Winter is on its way. Hopes are high that the coming winter pattern will bring desperately needed rain to recharge our lakes, streams, rivers and underground aquifers. So far so good with a few low-pressure systems already tracking towards our area from the Gulf of Alaska, though little moisture was gained in our area. The waves have been big, though. Another early-season northwest swell pushed through this week, pleasing the surfers. Another positive factor is this indicates the high-altitude Jetstream is not yet blocked from our area as in seasons past. The Jetstream can direct low-pressure storm systems across our shores, bringing precipitation.


An accurate long-term forecast is difficult if not impossible to locate at this time due to the myriad of variables that can affect our weather. Most important is whether or not an El Nino will develop to our south this winter. While we have no confirmation yet, analysts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expect warmer ocean temperatures along the equator. This often translates to a wetter winter for our area.


In the meantime, we've had plenty of fair seas for fishing. Rockfish and lingcod still top the charts, with limit style fishing reported by all the party boats, and many private boaters as well. Stagnaro's Sportfishing will continue to fish for rockfish as well as Dungeness crab once the season opens on November 1, 2014. Skipper Ken Stagnaro plans to continue a wide range of opportunities aboard the Velocity and the smaller six-pack boat, Sea Stag. "Cod fishing has been very consistent with limits and near limits being caught on our local reef. The half-day trips aboard Velocity are running every weekend and select trips during midweek. Also, coming in November we will offer codfish and Dungeness crab combo trip on our smaller boat the Sea Stag Six."


Chris Arcoleo and company in Monterey have three boats running and reported rockfish limits this week as well as a few lingcod limits. Chris' travels around the Pt. Pinos corner to the rocky shores of Carmel and Big Sur for big fish, and plenty of them. Monday and Wednesday trips on the Check Mate garnered full limits of rockies and lings for all anglers, while Sunday's trip caught limits of rockfish and averaged about one and a half lings per rod.


It's a great time to travel for fishing now. San Francisco Bay is choked with striped bass, the Delta Region and Sacramento River have upstream salmon, northern rivers such as the Trinity and Klamath feature salmon and steelhead, and the mountain lakes have big trout fattening up for winter. This weekend, a local crew of kayak anglers tested the waters of Almanor Lake near Chester California. They found tons of pond smelt bait balls, the occasional big Eagle Lake-variety rainbow, big hook-jawed brown trout and even a few landlocked Chinook salmon. The fish were caught on a variety of lures, worms, and small jigging irons.


Send your photos, comments or questions to scruzfishing@yahoo.com