We have had enough rain to wet the ground and shake the leaves from the trees, but not enough to flush out the San Lorenzo River. Nevertheless, Wednesday, Dec. 1, marked the opening day of steelhead season, which will remain open through March 7.
The season is open for fishing on the San Lorenzo River, Soquel River, and Scotts Creek. The legal fishing days are Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays, legal holidays and the closing day. Fishing hours are set from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. Barbless hooks and zero retention of steelhead are required, which means no fish may be kept.
The 2010 steelhead report cards are still valid until the New Year. At that time, we will need to get new licenses, and the old steelhead report cards need to be mailed in to the fish and game department’s Steelhead Catch Restoration Program, P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244.
The early-season steelhead that show up in our local rivers are small. Most fish before the New Year are 1 to 3 pounds and are referred to as “egg eaters” — they readily take small worms, salmon eggs and spinners. With the New Year, fresh adult steelhead will enter the system after the large rains.
Fishing in the ocean has changed focus to crabs when the weather is good. The commercial market is getting flooded with crabs, with some boats reporting 50 pounds per crab pot. That means a fair price at the market and a steady supply of crabs for holiday meals. Sport anglers are also scoring on Dungeness crabs from Monterey to the Oregon border.
This time of year, crabbing can get hectic, with rumors of thieves running through others’ gear. Some anglers find their crab traps missing, in different places or empty of crabs. It’s the price fishermen pay while crabbing. I believe in the theory that what comes around goes around. If all crabbers lived by this code, the crabbing scene would be a little nicer.
Rock cod and lingcod season is now closed, but there are still chances of sand dabs or giant squid while fishing in the Monterey Bay.
Mike Baxter has fished in the Monterey Bay area since he was a boy and has been a licensed charter boat captain for more than 15 years. Contact him at
ca************@ya***.com
. He also hosts a fishing show on radio station KSCO (1080) from April through September.
