Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3625 Nov 24- Dec8 2017 | Page 29

SALTWATER VOL.36 • ISS. 25 site, and the hearing held on November 8th resulted in the need for the popular campground to modify their application and reapply for the improvements. Lawson’s reported, “There may not be as many crab in the nearshore waters as we have been hoping for with females and reds already showing up in the Outer Bay. A longer soak is necessary to put up some decent scores. - Dave Hurley HALF MOON BAY Dungeness Crab Season Doesn’t Disappoint San Mateo Coast Fishermen EL GRANADA - The arrival of the 2017/18 recreational Dungeness crab season did not disappoint local fishermen, as loaded pots were the rule for those working deeper water, while rockfish and lingcod continue to bite. Out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, rockfish trips were on the agenda, and the Queen of Hearts worked the reefs south of the harbor on Labor Day weekend. Anglers continue to nail limits of rockfish and some quality lingcod while using jigs, shrimp flies, bars and other lures. Shore anglers have been tossing snares from the rockwall off the jetty, according to Sherri Ingles. Captain Tom Mattusch of the Huli Cat is the only large party boat running crab/rockfish combination trips out of Half Moon Bay, and he said, “Crabbing has been outstanding with loaded pots of Dungeness” Second captain Mike Cabanas of the Huli Cat took a combination trip on Saturday, November 11th, and they ended up with limits of Dungeness crab with Eric Choy landing a 20-pound halibut on a swimbait, an 11-pound ling cod, and a couple of vermilion rockfish to 6 pounds. Tony Chow of San Francisco put in an 18-pound ling on a hitchhiker while Ron Lee of San Francisco scored a 12-pound ling on a bar. Cabanas said, “The ocean conditions were flat with a slight breeze.” Further north in Pacifica, Rob Chaney of the Rusty Hook in Pacifica said, “We have seen many more hard-shelled male crabs showing up within the past week as the first couple of days of the opener produced a number of females with eggs. The ratio of males to females has flipped the past few days, and we encourage fishermen to release the females for breeding purposes. Sales of snares have been high with over 350 sold since the opener of the custom snares with the weight built into the cage.” MONTEREY BAY Rockfish, Lingcod & Crabs Top Monterey Coast Angling Options MOSS LANDING – Rockfish and lingcod fishing continues to be superb off Carmel, Point Sur and further south off Point Lopez. “Thirteen lucky anglers had an awesome day on our special long-range rockfish and lingcod trip down at Lopez Pt,” said Carol Jones of Kahuna Sportfishing. “They caught limits of both rockfish and lingcod. The big lingcod went a whopping 31 pounds! The catch of the day went to regular Kathy Wilson with a 21 pound sheephead.” Fishing was also great on the next trip to Lopez. The 29 anglers aboard the boat on Thursday, November 9, bagged 19 canary rockfish, 33 copper rockfish, 38 lingcod, 53 rockfish, and 85 vermilion rockfish Then on November 11, Veterans Day, the 20 anglers on the Kahuna landed 12 lingcod and 200 rockfish. Katlyn of J&M Sport Fishing reported top-notch fishing out of Fisherman’s Wharf on Veteran’s Day weekend. “We’re catching limits of rockfish most trips, along with mixed scores of lingcod and an average of 30 to 60 Dungeness crabs on the crab/rockfish combos,” she said. “The anglers are using dead squid or shrimp flies tipped with squid strips. The latest trips went down to Carmel.” Thirty-six anglers fishing on the Chubasco on Friday, November 10, bagged one 30 lb. halibut, 8 lingcod, 200 rockfish and 41 Dungeness crabs. The 36 fishermen landed 28 lingcod, 283 rockfish and 48 Dungeness crabs on the Chubasco the following day. On November 11, the 20 people on the Sur Randy bagged 10 lingcod and limits of rockfish on the morning trip, while 13 anglers landed limits of rockfish and 5 lingcod during the afternoon trip. “Anglers on the 6 pack boats reported some good scores of rockfish and lingcod,” reported Todd Fraser of Bayside Marine in Santa Cruz. “The crab fishing is still going strong for the anglers fishing in 170-220 feet of water. The anglers using mackerel, sardines, and squid are doing best. The surf fishing is also good for barred perch near Rio del Mar.” - Dan Bacher Surf Casters Target Perch, Stripers Kathy Wilson holds up a 21 lb. sheephead she caught during a bottomfish trip to Lopez Point on November 2. Photo by CAROL JONES, Kahuna Sportfishing, Moss Landing. GOLDENEYE 2000 56’ High Speed Stable Catamaran Halibut•Stripers•Rockcod Captain Quang Vo Call for CRAB COMBOS! 3508 Departs Daily from The Berkeley Marina www.goldeneye2000.com RESERVATIONS: 510-610-0888 This woman landed this beautiful lingcod while fishing off the Monterey County Coast with J&M Sport Fishing in Monterey. Photo courtesy of J&M SPORTFISHING, Monterey. Josh Jerge bagged this massive 15 lb cabezon while kayak fishing in Timber Cove on October 27. Photo courtesy of FISHSNIFFER.COM. SALMON • - ROCKFISH ROCKFISH • - ALBACORE ALBACORE SALMON 2912 PENINSULA SHORELINE SAN FRANCISCO - Perch and striped bass continued to be landed along local beaches, while others sought out Dungeness crab. Breaks in weather and high swells were coveted in the last week by anglers belonging to the More than FIshing group on Facebook. Anglers in search of Dungeness crab worked snares and pots from both China Beach and Pacifica Pier for quantities of crab, minus quality, while surf anglers working sandcrabs and Gulp! sandworms caught good numbers of barred and walleye surfperch and an occasional striped bass. Stefanie Scott also related to the fair surf fishing. “It was good last week, bu