28 MARCH 17- 31, 2017 VOL. 36 • ISS. 07

SALTWATER REPORTS

BERKELEY & EMERYVILLE

Charter Boats Prep For Upcoming Season As Private Boats Find A Few Sturgeon

EAST BAY—“ I’ d been doing really well on sturgeon down in the south end of the South Bay, but that action has really slowed down for me,” disclosed Chad Reese of Castro Valley.

“ In the month of January we brought and released 11 keeper and oversize sturgeon to my boat, but since then we’ ve only been hooking a fish once every second or third trip. Herring is the top bait for sure, but we’ ve gotten some action on ghost shrimp and night crawlers too. I’ m hoping that the bite will turn back on with warming conditions, but since I haven’ t been marking as many fish as I had been I’ m starting to wonder if they have moved back up toward the Delta. Only time will tell,” said Reese.

Most charter boats in Berkeley and Emeryville are idle at this time as they await the kick off of spring potluck fishing.

“ The California Dawn is at the shipyard right now. We are getting her ready for the season,” related Captain James Smith.“ I’ m hoping to be back on the water by March 25. I’ m skipping sturgeon fishing this year. I’ m going to open the season halibut and

This angler didn’ t let big winds stop him from landing a big San Pablo Bay sturgeon on February 22.

Photo courtesy of RIGHT HOOK SPORTFISHING, Sacramento.

striper fishing inside the bay.“ After that I’ ll let the fish dictate where we are fishing and what we are targeting. I think we are in for a pretty good year with all the freshwater outflow we’ ve seen. In the past big winter rains have been followed by solid bay halibut fishing so I’ m hoping that pattern holds true this yea,” he forecasted.

BODEGA BAY

Sanddab, Crab Combinations Top Fare Until April 15 Rockfish opener

BODEGA BAY— Boat maintenance for the upcoming ocean salmon and rockfish seasons have been occupying the time of Bodega Bay party boat owners, but there are sanddab and Dungeness crab to be found in the ocean when the combination of the right weather and sufficient interest occurs. From the beaches, red tail surfperch provide the best action with Berkley Camo or Sand Worms along with live bait.

Captain Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sport Fishing said,“ We are getting out on occasion for crab-only or crab, sand dab combinations, but most of the time we are working on getting our boats ready for the upcoming seasons. It looks really good out there in 50 fathoms with lots of feed, and hopefully, we will get the opportunity to work this feed for salmon in April.”

California fishermen are anticipating reduced fishing for Chinook salmon due to the poor forecast for the Klamath fall run and continued concerns over the winter run, as discussed druing the March 1 DFW Ocean Salmon Information meeting in Santa Rosa. The season dates and regulations will be developed by the Pacific

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Fishery Management Council and California Fish and Game Commission over the next two months.

One season for certain will be the rockfish opener on April 15, and an extra 10 fathoms will be added to allow fishermen a depth limit of 240 feet. Other regulation changes will be a limit of 3 black rockfish, 3 cabezon, and 1 canary rockfish as part of your 10-fish limit.

Further south in Tomales Bay, there is an advisory not to eat recreationally harvested mussels, clams or whole scallops due to dangerous levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning( PSP) toxins.

The 44th Annual Bodega Bay Fisherman’ s Festival will take place on April 8-9 at Westside Park at 2400 Westshore Road in Bodega Bay. All proceeds from the Festival benefit Bodega Bay Area community services and in 2015 the Fisherman’ s Festival distributed $ 66,000 to local non-profit organizations. Information is available at bbfishfest. org

– by Dave Hurley

HALF MOON BAY

Rockfish Season Will Open Below Pigeon Point April 15

EL GRANADA— The Queen of Hearts out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, the New Captain Pete, and the Huli Cat

This lady was so happy about catching a keeper San Pablo Bay sturgeon this February that she gave the big fish a big kiss.

Photo courtesy of RIGHT HOOK SPORTFISHING, Sacramento.

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