Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3820 Sept 13-27 | Page 29

SALTWATER VOL.38 • ISS. 20 Sept 13-27, 2019 27 SALTWATER REPORTS BERKELEY Salmon, Bottomfish & Halibut Battle Charter Anglers EAST BAY- The beat goes on for East Bay charter boat enthusiasts. Salmon fishing outside the Golden Gate remains good for trollers. The rockfish and lingcod action is outstanding now that skippers are targeting them and the halibut bite both inside and outside the bay remains rock solid. “Yesterday we fished the Farallon Islands and we got full limits of lingcod and rockfish on a very nice grade of fish. The day before we had an awesome potluck trip along the Marin Coast. Lingcod and rockfish bit well along the coast. We had limits of rockfish and over a fish per rod on lingcod. Then we finished the day halibut fishing with over a fish per rod on those,” reported Captain Jonathan Smith of Happy Hooker Sportfishing. Captain Quang of Goldeneye 2000 Sportfishing has been putting his anglers on fantastic halibut fishing in recent days. On slow days, his anglers are averaging 2 halibut per rod. On the best days, they are scoring limits. Shifting gears to salmon fishing, Captain Joey Gallia of New Easy Rider Sportfishing has been trolling for salmon beyond the Golden Gate. Most trips are yielding a fish per rod or better on big kings that average 12 pounds and range up to 26 pounds. Rigged herring and anchovies are the baits of choice. BODEGA BAY Sonoma Coast Kicks Out Salmon Limits BODEGA BAY – The Sonoma coast above Point Reyes has been Ground Zero for salmon on the California coastline with limits of big fish for both private boaters and party boat operators. Captain Rick Powers of the New Sea Angler said, “The big spawners moved into the beach mid-week and we have been averaging a fish and a half per rod on the salmon and full limits of quality rockfish with several lings. Friday’s trip produced 17 salmon to 24 pounds for a light Get Your Fish On! With The Bay Area’s Premier Sportfishing Family… Halibut Now Booking S.F. Bay Halibut & Striper Stripers Live Bait Potluck Trips! Lingcod Salmon Sharks & More Charters & Open Loads Available Departing Daily From The Berkeley Marina Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388 Pacific Dream 3807 (510) 993-4414 Follow Us On Facebook Building On The Legacy of Capt. Jim Smith! Two Boats To Turn Your Fishing Dreams Into Reality! PACIFIC DREAM Captain Chris Smith’s 58’ Pacific Dream Captain Jonathan Smith’s 56’ Happy Hooker load of 13 anglers, full limits of rockfish, and 15 lings to 16 pounds.” Captain Merlin Kolb of the Reel Magic has been finding great action on limits of salmon for his clients throughout the week. On Wednesday, they went out to 400 feet of water near the Weather Buoy, and the salmon came deep between 80 and 200 This huge 25-pound Golden Gate king salmon hit the deck of the New Easy Rider on August 18. feet on the Photo courtesy of NEW EASY RIDER SPORTFISHING, Berkeley. downrigger on his junk while straight deeper on the meter. They were west bait worked higher in the water of Bodega Bay in 310 feet of water in column at standard depths. the flat calm ocean. “The water isn’t clear even though it The salmon action should last is warm, and it is still brown, salmon throughout October now as the fish water. There were a couple of private are just starting to move into the boats that headed out past the shoreline, and the big schools are Cordell Banks for albacore, and they holding above Point Reyes with the had to go through varying stages of massive schools of anchovies off of water temperature to finally find the the Sonoma coast. Few boats are 61-degree break at 65 miles off shore rockfishing with the great salmon for 21 albacore, losing another 5 or 6 action, but the rockfish are there for in the process.,” said Aughney. the taking on the local reefs, and it Kolb has been working a will only get better and better as the combination of a blue hoochie, a Black Widow trolling fly, Sitka spoons, big lingcod move into the coastline to spawn. or straight bait for the salmon. - Dave Hurley John Orcutt of Santa Rosa reported another fantastic day of fish with CONTINUED ON PG 29 2 limits of salmon by 10:00 a.m. trolling green Rotary Salmon Killers with the first two fish at 75 feet and later at 150 feet as they saw bait Hot halibut fishing is still on tap for live bait anglers fishing San Francisco Bay. This chunky fish was landed aboard the Happy Hooker during an August 15 trip. Photo courtesy of HAPPY HOOKER SPORTFISHING, Berkeley.