This week's rainy weather underscored the fact we are now well into fall. There are still plenty of fishing opportunities, but wind and swell are going to be an increasing factor as we move closer to winter.

Trophy-sized sea bass remain a distinct possibility in our area, though you may have to work for them. Just ask John Tran, a local kayak fisherman. Tran paddled out over a dozen times before he hooked and kept a big white sea bass this year. "After the longest skunk of my life, catching and releasing an array of species- mola mola, baby white sea bass, jellyfish, rockfish, sanddabs, lingcod and king/queenfish to name a few, I was very close to calling it quits for hunting the elusive white sea bass. I remember telling myself after the 11th skunk that it was about time to target something else." Lucky for Tran he did not give up.

Leaving the harbor well before dawn last Saturday, Tran and partner Mike Sapp paddled nearly eight miles up the coast before setting out their lines. Within minutes Tran was rewarded with the "ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzZZ" sound of his reel clicker as a 55-pound white sea bass tore off a couple hundred yards of line. Tran finally turned the fish, which fought for 40 minutes before he could gaff and secure it on his 'yak.

Since last weekend, reports indicate the sea bass are becoming scarce in our North Coast area, but a few are still being caught near Pajaro, and in Monterey. If we get a resurgence of spawning squid on this side of the Bay, the sea bass will be back. Veteran commercial fisherman Carl Azevedo, "Boccie Boy" relates, "As long as the squid are here, the sea bass should stick around." In past years, he has seen the fall sea bass bite extend into December.

Meanwhile, fishing for rock cod and lings is more than "steady," it is still really good. And, you don't need to go far for limits. The reefs off West Cliff, near the Mile Buoy, Pleasure Point, and the various Capitola reefs continue to pump out a great variety of rockfish, and an increasing number of lings. Skipper Gerry Brookes has been heading north, just past the city limits. While Brokes has had a couple slow days, he is till getting. On Saturday Brookes reported "we found much better quality of fish and plugged the boat with nice reds, blacks, blues, olives and two lings to 14 pounds. Looking forward for the Dungenous crab season to open on Nov. 3. We'll be running crab and rockfish combo trips."