Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3904 Feb 1-14 | Page 26

24 Jan 31 - Feb 14, 2020 VOL.38 • ISS. 25 SALTWATER REPORTS BERKELEY Slow Winter Season Descends on East Bay Harbors Rhino Linings protect against impact, abrasion and rust. This sprayed on lining is also slip resistant, so your gear stays where it belongs. Call Your Rocklin Trucksmart for a Great Deal on a Rhino Truck Bed Lining! (916)773-7333 TRUCK & SUV ACCESSORIES ROCKLIN (916) 773-7333 6455 PACIFIC ST. 3902 AUBURN (530) 888-7825 11844 ATWOOD ROAD BERKELEY - The rockfish and lingcod season ended with a bang. Heavy sacks and jumbo crabs were the norm for East Bay charter anglers. “We offered crab and rockfish combo trips until the bottomfish season ended,” said Capt. Chris Smith of the Pacific Dream. These days both Chris Smith and his son, Captain Jonathan Smith of Happy Hooker Sportfishing are preparing to relocate the Martinez Marina where they will hunt sturgeon for the remainder of the winter and into early spring. There have been a handful of sturgeon caught in the South Bay, but there is really nothing solid to report. For a shot at a bite and possibly a fish soak mud shrimp, ghost shrimp, pile worms and herring fillets along the edges of major channels. Perch haven’t arrived yet, but shiner perch should begin showing along the East Bay shoreline at some point during the month of February. Pile worms, prawns and grass shrimp are the top baits. End of Waterfowl Season Sale and Closeouts! (prices good Now through Feb. 28 —While Supplies Last!) ALL BLIND BAGS, DUFFEL BAGS, BOOT BAGS Fiocci 1 1/5 oz Steel Shotshells BB’s, 1’s, 2’s, 3’s 25% OFF $98.99 per case Avery ALL DOG VESTS BLIND GRASS $48.99 per bundle ALL CAMO CLOTHING Hats, waders, glove, jackets etc (excluding Sitka) 35% OFF 25% OFF FREE Gun Sock and Sling with ANY GUN PURCHASE! 888 Market St. in Colusa • 3904 (530) 458-4868 www.kittlesoutdoor.com ALL DUCK & GOOSE DECOYS BODEGA BAY Rockfish Season Ends with a Bang BODEGA BAY - Captain Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sport Fishing finished up the rockfish season with a flourish with 23 limits of bottom-dwelling rockfish and 23 crab. He said, “We have been batting 1000 percent on the rockfish/crab combination trips with limits on every trip since the crab opener. That’s phenomenal. The swell backed off, and there were more lings on the boat as well.” “This was the best crab season that I have ever seen, and we had a great salmon and rockfish season. Crab-only trips along with whale watching will fill the winter months until the salmon and rockfish seasons are expected to open in April.,” said Powers. The crab counts are holding up for recreational boaters despite the commercial pressure since the December 15th commercial opener, but the end of rockfish season on December 31st results in party boats running the occasional crab-only or crab/sand dab combination trip. Powers was out on January 3r with 13 anglers on a crab-only on the New Sea Angler, and they were back at the docks within an hour with limits of crab to 3 pounds as the pots remain loaded. He will be running crab-only trips depending upon weather conditions and interest. - Dave Hurley CONTINUED ON PG 25 20% OFF ALL SITKA CLOTHING 20% OFF ALL DUCK & GOOSE CALLS 15% OFF This lingcod came aboard the Huli Cat during a December 28 central coast crab and rockfish combo trip. Photo courtesy of HULI CAT SPORTFISHING, Half Moon Bay.