What we all knew was coming allegedly has been codified. No offical announcement has been issued as yet but sportsmen following this week’s PFMC meetings say they have voted to close all salmon fishing in the State of California for the 2024 season.

Meanwhile, anglers in the Monterey Bay have been fishing “Federal Waters” all week, with the tacit approval of The California Department of Fish and Wildlife. CDFW is still dotting “T’s” and crossing “I’s” apparently. State waters stop at a line three miles from shore. Unfortunately, Monterey Bay, like San Francisco Bay, legally is a “closed bay.” This means state waters extend to the narrowest point of the bay. In San Francisco, that would be the Golden Gate a narrow passageway. Monterey Bay, however is 30 miles across and the Federal line extends roughly from Lighthouse Point in Santa Cruz straight across to Point Pinos near Monterey. This puts the Federal waters line about 12 miles offshore from Moss Landing. The immense Monterey Bay Submarine Canyon provides many good spots for deep water fishing that anglers cannot advantage at this time. Monterey and Moss Landing anglers are most affected by this current legal condition. From Santa Cruz, the 50- fathom line and the three-mile Federal waters boundary are in closer proximity and anglers have done very well this week, catching a mix of vermilion and chilipepper rockfish, and some truly impressive lingcod.

In Santa Cruz, Dungeness crabbing is getting slower. Rockfishing is very productive beyond the 50-fathom line in Federal waters. Skipper JT Thomas reports limits of big quality vermilions and other rockfish beyond the three-mile Federal line this week. On Sunday’s trip aboard the beautiful Miss Beth, client Skylar Donohue was top dog, pulling in a double from 350 feet of water that included a 10-pound vermilion and a giant 25-pound ling cod (And, they have the pictures to prove it!) Halibut numbers are increasing near Santa Cruz Mile buoy. 50-80 feet are still the best depths to drift live bait or troll for big flatties. Rockfish are available, but boats have to pass over some really good deepwater fishing spots to escape the Sate waters boundary before fishing. This situation should be rectified by next week.

Chris’ Sportfishing out of Monterey reports full limits of rockfish on every trip taken this week, plus the occasional lingcod. They also counted up to 400 horse mackerel caught on one of the trips, which means fun, fast fishing and enough frozen bait to last all summer. We’ve also received a number of reports indicating squid are beginning to spawn in the Monterey area. That is great news, as the huge squid schools attract our prey fish such as halibut, rockfish and white sea bass. Private boater and kayak angler halibut catches have been steady in Monterey for the past month, including a good number of big fish over 30 pounds.  Typically, the March/April halibut moving in to shallower waters are smaller males. This influx may be a harbinger of a stupendous halibut season for 2024. Please note the full bag limit on flatties has been reduced to two fish per day, instead of three as in previous years.The Monterey anglers who reported big flatties were fishing by Red Can buoy near Pacific Grove, or “the Hotel” near DelMonte Beach.