Salmon bite ignites off Half Moon Bay: ‘It just doesn’t get much better’
EL GRANADA – Since the salmon season in the San Francisco Management Zone reopened on June 23, the Half Moon Bay area has been the center of stellar fishing as cold water temperatures and large schools of anchovies draw big numbers of chinooks to the area.
“We’ve caught early limits of salmon every day for over a week,” reported Michael Cabanas of New Captain Pete Sportfishing. “The salmon bite started at the Deep Reef and the fish are moving northwest about two to three miles per day.”
“On one of our trips, all of the fish except for one were commercial grade kings over 27 inches. We’re trolling anchovies 20 to 55 feet deep in around 350 feet of water,” he stated.
On his most recent trolling adventure, the 22 anglers, including crew, ended up with their limits of salmon by 8:30 a.m.
“There are a lot of anchovies out there that the fish are feeding upon,” he stated. “The water temperature has been cold, averaging 51 to 52 degrees and going up to 54 degrees.” Information: (510) 677-7054.
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Half Moon Bay Sportfishing Center
The center confirmed the top-notch salmon fishing off the San Mateo Coast. The Reel Screamer checked in with 12 salmon to 22 pounds for 6 anglers on Saturday, July 2, while the Queen of Hearts returned with 32 salmon to 25 pounds on Friday, July 1 and 36 salmon to 17 pounds for 18 anglers on Sunday, July 3. Information: (650) 728-3377.
San Francisco Bay Area Salmon/Potluck
Anglers now have the opportunity to choose between hot salmon fishing on the ocean or live bait halibut and striper fishing inside San Francisco Bay and off the North Bar.
Frank Rescino, captain of the Lovely Martha out of Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, reported hot salmon fishing off the San Mateo County coast on MondayJuly 4.
“What a great way to celebrate the Fourth of July,” Rescino said. ”We finished up with 24 limits (48) of salmon to 30 pounds.”
Likewise, James Smith from the California Dawn 1 and California Dawn 2 got in on the hot salmon action off the San Mateo Coast on Monday, July 4.
“Wow! It just doesn’t get much better than that,” Smith said. “The California Dawn 1 and 2 combined returned with 53 limits of salmon (106 total fish) to 23 pounds by 11 a.m. It was an overall great grade of fish!”
On Tuesday, July 3, both boats were out live bait potluck fishing. The California Dawn 1 returned to the docks with 22 limits of rockfish (220) and 31 lingcod to 15 pounds, while the California Dawn 2 had 26 limits of lingcod for anglers and crew (58), 1/2 limits of rockfish (130), three salmon to 27 pounds, 14 halibut to 25 pounds and one striped bass weighing 15 pounds Information: (510) 417-5557.
Salmon fishing is also going strong for those fishing off the Marin County Coast. Troy Maggy of Fisherman’s Warehouse and 5 other anglers landed 9 salmon, topped by two kings weighing 30 and 27 pounds, on a trip with Zack Medinas of Gatecrasher Fishing Adventures on Friday. “We trolled with anchovies at 25 to 45 feet deep between the Duxbury Pinnacles and Stinson Beach,” said Medinas. Information: (925) 497-7171.
Bodega Bay Salmon/Rockfish combos
Salmon fishing has been excellent for trollers off the Sonoma County Coast since the season reopened – and the rockfish are also on the bite in the reefs. Capt. Rick Powers reported top-notch fishing on his recent combo salmon and rockfish trips aboard the New Sea Angler.
“We caught 250 salmon this week and most of the trips also produced limits of rockfish,” said Powers. “On our best trip, our 27 anglers caught 54 salmon to 22 pounds by 8:30 a.m. and then we fished for rockfish. We were back to the dock with limits of both salmon and rockfish by 12:05 p.m. We did this for three days around this time a year ago – and didn’t ever think we would do it again.”
“We caught the salmon at the Bodega Bay Weather Buoy 13 miles off shore while trolling with anchovies over 62 fathoms of water. We ran 13 miles to the closest rocks near shore and then caught the 270 rockfish. The anglers landed vermilion, canary, brown and a few black rockfish,” he explained.
On Monday, July 4, the New Sea Angler returned to the dock with 52 salmon to 21 pounds and 280 rockfish for 28 anglers. Information: (707) 875-3495.
Contact Stockton Record Correspondent Dan Bacher at danielbacher53@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Salmon fishing has been stellar at California's Half Moon Bay
