Time to fish for crab and rockfish off Bay Area coast

One of the closest things to a sure bet in California fishing this time of year is going on a trip for crab and rockfish. The vast majority of trips departing from harbors from Half Moon Bay to Bodega Bay are producing limits of tasty crabs and rockfish — that’s a total of 10 rockfish and 10 Dungeness crab/per angler.

You have about a month to go on these trips, since rockfish season closes on Dec. 31. Right now, the charter boat crews are using hoop nets to catch crabs because of current gear restrictions to avoid whale entanglement from trap gear.

For example, James Smith of the California Dawn in Berkeley reported a combined 55 limits of rockfish (550) and 55 limits of Dungeness crab (550) for the California Dawn 1 and California Dawn 2 on Sunday, Nov. 27. The anglers caught the rockfish while using shrimp flies, jigs, bars and various baits at the Farallon Islands and the crabs while using hoop nets. Information: (510) 417-5557.

The Lovely Martha out of Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco went on a crab-only trip on his latest fishing adventure on Saturday, Nov. 26, but will resume crab/rockfish combos this week. “Today was another fantastic crab only trip,” said Captain Mike Rescino. “We finished up at 10:32 am with 22 limits (220) of delicious crab.” Information: (650) 619-6629.

On Nov. 21, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced that it is continuing the temporary recreational crab trap restriction in Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5 and 6 due to the presence of humpback whales and the potential for entanglement from trap gear. These four zones include California waters from the Sonoma/Mendocino line to the U.S./Mexico border.

However, the recreational crab trap restriction for Fishing Zones 1 and 2, from the California-Oregon border to the Sonoma-Mendocino County border, was lifted Nov. 28.

The take of Dungeness crab by other methods, including hoop nets and crab snares, is allowed during a temporary trap restriction.

CDFW anticipates the next risk assessment will take place on or before Dec. 7, 2022, when CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham will re-evaluate the temporary recreational crab trap restriction and commercial fishery delay in Fishing Zones 3-6. That risk assessment is expected to inform the potential for a commercial fishery opener and modification of the recreational trap restriction in Fishing Zones 3-6 on Dec. 16.

“We appreciate the discussions with the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group regarding risk of entanglement,” said Bonham. “Ultimately, we must rely on the best available science and make management decisions based on the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP) regulations.”

For more information, visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries page or more information on the Dungeness crab fishery, visit wildlife.ca.gov/crab.

West Delta stripers

Sturgeon fishing has slowed down on the West Delta and Suisun Bay, but anglers are hooking lots of stripers while drifting live bait.

“Jerry and his sons were treated to some amazing fishing this morning,” reported Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo Sportfishing on Sunday, Nov 26. “We caught and released too many to count before the bite died. My thumb is raw from unhooking so many fish the last 2 days.”

Soo Hoo was drifting live minnows and mudsuckers around the Antioch Bridge on the San Joaquin River. Information: (925) 899-4045.

“We’re catching and releasing an average of 2 to 3 sturgeon per day, a mixture of oversize, slot size and oversized fish, while fishing roe and lamprey eel from Chain Island to Port Chicago,” reported Zack Medinas at Gatecrasher Fishing Adventures. Information: (925) 497-7171.

Record Lake Amador Golds

Stephen Bleacha from South San Francisco set a new Amador Gold trout record of 13.04 pounds on Monday, Nov. 21, near the blue dock.

His hook-jawed male lunker bit a silver Kastmaster. “He and his family had only been here 20 minutes when the fish struck,” said Lee Lockhart at the Lake Amador Resort.

Then on Thanksgiving Thursday, Andre from Hayward caught another monster 13.04-pound Amagold trout on a silver Kastmaster from the right corner of the blue dock. It was an exact tie for the Amador Gold record caught a few days before.

More local fishing news:

• Anglers, scientists consider potential changes in sturgeon regulations

• Saltwater anglers battle stripers, rockfish and lingcod as crab season nears

• Too few Chinook salmon returning to spawn in low, warm Central Valley conditions this fall

The resort released a total of 1,000 pounds of trout into the lake last week. The first plant of 600 pounds of Amador Golds went into the main lake by the dam on Wednesday, Nov. 23.

“Most of the Amador Golds are in the four pound plus range and many are over 10 pounds,” said Lockhart.

The resort released another 400 pounds, a mixture of Amador cutbows and rainbows, along with a couple of “blues” in the two-pound range, on Friday. The fish included 50 fish tagged for the lake’s trout derby.

The lake is 36 feet from full and the surface water temperature is 60 degrees. Information: (209) 274-4739.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Crab, rockfish fishing season opens off California Bay Area coast