Rockfish and lingcod season started out slowly April 1, and is rapidly building momentum. Salmon season launched days later with hit-and-miss results.
A few anglers started the season with rockfish and a new limit of three lingcod per angler. The local water proved a bit tough with cool inshore temperatures and a ground swell.
The rockfish and lingcod were on a stubborn bite, but have started to keep anglers busy during the slow days of salmon fishing. Most boats stayed local for ground fish while working the reefs from South Rock up the coast to the Wilder Ranch area.
The catch for bottom fish has ranged from black, vermilion, and blue rock fish and a scattering of lingcod have showed in the mix. The calm days with little swell in the water have been the best, and mellow winds help while drifting for rockfish.
The usual gear has worked, with swim baits, shrimp flies, and live bait used for lingcod topping the charts. It will be a long season for rockfish and many anglers are pacing themselves, using this fishery as a fallback to salmon if it’s slow for salmon fishing.
Salmon always generate the most interest in the Monterey Bay, and we are all grateful for a season to be had. While scientific studies seem to translate into robust runs of salmon, the opener proved challenging for most.
The theme for salmon seems to be that the boats with no fish are quiet while the high-scoring boats are more vocal and willing to give advice over the VHF radio. Anglers need to be patient and put in their time for these silver-sided prized game fish, as some days have hosted good fishing for salmon and limits can be had.
Other days anglers may get skunked, or be happy with a fish per rod. The northwest wind kicked in for the season opener and luckily turned warm water cool; this may help keep fish in our area and move the mackerel south.
The trend for salmon has been finding schools of anchovies as a feed fish for salmon, and trolling or mooching around those bait balls. The baitfish and salmon have been in unseasonably shallow water — depths of 100 feet from Capitola to Moss Landing — and, some days, the south side of Moss Landing has produced salmon as well.
The bay was filled with mackerel prior to the opener, with most having migrated south. If you’re unlucky, your salmon gear may get attacked by frenzied mackerel. Should that happen, it is time to move to a new spot.
Traditional gear is catching salmon at this time. Most anglers troll with a flasher and bait rig, while some prefer the flasher and hoochie set up. Spoons and apex lures catch fish as well, if you prefer an easy approach.
Mooching is an effective technique for salmon and is working well while fish are feeding on schools of anchovies. Anglers mooch whole anchovies while drifting the edges of the bait schools.
It is a great time to get out ocean fishing for salmon or rockfish, you may even see a Grey, or Humpback whale while you are at it. I hope you can get out on the bay soon.
– 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 [email protected].
