2 boats with a total of 24 anglers aboard nailed 34 halibut to 20 pounds, 12 rockfish and 1 lingcod while fishing both inside and outside the bay.
Four boats with 98 anglers aboard focused on rockfish and lingcod outside the gate. They landed full limits of rockfish, 112 lingcod to 20 pounds and a single 22 pound Pacific halibut.
Bodega Bay
The rockfish action remains red hot for anglers fishing to the south of Bodega Bay. There are big numbers of tuna holding 35 miles offshore of Bodega Head, but variable weather has made it difficult to target them.
“The rockfish fishing is absolutely fabulous. We have had more than 80 straight full limit trips,” exclaimed Captain Rick Powers of the Bodega Bay Sportfishing Center. “Most of the fish we catch are quality coppers, browns and vermilions.”
“Yesterday I had an 8 year old boy named Billy Dobbs on the boat for his first ever saltwater trip. He got a limit of rockfish that included a 7 pound vermilion, a 6 pound vermilion and a 5 pound copper,” said Powers.
“Lingcod numbers have been up and down. Some days we don’t get any, but other days we get a few. James Dick was out with us this week and he reeled in 3 lingcod to 13 pounds.”
“I’m still planning to do some tuna fishing. My last trip was cancelled because of the weather. It is usually calm this time of the year, but the weather has been uncharacteristically inconsistent this season. It’s frustrating because I know there is a group of tuna holding about 35 miles offshore, but every time I try to go after them the weather comes up and we get blown out,” mused Powers.
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