Fish Sniffer Magazine Volume 42 Issue 13 | Page 29

These two anglers boated these beautiful halibut and prove that the halibut bite in the SF Bay is still going strong .

Photo Courtesy of California Dawn Sportfishing

SALTWATER REPORTS :

CONTINUED FROM PG 27

HALF MOON BAY

for the second week of August showed double the estimated recreational take and indicated the 2023 quillback rockfish harvest limit specified in federal regulations has been exceeded . This additional in-season action authorized by Title 14 , Section 27.20 ( e ) to adjust the fishing depth is necessary to prevent further overage ,” the agency wrote . The Queen of Hearts is now targeting deep water rockfish in the offshore waters . The most recent trip by the boat returned with 70 rockfish , 2 lingcod and 1 cabezon for 7 anglers . The previous trip returned with 170 rockfish and 5 lingcod for 17 anglers . The New Captain Pete has

Ernie Marlan was using a Stoopid Bait in shallow water when he caught this cabezon . Stoopid Baits are a fairly new bait that are quickly gaining in popularity for a variety of species .

Photo Courtesy of Ernie Marlan been doing trips with California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program ( CCFRP ), in addition to booking rockfish trips . “ In a day filled with great white shark sightings and glass-like conditions , the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories crew and volunteer anglers began their second week of sampling at Año Nuevo ,” CCFRP reported . “ Aboard the F / V New Captain Pete , led by the dynamic duo of Captain Mike and Deckhand Mikey , our volunteer anglers sampled the grid cells within the Año Nuevo MPA . “ In total , 482 fishes were caught and released , coming from 14 different species , which included a few memorable and unique catches such as a Calico rockfish ( Sebastes dallii ), California halibut ( Paralichthys californicus ), and market squid ( Doryteuthis opalescens )!,” they concluded .

- Dan Bacher

MONTEREY BAY

Deepwater Rockfish , Halibut Lead September Angling Parade

MONTEREY – If you want to catch rockfish and lingcod in the Monterey Bay Region now , you can only do it now in deep water , since only fishing in waters seaward of the 300

Small Groups • Great Rates

The Bay ’ s Best Crew !

Ahi Jigs are very effective when fishing for lingcod and rockfish . Anglers often use jigs that range from 4oz-10oz depending on how fast the current is moving and how deep they are fishing .

Photo Courtesy of Ernie Marlan

4005

707-342-8481 • www . crocsport . com

feet boundary line of the Rockfish Conservation Area is now allowed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife until the end of the groundfish season . The CDFW announced that as of 12:01 a . m . Friday , Sept . 1 , 2023 , the 50-fathom Rockfish Conservation Area ( RCA ) boundary line for the Mendocino Groundfish Management Area ( GMA ) ( Cape Mendocino to Point Arena ), San Francisco GMA ( Point Arena to Pigeon Point ) and Central GMA ( Pigeon Point to Point Conception ), will take effect . In these GMAs , recreational boat-based groundfish fishing will be ‘ offshore only ’ and allowed only seaward ( away from land ) of the 50-fathom boundary line , defined by straight lines connecting waypoints ( 50 CFR Part 660 , Subpart G ). Shelf rockfish , slope rockfish and lingcod may be taken seaward of the 50-fathom boundary line , while it will be unlawful to take or possess nearshore rockfish as defined in Title 14 , Section 1.91 ( a )( 1 ), cabezon or greenlings at any depth

The CDFW claimed it “ is carefully monitoring the harvest of quillback rockfish from both the recreational and commercial fisheries throughout

Excellent Sturgeon , Bass and Shark Fishing !

NOW BOOKING SF BAY STRIPER & HALIBUT TRIPS

BOOK EARLY FOR BEST DATES AND RATES !

• SALMON • LINGCOD • ROCKCOD

• DUNGENESS CRAB & COMBO TRIPS

the state and has taken a series of steps in an effort to reduce quillback rockfish mortality . On Aug . 7 , retention of quillback rockfish was prohibited statewide , followed by closure of the recreational nearshore fishery in the Northern GMA , on Aug . 21 .” “ Newly available recreational data from the Mendocino , San Francisco and Central GMAs for the second week of August showed double the estimated recreational take and indicated the 2023 quillback rockfish harvest limit specified in federal regulations has been exceeded . This additional in-season action authorized by Title 14 , Section 27.20 ( e ) to adjust the fishing depth is necessary to prevent further overage ,” the agency wrote . The anglers who fished the deep water rockfish caught easy limits near Davenport on September 2 , reported Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine on September 2 . The deep water anglers found some quality petrale sole also . “ The anglers who fished the beaches up the coast caught some nice halibut . The Capitola area is still producing a mix of halibut , bonito , and thresher sharks ,” Fraser noted . “ I did hear some anglers looking for bluefin near Davenport Fingers . They did not see much action around the Fingers but someone said there were 100 pound bluefin at 36 ’ 43 / 122 ’ 23 . The water conditions were flat calm but there was a small south swell ,” he said . Charter boats leaving from Chris ’ Fishing Trips in Monterey continue to catch limits of rockfish and some lingcod while fishing the deep water off the Monterey Coast . The 14 anglers aboard the Checkmate on September 2 landed limits of rockfish ( 140 , while the 14 anglers aboard the Caroline bagged limits of rockfish ( 140 ) and 1 lingcod . On the previous day , the anglers also caught decent numbers of lingcod . The 20 anglers aboard the Checkmate caught limits of rockfish ( 200 ) and 15 lingcod . The 15 anglers on the Caroline bagged limits of rockfish ( 150 ) and 12 lingcod .

- Dan Bacher

( 707 ) 495-2165 reelobsessionsportfishing . net 4203