Gale force winds and big heaving seas put the brakes on all fishing in Monterey Bay early this week. Some say that fish can sense an approaching low-pressure system and will go on the bite, knowing that food may be scarce during the oncoming storm. That seems to be the case for us last weekend, as limit-style fishing was the rule for those who worked our local and North Coast areas.

Ken Stagnaro on the big Velocity took advantage of the calm before the storm and fished Ano Nuevo last weekend. Stagnaro reported limits for all aboard. "We had a full boat of 34 anglers on Sunday. The fish were mostly good size yellows with a few big reds and one SEVEN pound black rockfish. We also boated eight lingcod weighing between eight and ten pounds." Other skippers reported similar results fishing various North Coast spots last weekend.

Jim Rubin runs Captain Jimmy Charters, which is a six-pack boat. He found limits for his clients both days last weekend, mostly vermillion, black and olive rockfish as well as averaging a lingcod per rod in the eight-15-pound class. " We fished a few North Coast reefs with great results. We're booked for the coming weekend and expect similar results." On November 7. Rubin will start running Dungeness crab/rockfish combo trips, which have been quite successful in the past.

Bayside Marine fielded a number of positive reports from private boaters fishing the North Coast last weekend. "They used squid and sardines for great scores of lingcod and a few nice halibut" owner Todd Fraser said. A few anglers he spoke with also reported great success bounce-ball trolling for halibut success on the beaches below Davenport. Fraser adds that a few white sea bass are still being caught in the Monterey area. Presumably the barracuda schools we saw last week in that area might be on the bite also. The coming weekend's calm conditions forecast makes Monterey a viable alternative for anglers seeking some big game. The "other" big game are still in the mix as well, according to Fraser. Yes, a few boats made the 70-mile trip out to the warm water currents and located schools of feeding albacore. Boats that fished last Friday reported scores of up to 14 tuna while working the far offshore area.

Locally, Capitola seems to have had the best reports last week. Again, prior to the storm, anglers who fished the reefs near Pleasure Point caught limits of rockfish and the occasional lingcod. Though none were reported caught, boaters reported sighting "a big school" of white sea bass near New Brighton, according to Ed Burrell at Capitola Boat and Bait. Burrell adds that the sardine schools are still in the area. The schools are moving in and out, with afternoons and evenings the best for catching them from the wharf.

Bushnell can also be heard on the Friday 6:45am fishing report on KSCO 1080AM. Send your photos, comments or questions to scruzfishing@yahoo.com