Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3625 Nov 24- Dec8 2017 | Page 28

26 SALTWATER Nov. 24 - Dec. 8, 2017 VOL.36 • ISS. 25 SALTWATER REPORTS BERKELEY Full Crab Pots Make Golden Gate Anglers Smile BERKELEY - The sport fishing season for East Bay charter boat enthusiasts generally starts with halibut fishing in mid spring and the season progresses throughout the summer and early fall. As the days get shorter and December looms the charter boat season comes to an exciting end with crab and rockfish combo fishing. Crabbing always creates excitement for anglers, but this year the buzz has been even more intense than normal with huge numbers of huge crabs being rounded up daily. Once the commercial crab season gets underway the super easy crabbing is likely to dry up, but limit sport catches are expected to extend to the end of December and beyond. Captains Chris and Jonathan Smith are now running Berkeley’s Happy Hooker full time and are experiencing red hot crab and bottomfish action. “It’s as good as it gets right now,” exclaimed Capt. Chris. “We are smacking limits of crab and big rockfish every trip and if you concentrate on lings there are some big boys in the mix.” Captain James Smith of the California Dawn is enjoying the same type of wide-open action. A typical trip on the California Dawn right now produces full limits of crab and rockfish and about one lingcod per angler. The biggest lings are breaking 20 pounds. Captain Quang Vo is also putting his clients on lights =-out combo action, targeting deep water for lings and rocks before pulling up limits of crabs on the way back to Berkeley . BODEGA BAY Dungeness Crab Opener ‘Good As It Gets BODEGA BAY -  The Dungeness crab opener was as advertised with private skiffs and kayaks lining the Outer Bay with crab pots while shore fishermen lined the North and South Jetty to cast out traps and snares. The opening of the crab season has all of the campgrounds filled with happy anglers and their families. Captain Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sport Fishing said, “Crabbing has been phenomenal, and it is just about as good as it gets right now. We have taken over 3000 jumbo crab in the first six days of the season, and they are loaded with meat.” “Right now is the time to go as we also put in 109 ling cod in two trips this week, and that was only within a couple of hours of fishing. At the end of the week, the big swell put down the ling cod bite, but we came back with 50 to 60-pound limits of rockfish south at Point Reyes along with limits of crab. The lings will bite again once the swell backs off. We have some space available as we are running close to full every day,” said Powers. Captain Eric Holthouse of North Bay Charters is also running crab/ rockfish combination trips on the Coastal rockfish, lingcod and crabs were the target aboard the Bass Tub on November 5. Photo courtesy of BASS TUB SPORTFISHING, San Francisco. PRO-CURE’S AMAZING NEW LIQUID EGG CURE • FOOLPROOF EASY TO USE EGG CURE • NO MIXING - IT’S READY TO GO Q ueen of H earts • CURES CLUSTERS OR WHOLE SKEINS Departing from Fisherman’s Wharf • San Francisco SILVER FOX Sportfishing Reserve Your Dates NOW! 3418 Half Moon Bay Sportfishing and Tackle Salmon, Halibut, Bass Potluck (415) 367-5600 Light Tackle Rockfishing 650-728-3377 Aboard The 53’ Sur Randy And 61’ Chubasco • Rock Fish • Crab • Salmon • Tuna Pillar Point Harbor 5 Miles North of Half Moon Bay www.fishingboat.com www.hmbfishing.com Coast Guard Approved - Professional Crew 35+ years Experienced Captain 800-776-2873 www.silverfoxsportfishingandtours.com See our Website for Details! ~ Monterey Old Fisherman’s Wharf Departures ~ • Whale Watching • • Nature Trips • • Full Bait and Tackle Shop • A PHIL PIRONE COMPANY Capt. Chris Duba Departing Fisherman’s Wharf • SF Now Booking ROCK COD & CRAB COMBOS • Salmon Fishing (when allowed) • www.pro-cure.com This happy angler headed out on a combo bottomfish and crab trip aboard the Happy Hooker on November 5 and rounded up several fish including this massive boccacio rockfish. Photo courtesy of HAPPY HOOKER SPORTFISHING, Berkeley. SALMON AVAILABLE IN: • REDD HOT • ORANGE GLOW • HOT PINK six-pack, ‘Take Five,’ and he has been loading his clients up with limits of Dungeness crab, rockfish, and lingcod. Second captain Josh Stevens runs the boat during the week. He said, “We have been getting easy limits of crab and lingcod, and even on a rough day resulting in a shorter- than-normal trip, Captain Josh put in 4 limits of lings and crab north at Timber Cove.” Dave Mitchell of Natomas put in 6 limits of quality crab out of his private boat on the opener while camping at Doran Park. The popular campground and launch location, Lawson’s Landing at Dillon Beach applied for an amendment application for an improved wastewater system to improve showers, full hookups, and bathrooms at their Now Booking • MADE WITH PROCURE’S LEGENDARY EGG CURE FORMULAS WITH AMINO ACIDS TO INCREASE SCENT & TRIGGER BITES • ENHANCED WITH PURE KRILL POWDER & UV F