Despite low king salmon ocean abundance projections from the Pacific Fishery Management Council and the California Fish and Game Commission, salmon season opened last week as usual on the first Saturday of April. As it stands now, the daily bag limit is two fish per angler, and minimum size is 24 inches. Final regulations will be determined by the above agencies sometime this month, and will be effective on May 1, 2016.

Salmon gear restrictions are the same as last year. No weights heavier than four pounds are allowed (unless using a downrigger), no more than two single-point, single shank barbless hooks allowed, and if not trolling the hooks need be circle hooks. Hooks also must be hard-tied and no more than five inches apart, measured from the eye of the top hook and the inner base of the lower hook.

So far, salmon fishing has been very slow up and down the coast. Avila Beach reported only one or two salmon caught on opening day for their entire fleet. Here in Monterey Bay most boats reported zero fish as well, with a few lucky vessels bringing in one or two fish each. The six-pack Miss Beth with Captain Jim Rubin at the helm worked the deep edges of the Soquel Hole Saturday. Miss Beth had four or five salmon hits, and one fish made it to the net. The king salmon was medium sized, around 10-12 pounds, and featured rich red “krill” meat.

Other charter operators around the bay had similar reports. Chris’ Fishing Trips reported one salmon on the Caroline Sunday, Tom Joseph from Fish On Sportfishing dropped one fish on Saturday fishing Santa Cruz, then went one for five in Half Moon Bay on Sunday. Capitola Boat and Bait recorded at least one nice king salmon on opening day.

Private boats are having a tough time as well. Todd Fraser from Bayside Marine reported on Tuesday “The salmon bite is still the same with a few fish being caught here and there. The salmon were caught 70-150 feet down first thing in the morning then it slowed down. There were a few fish caught on the east edge of the Soquel Hole and in 250 feet of water off Natural Bridges.” On Wednesday, Fraser reported an early morning flurry of bites near Mulligan Hill, but in general the salmon fishing can only be called “slow” this week. But, at least there are fish out there, and hopefully there will be more in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, don’t forget that rockfish season is also open now. In Monterey, anglers have done well off Point Joe and in Carmel Bay for vermilion and olive rockfish as well as lingcod. A good number of lings and various rockfish species are hitting in Santa Cruz area, with the hot spots this week being South Rock and the Mile reef in Capitola.

Most surprising are early-year halibut reports from the Capitola area. Ed Burrell at Capitola Boat and Bait weighed in two big flatties this week. Bob Dice hooked and landed an 18-pounder near Boomer’s Reef soaking a live mackerel, and Marvin Teixer astoundingly landed a 19-pound halibut while fishing frozen herring from the wharf!