Fish Sniffer Magazine Volume 42 Issue 10 | Page 21

This young angler , Jackson , landed this 15.9lb lingcod while fishing the central coast aboard Phenix Sportfishing . Dustin Miles , deckhand for Phenix Sportfishing , assists Jackson in holding up this beauty before releasing it .

Photo Courtesy of Phenix Sportfishing

Bodega Bay

Lingcod and Rockfish Action Sizzles Off Sonoma County Coast

BODEGA BAY – The exceptional fishing for lingcod and rockfish continues this summer off the Sonoma County Coast . “ Anglers are experiencing the best fishing for rockfish and lingcod that we ’ ve seen in over 20 years ,” said Rick Powers at the Bodega Bay Sportfishing Center . The New Sea Angler reported coming back with limits of large lingcod and rockfish on its latest deep water trips . The anglers are not only catching lingcod and rockfish , but are boating petrale sole and sablefish ( black cod ). A trip by the New Sea Angler on July 5 produced 180 rockfish , 36 lingcod up to 24 pounds and 6 petrale sole up to 4 pounds for 18 anglers , according to Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sportfishing . The 13 anglers aboard the boat on July 4 landed 26 lingcod up to 19 pounds , 130 rockfish and 61 petrale sole up to 6 pounds . The 31 anglers aboard the boat on July 3 bagged 62 lingcod up to 21 pounds , 310 rockfish , 74 petrale sole up to 6 pounds and 4

The 17 anglers aboard the New Sea Angler on July 2 caught 170 rockfish , 34 lingcod up to 21 pounds , 21 petrale sole up to 4 pounds and 4 sablefish up to 5 pounds . Anglers are bringing in limits of “ extremely large ” vermilion , bocaccio , yellowtail , widow and other rockfish at 320 to 330 feet deep while fishing different spots each day , said Powers . The lingcod average 14 to 16 pounds , with lots of fish in the high teens and lower twenties . Anglers are using jigs for the rockfish and chrome bars and swimbaits for the lingcod . “ We ’ re getting the fish on flies , bars , swimbaits and shrimp flies -- anything we put in the water gets devoured ,” he noted . The rockfish and lingcod fishing in the Bodega Bay Area opens to all depths on July 16 . “ This will provide us with the option to fish near shore when it ’ s too windy to fish offshore waters ,” he stated .

- Dan Bacher

Fisherman ’ s Wharf / Berkeley

Live Bait Drifters Boat Bay Halibut , Stripers

SAN FRANCISCO – The live bait fishing on San Francisco Bay is still going strong , with great halibut action reported on the small tides and slower action during the big tides .. Anglers have been focusing lately on the central bay , including Treasure Island and the Berkeley Flats . The Lovely Martha checked in with 30 halibut and 15 striped bass for their 20 anglers on Saturday , July 8 , according to Captain Mike Rescino of the Lovely Martha . The boat returned to the dock on the previous day with 7 halibut and 3 striped bass . On July 5 , Rescino reported , “ Today was another great day on the bay . Our 9 anglers finished up with 14 halibut and full limits of bass ( 22 ) including for the crew .” On July 4 , the 10 anglers finished up the day at 9:45 a . m . with 10 limits ( 20 ) of halibut and 6 bass . “ What a great way to start celebrating the Fourth of July ,” said Rescino . James Smith of California Dawn Sportfishing reported just over a halibut per rod and a handful of bass on his live bait trip on the bay on July 7 . On July 6 , Smith reported “ over a fish to rod to limits of halibut and a handful of bass .” The final count for the California Dawn 1 was 10 limits of halibut and 7 striped bass , while the final count for the California Dawn 2 was 16 halibut and 6 striped bass . On July 5 , California Dawn Sportfishing checked in with 11 limits of halibut ( 22 ) and 13 striped bass . Anglers are reminded that the California Fish and Game Commission in May unanimously voted to reduce the daily bag and possession limit for California halibut from three fish to two fish in California waters north of Point Sur , Monterey County . The regulations went into effect June 1 , 2023 . More charter boats are expected to go fishing for rockfish and lingcod outside of the Golden Gate when fishing for groundfish in the San Francisco Management Area between 38 ° 57.5 ’ N . latitude ( Point Arena ) and 37 ° 11 ’ N . latitude ( Pigeon Point ) opens to all depths from July 16 to December 31 .

- Dan Bacher

Half Moon Bay

All-Depth Rockfishing Opens July 16

EL GRANADA – Fishing for rockfish has been superb off Half Moon Bay in the deep water for anglers using an array of shrimp flies , jigs , bars and other lures . The fishing is expected to get even better when fishing for groundfish in the San Francisco Management Area between 38 ° 57.5 ’ N . latitude ( Point Arena ) and 37 ° 11 ’ N . latitude ( Pigeon Point ) opens to all depths from July 16 to December 31 . “ Rockfishing has been excellent so

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This angler holds up a solid limit of stripers that he caught on the SF Bay while fishing aboard the Lovely Martha .

Photo Courtesy of Lovely Martha Sportfishing

far this season with limits of really nice fish available for anybody at the rail with a rod in hand ,” reported Sherri Ingles at the Half Moon Bay Sportfishing . “ There ’ s been a few lingcod as well . As of July 16 , all depths will be available to rockfishing - this gives us a huge amount of territory to fish . We ’ ll be keeping an eye for bluefin tuna as well .” The 12 anglers aboard the latest rockfish trip on the Queen of Hearts on July 4 bagged 120

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