Albacore heaven in Monterey Bay

In the world of ocean fishing, it seems as though when a season is good for one species of fish it is good for most fish. What this means is that the Monterey Bay has had a very prolific year.
Halibut fishing started in March, striped bass have been common along the beaches the past two months, and now albacore are stating to show up in the outer waters.
The warm water starts to make its way from the southern waters in June most years. The warm offshore currents are normally fueled by seasonal warming trends, along with subtropical storms and hurricanes in the South Pacific. This year, 60-degree water started pushing its way into the bay in late May.
When we have a strong winter followed by heavy spring winds, the foundation in the bay is set. The spring northwest winds cool the water and create the needed upwelling. When the warm, clear water from the south meets the cool, green water in the bay, it forms a current break. This current break is albacore heaven.
A major claim to fishing fame exists for the first boat to catch the first albacore tuna of the season, as this marks the beginning of a new hopeful year. The past few seasons, this credit has gone to Frank Iadiano aboard the “Sea Angel.”
This year was no exception, as Frank reported six albacore tuna caught on June 6. The fish were caught 70 miles southwest of Santa Cruz Harbor in an area of 60-degree water, just north of the Davidson Seamount.
The calm weather and wind from the south should bring the fish and warm water even closer. Look for more albacore reports in the future as sport, commercial and charter boats start to make more trips.
Other options in saltwater include crabbing, halibut, stripers and white sea bass. The top pick has been crabbing, with an average of four Dungeness crabs per trap. Halibut fishing has also remained strong, with boats catching one to three fish per trip, and the scores rise when live bait is available.
The trick to catching striped bass from the beach has been to put in your time. Most anglers are reporting success if they spend a few mornings or evenings chasing stripers in the surf line.
All these types of ocean fishing are fun and have been productive.
 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]. He also hosts a fishing show on radio station KSCO (1080 AM) from 7:06 to 8 p.m. Thursdays April through September.