Fish Sniffer Magazine Volume 43 Issue 03 | Page 18

Saltwater

18 March 8 , 2024 VOL . 43 • ISS . 8

Amy Marlan was using a carolina rig with a soft plastic bait while fishing the surf on the Central Coast when she landed these two nice surf perch .

Photo Courtesy of Ernie Marlan

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Excellent Sturgeon , Bass and Shark Fishing !

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BODEGA BAY

Temporary Crab Trap Restriction Lifted

BODEGA BAY – Recreational fishing pressure has been very light off the Sonoma County Coast . This will remain the same until the rockfish and lingcod opens this spring . The California Department of Fish and Wildlife ( CDFW ) lifted the temporary recreational crab trap restriction , beginning Jan . 12 , 2024 , at 8 a . m ., from the Sonoma / Mendocino county line to Lopez Point , Monterey County ( Fishing Zones 3 and 4 ). A fleet advisory remains in effect for both the commercial and recreational fishery for all Fishing Zones ( 1-6 ). The CDFW also opened the commercial Dungeness crab fishery from the Sonoma / Mendocino county line to the U . S ./ Mexico border ( Central Management Area : Fishing Zones 3-6 ) under a 50 percent trap reduction beginning Jan . 18 , 2024 , at 12:01 a . m . This management decision is a balanced approach that achieves two outcomes . First , this trap reduction will help reduce entanglement risk for humpback whales by reducing the amount of gear and vertical lines in the water . Second , the decision gets the commercial fishery open statewide . This management decision includes exhaustive coordination with affected fishers , businesses and environmental organizations . CDFW reached this decision after seeking feedback and input from the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group , during a meeting on Jan . 10 , 2024 . The working group expressed broad support for this management decision . Any commercial Dungeness crab vessel fishing in or transiting Fishing Zones 3-6 , regardless of fishing location is subject to the 50 percent reduction . Additionally , they must have at least 50 percent of their valid buoy tags for the current fishing season onboard and available for inspection by CDFW at all times . Commercial Dungeness crab vessels operating in Fishing Zones 3-6 must understand and comply with the restrictions by reviewing the CDFW Declaration ( PDF ) ( opens in new tab ), which includes additional information about this gear reduction . The commercial fishery north of the Sonoma / Mendocino county line ( Fishing Zones 1 and 2 ) opened on Jan . 5 , 2024 , under a fleet advisory and is not subject to any trap reductions . “ This has been an extremely challenging year for California ’ s commercial fishing industry ,” said CDFW Director Charlton H . Bonham . “ Today ’ s action in the Central Management Area strikes a balance . It protects whales and turtles , and it gets people on the water allowing our hardworking commercial fishing fleet to provide fresh sustainable crab to California residents .” CDFW encourages both the commercial and recreational crab fisheries to implement best practices , as described in the Best Practices Guide and avoid setting any fishing gear in areas were whales or sea turtles are present . In addition , the commercial fishery is encouraged to remain vigilant for lost or abandoned gear throughout the fishing season . Permitted commercial Dungeness crab vessels are allowed to retrieve up to six derelict commercial Dungeness crab traps per fishing trip pursuant to Section

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Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 94 sv Chartplotter / Fishfinder

The sunlight-readable 9 ” touchscreen chartplotter features a quick-release bail mount , and the transducer bundle adds Ultra High-Definition scanning sonar and CHIRP traditional sonar .

• Navigate any waters with preloaded BlueChart ® g3 coastal charts

• Share data with other devices on your network

• Manage your marine experience from nearly anywhere

• Control the most powerful trolling motor available

• Create your own maps on the fly and tailor them to fit your needs This chartplotter supports a variety of Garmin transducers ( sold separately ), including the Panoptix LiveScope™ scanning sonar system

Preloaded BlueChart ® g3 coastal charts featuring integrated Navionics ® data . Quickdraw Contours . Create personalized fishing maps on-screen with 1 ’ contours .

NMEA 2000 ® and NMEA 0183 Networks . Connect to autopilots , digital switching , weather , and more

Built-in Wi-Fi ® connectivity pairs with the free all-in-one mobile app .

Force™ Trolling Motor Compatibility . Take control of the most powerful and efficient trolling motor available , route it to waypoints , follow tracks and more from the screen of your chartplotter .

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What a great looking halibut that this angler landed while fishing with Aloha Spirit Sportfishing out of Oxnard , Ca . Aloha Spirit continues to put up great numbers during the winter fishing season .

Photo Courtesy of Aloha Spirit Sportfishing