It really feels like winter now. Temperatures are down and the surf is up. Best of all, it’s raining again!

Of all these conditions, dedicated anglers might value the rain most of all. Besides mitigating our four-year drought, a significant rainfall year can mean good steelhead fishing and higher survival rates for the king salmon that are spawning right now in northern California rivers. Steelhead season is open in our area, but it is too early to expect any adult steelies in our local streams. Once the flows increase in Monterey Bay creeks and streams, adult steelhead will return for spawning. Anglers who hunt these beautiful ocean-going trout must remember to check the local regulations stringently. In our area, fishing is allowed only on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays. Barbless hooks only may be used. Low-flow restrictions might be implemented by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife later this year as well.

Rockfish and Dungeness crab continue as primary targets for local fishing on the salt. Chris’ fishing trips in Monterey have been doing fairly well, reporting half-limits of rockfish and around five Dungeness crab per angler aboard the Check Mate, Caroline and Star of Monterey. Crabbers in Santa Cruz are having best results finding the Dungies in deeper this week, in 200-250 feet of water according to Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine.

For maximum angling action it’s never a bad idea to travel a bit, this time of year. Captain Jay Yokomizo on The New Huck Finn out of Emeryville is reporting full limits of rockfish, ling cod and Dungeness crab for all his clients this week. Yokomizo is steaming through the Golden Gate and finding success off the Marin Coast.

Another option is fishing the Sacramento and American Rivers, which are getting hot right now. Famed fishing guide JD Richey transitioned from river salmon to striped bass last week, and is reporting excellent results. On Thursday this week Richey said, “The king salmon action finally has petered out and now it's time for Delta stripers! Fishing from Saturday to Tuesday has been solid, though yesterday we had to really look around until we found the Mother Lode. Once we got on ‘em, it was red hot. Still plenty of smaller fish around but some nice ones mixed in too.”

Richey has been guiding in the Sacramento area, the Trinity and Klamath Rivers or Alaska since 1998. Besides having top-shelf professional gear and decades of targeted experience, he has the knowledge to put his clients right on the fish. With luck, we will be posting a personal river striper report in the very near future.