(Berkeley) After weeks of inactivity, East Bay charter boats are once again on the water now that the recreational crabbing season has opened south of Point Reyes.
The Happy Hooker piloted by Captain Jim Smith, headed out on the hunt for crabs last Saturday and returned to the Berkeley Marina early with 10 limits of jumbo crabs.
Smith is available for both crabbing trips outside the Golden Gate and sturgeon trips in San Pablo Bay.
In Emeryville, several boats are running out for crabs. Captain Jay aboard the New Huck Finn hammered out 36 limits of jumbo crabs on his most recent trip. The Sea Wolf and New Salmon Queen are also running for crab out of the Emeryville Sportfishing Center.
Private boaters continue to pick up keeper and oversize sturgeon while fishing the extreme south end of the bay. Herring fillets, ghost shrimp and eel have been the best baits.
Shore anglers are finding perch in both the south and central section of the bay. Pile worms work great if you can get them. If not, white prawns are drawing strikes too.