Salmon anglers are averaging half to full limits of fish, concentrating on the central Marine Canyon in 250 feet of water. Some catches were reported from 120-180 feet closer to shore by Mulligan’s Hill and the Soldier’s Club. Deepwater rockfish is going strong, even through the big south swell. Top spots out of Monterey are Point Pinos down to Carmel and the upper Big Sur area. Halibut anglers took a break due to big waves, but those fish will be back on the bite once the ocean settles down. Another big south swell is expected next week. Anglers from Moss Landing continue to maximize their efforts for our Monterey Bay mainstays, king salmon and Dungeness crab. Salmon fishing remains steady, while the Dungeness are getting scarce.

Big waves were wild in Santa Cruz, making the Santa Cruz Harbor entrance and exit very dangerous if not impossible for a few days. Boat anglers that braved the conditions found most mornings to be fishable, with most boats going for salmon. Best spots were along the canyon edges in 200-300 feet of water. A few boats ventured north towards Davenport and fond good feeding conditions, though the seas were not kind on their return trips south to the harbor. Halibut fishing slowed due to the swell, though smaller flatfish such as sole and sanddabs continued to bite in 150 to 200 feet of water, mostly along the canyon edges.

Big waves made surfcasting a perilous proposition as evidenced by the multiple water rescues performed by our gnarly first responders. Sadly, two of the victims didn’t make it after being swept out to sea by the powerful surge. A long-period south swell featuring 20-wave sets and powerful sneaker waves kept the perch busy, but without biting on our bait. Striper fishing was fairly productive, especially from the Pacifica Pier. Ironically, there was a last burst of striped bass activity just before the pier was closed, perhaps permanently last week. Authorities determined the degraded conditions of concrete and rebar created a significant danger to the public. Local pier fishermen vehemently objected to the closure, but the very next day saw the pier detach from its shore connection. 

Despite the big waves and strong currents, surfcasting for perch and especially stripers is getting better from Half Moon Bay down through Monterey Bay. Reports from the wild coast north of Santa Cruz indicate both barred surf perch and stripers in the 30-inch class were biting well by the end of the week. Further south, surfcasters are relaxing into the summer routine of shore fishing, with the number of species and the average size of fish growing.