After a tumultuous start of the year weather-wise, we were blessed with calm conditions last week. Even the big swell that hit Maverick's over the weekend hardly showed here in Monterey Bay. That made things easy for boaters heading out to check crab pots and maybe pick up a bucket or two of sand dabs.

Jim Rubin from Captain Jimmy Charters treated Saturday's clients on the Becky Ann to 36 big Dungeness crab (limits), and followed up with "as many sand dabs as they wanted." In this case they pulled the plug at 150 of the small sole before heading back to the Santa Cruz Harbor before noon. Rubin appreciates our break in the weather. "It was like glass out there today. Hard to believe this was Santa Cruz in the middle of winter!"

This is also the season for steelhead fishing in Northern California. Most streams are running low and clear due to lack of rain. Fishing has been hit or miss on our local creeks and streams, mostly miss. A few of the Northern rivers are in very good shape, however.

Local steelheader Jeff Huntze Joined Mad River Outfitter's owner Jimmy Davis for a float down the main stem of the Eel River last week. They did pretty well, catching a few chromers using Fish Pills and roe. Serious steelheaders were looking at the bigger rivers last week, which are usually unfishable in winter such as the Main Eel, and even the Klamath. However this latest light pulse of rain resulted in a freshet for the northern coastal rivers, drawing attention back to the Smith and the Chetco rivers.

If you fish for steelhead locally, be sure to check all Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations. A separate steelhead report card must be in possession in addition to your current DFW fishing license. Information on the report card must be filled in before you start that day's fishing. Fishing steelhead locally is a catch and release proposition, no fish may be kept whatsoever. Single barbless hooks are also required to avoid injuring fish. Best practice includes handling the fish as little as possible, and leaving the fish in the water prior to immediate release.

On that note, a final reminder that all 2012 fishing report cards must be returned to the DFW before the end of this month. It's a little easier this year, as the DFW has instigated an online reporting process located here: www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales/CustomerSearch/Begin