We just cannot seem to get cooperation from the weather and sea conditions this season. Though fishing feels tough for all species, a number of good catches were reported this week.

Off the North Coast, water temperatures are hovering near 50 degrees, very cold for this time of year. According to Kenny Stagnaro, this is part of the reason the rockfish bite is so slow up there. We've seen a few days here and there with decent bites near Davenport and Ano Nuevo, but again, with the heavy northwest winds, it is difficult for most boats to travel that far for the fish. Stagnaro took the Velocity to Davenport on Monday and found the rockfishing a bit slow in 120 feet of water. He ended the day fishing the reefs off West Cliff for half to full limits of Bolinas, Gopher and Vermillion rockfish. While fishing Davenport, two lucky anglers on the Velocity caught and released king salmon.

Those incidental catches demonstrate the salmon are available and widely scattered right now. Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine reports the best bite has been at the Soquel Hole, but received reports this week of salmon caught from Soquel Hole to the Three Trees and Davenport areas. Fraser reminds us again to use heavy leaders because some of these salmon are very big. Captain Jim Rubin on the Becky Ann netted six salmon to 30 pounds on Saturday, and five on Sunday, fishing the west side of the Soquel Hole. Gerry Brookes from Reel Sportfishing worked the North Coast area on Saturday for five fish, each weighing between 20-30 pounds.

Big fish honors this week must go to 14-year old Scott Smith. With his dad Dale on their boat The Aquanut, Scott hooked and landed a whopper 43-pound king salmon Monday, fishing the Soquel Hole. "We've fished out here all my life and all his, and that's our best," says Dale. Scott's fish is the largest reported local salmon of the year so far.

Striped bass are still on the bite from La Selva Beach to the New Brighton area, according to Mark Dingler from the Angler's Choice Tackle Shop. Ed Burrell at Capitola Boat and Bait says a few nice stripers were caught this week from the wharf by anglers using live bait behind the surfline. Burrell counted a good number of halibut caught from the rental skiffs this week, but is most excited about a few White Sea Bass caught off the edge of the kelp beds in Capitola, by anglers using live bait.