One more week to wait, and then it's salmon season once again on the Monterey Bay. April 5 is this year's opener, and we can expect the Santa Cruz, Moss and Monterey Harbors to be quite busy this week as anglers ready their boats to launch. Charter boat fishing operations are all booked for opening weekend as may be expected, but space might still be available on the weekdays. If fishing from a private boat, this is a very good time to recheck all your mechanics, electronics, and safety equipment.


All signs are positive for the opener. We have a full season approved by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Salmon abundance numbers are roughly three times larger than the minimum required to open the season. And, we've received consistent reports from anglers fishing for sand dabs near our marine canyons of plentiful bait and even unintended bycatch of king salmon on the sanddab rigs. All salmon caught prior to season opening must be released, of course.


Ken Stagnaro form Stagnaro Charters is waiting to make the transition from the little sandabs to big king salmon. "The Sea Stag is gearing for salmon season which will open on April 5th. Sea Stag is limited to six fishermen and will troll downriggers to start the season. The open public boat will be on Velocity and will be mooching. The Monterey Bay as of now is plugged with bait on the Santa Cruz side with anchovies and krill and squid. Signs are as good as they have looked for a while. In the meantime, 'dab fishing remains the best ever on Monterey Bay. Last Saturday we landed over 1300 for 22 guys!"


While waiting for salmon season to start, don't forget about surfcasting for perch. The coming weekend will have excellent conditions for chasing barred surfperch from beaches near Monterey to the San Mateo Coast. The barred perch prefer a little wave action and the five to seven-foot west swell predicted for the weekend will roil up the sandcrabs nicely. A cloudy or overcast sky seems to help for perch fishing as well. Don't be afraid to cast some grubs or bait if it's raining, the perch can become more active with those conditions.


And finally, if you just can't wait for the ocean salmon season to open in a week, there's a spot you can catch some legal kings right now. Chris Mayse from Chester, California fished Lake Almanor last week from the kayak. Mayze is a Forest Service biologist and dedicated troutmeister. Using one-inch jigs and nightcrawlers, he and his fishing companion caught limits of landlocked king salmon last weekend on Almanor. They also caught and released a few big brown trout in the six-pound category. It could be well worth the long drive to experience pristine springtime conditions on one of Northern California's most productive lakes.


Bushnell can also be heard Friday mornings at 6:45 on KSCO radio 1080 AM. Send your photos, comments or questions to scruzfishing@yahoo.com