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A short weather window off the North Coast has piqued the interest of local tuna anglers. With the closure of Pacific halibut, salmon, and now nearshore rockfish, we’re slowly running out of fish to target. So, excuse us if we’re a little more excited than usual when the tuna conditions align. The water sitting off Eureka is a little further out than one would like, but I’d bet some will give it a go starting Friday. As of Tuesday, it was roughly 50 miles to the edge. Fort Bragg looks to be one of the better options, with the warm water sitting 30 to 35 miles straight west. Crescent City and Brookings are also looking at longer runs, with the water sitting roughly 50 miles offshore. Conditions in Coos Bay are also aligning. As of Wednesday, you’re looking at about 45 miles to the break. With the number of angling options running thin, expect plenty of boats from all ports along the coast to be out in force chasing albacore as well as bluefin tuna this weekend.

Weekend marine forecast
Relatively calm conditions are forecast starting Friday and through the weekend. From Pt. St. George to Cape Mendocino out 10 to 60 nautical miles, Friday’s forecast is calling for winds 5 to 10 knots out of the west and northwest waves 3 feet at seven seconds and south 2 feet at 14 seconds. Saturday is calling for north winds 5 to 10 knots and waves out of the northwest 3 feet at seven seconds and south 2 feet at 15 seconds. Sunday’s forecast looks a little better, with winds out of the north 5 to 10 knots and waves northwest 3 feet at eight seconds and south 2 feet at 15 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Nearshore Groundfish Fisheries to close in Mendocino, San Francisco and Central Management Areas
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Monday that as of 12:01 a.m. Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, the 50-fathom Rockfish Conservation Area boundary line will take effect for the following areas.

Mendocino Groundfish Management Area (GMA) – Cape Mendocino to Point Arena

San Francisco GMA – Point Arena to Pigeon Point

Central GMA – Pigeon Point to Point Conception

In these management areas, recreational boat-based groundfish fishing will be ‘offshore only’ and allowed only seaward of the 50-fathom boundary line, defined by straight lines connecting waypoints (50 CFR Part 660, Subpart G). Shelf rockfish, slope rockfish and lingcod may be taken seaward of the 50-fathom boundary line, while it will be unlawful to take or possess nearshore rockfish, cabezon or greenlings at any depth.

In the Southern Management area from Pt. Conception to the U.S.-Mexico border, these same rules will take effect as originally planned on Sept. 16.

The press release states that “during the ‘offshore only’ fishery, fishing gear shall not be deployed shoreward of the 50-fathom RCA boundary line when shelf rockfish, slope rockfish or lingcod are possessed onboard the vessel, however vessels may transit shoreward of the 50-fathom RCA boundary line with these species in possession if no gear is deployed. Additionally, vessels fishing in the adjacent Southern GMA and transiting back to the Central GMA must adhere to the ‘offshore only’ provisions effective in the Central GMA and shall not return with nearshore species aboard. These changes do not apply to shore-based anglers or divers.”

“CDFW is carefully monitoring the harvest of quillback rockfish from both the recreational and commercial fisheries throughout the state and has taken a series of steps in an effort to reduce quillback rockfish mortality. On Aug. 7, retention of quillback rockfish was prohibited statewide, followed by closure of the recreational nearshore fishery in the Northern GMA, on Aug. 21. Newly available recreational data from the Mendocino, San Francisco and Central GMAs for the second week of August showed double the estimated recreational take and indicated the 2023 quillback rockfish harvest limit specified in federal regulations has been exceeded. This additional in-season action authorized by Title 14, Section 27.20 (e) to adjust the fishing depth is necessary to prevent further overage.”

“CDFW urges anglers to use best fishing practices to reduce impacts to quillback rockfish and other prohibited groundfish species. These include reducing mortality when releasing fish by utilizing a descending device and relocating to different fishing grounds or switching targets if quillback rockfish or other prohibited species are encountered. CDFW recommends reviewing the Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations page before each trip to ensure anglers are up to date on the most recent groundfish regulations, including a complete list of authorized species.”

For more information regarding the quillback population estimates and how these changes were developed, please see CDFW’s Quillback Rockfish In-Season Informational Briefing. For information on all groundfish regulations visit CDFW’s Marine Region Groundfish page.

The Oceans:
Eureka
According to Tim Klassen, of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, the tuna water is still a ways offshore. “It looks like it pushed out a bit since late last week,” said Klassen. “As of Tuesday, it was sitting about 52 miles from Eureka to the good edge off of Cape Mendocino. Ocean conditions look good for Friday and Saturday, so I’m sure there will be some boats that make the run.”

Shelter Cove
According to Jake Mitchell, of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, boats were able to target tuna last Sunday through Thursday. He said, “Boats fished straight out 30 miles and scores ranged from 10 to 30 fish per boat.  The good weather allowed us to make it up to Rodgers Break a few days for rockfish. The rockfish bit really well and even the lingcod fishing was great.”

Brookings
“Nice weather conditions could allow boats to get out for tuna Friday and Saturday, but the best water appears to be 50 miles from the harbor toward Gold Beach,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Halibut fishing remains good in 180 to 220 feet of water, with herring and squid combos working best. Rockfish action is solid and lingcod action is fair, but better the further north boats travel. California halibut are biting at Crissy Field and Sporthaven Beach.”

The Rivers
Lower Klamath
Flows on the lower Klamath are peaking Wednesday following the releases from Lewiston last Friday. As of Wednesday, flows were 5,220 cfs and leveling off. Reportedly, there is muddy water headed downriver from the Happy Camp area from the flash floods over the weekend. When that hits, it will be a few days before the river will be fishable again.

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue Bay is fishing well, but is crowded. “Sunday had one of the best bites of the year, with the majority of boats getting multiple fish. Be prepared for fishing in close quarters. Action has been spotty on the Coos and Umpqua.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife projects the combined recreational and commercial take of quillback rockfish will exceed the harvest limits specified in federal regulation for 2023 is prohibiting retention of the fish statewide in both the recreational and commercial fisheries effective Aug. 7.

From the CDFW July 28 announcement:

“The 2021 stock assessment for quillback rockfish off California indicated severe population declines. As a result, a recreational one-fish limit and reduced commercial limits were implemented in 2022 to reduce catch. Further constraints to the groundfish seasons for 2023 have not sufficiently reduced catch for quillback rockfish to meet federal harvest guidelines.

CDFW urges anglers to use best fishing practices to reduce impacts to quillback rockfish and other prohibited species. These include reducing mortality when releasing fish by utilizing a descending device and relocating to different fishing grounds or switching targets if you are catching and releasing quillback rockfish or other prohibited species.

The Rockfish, Cabezon, Greenling (RCG) complex bag and possession limit will remain 10 fish daily, with a one-fish sub-bag limit for copper rockfish, and a four-fish sub-bag limit for vermilion rockfish. Along with quillback rockfish, take of bronzespotted rockfish, cowcod and yelloweye rockfish continue to be prohibited year-round at all depths.

To better assist anglers with identifying rockfish species while fishing, CDFW has prepared informational flyers to distinguish quillback rockfish from similar looking species, such as China and black-and-yellow rockfish. Additional fish identification materials on rockfish and other species can be found on CDFW’s Fish and Shellfish Identification web page.

CDFW will continue to monitor groundfish species of concern, such as quillback rockfish. If the current in-season change prohibiting take of quillback rockfish is not sufficient to reduce harvest, additional in-season actions such as modifications to the season dates and/or depth constraints may be implemented. Anglers are strongly encouraged to minimize catch of quillback rockfish and other prohibited species to reduce the possibility of further in-season actions in 2023 and beyond. CDFW recommends reviewing the Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations web page before each trip to ensure anglers are up to date on the most recent groundfish regulations.”

For information, visit content.govdelivery.com/accounts/CNRA/bulletins/367d83d

Weekend Marine Forecast
Within 10 nautical miles, ocean conditions look to remain fishable through the weekend, though the wind will pick starting Friday. Friday’s forecast is calling for winds 5 to 15 knots out of the north and north waves 5 feet at six seconds. Saturday is calling for winds 5 to 15 knots from the north and waves from the north 6 feet at seven seconds. Sunday, winds will be from the north 5 to 15 knots with waves north 6 feet at eight seconds and west 2 feet at 10 seconds These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

Recreational Pacific halibut fishery to close August 4
The recreational Pacific halibut fishery will close statewide on Friday, Aug. 4 at 11:59 p.m., the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced in a press release Aug. 2. Based on the latest catch projections, CDFW expects the 2023 California recreational quota of 39,520 net pounds will be reached by this date. For more information, visit https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/CNRA/bulletins/3689d1e

Tuna Update
Thursday’s calm forecast has North Coast tuna anglers on alert. The closest water is sitting roughly 35 miles off of Crescent City and quite a few boats are planning a run. Same goes for the Brookings fleet. Prior, Charleston and all the ports to the north have been getting some decent scores. A couple Dorado have been landed out of Garibaldi, where boats are getting 20 to 30 albacore per trip.

The Oceans:
Eureka
A few fishable days provided some good Pacific halibut fishing, according to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “The bite has been excellent and limits have been coming quickly, if you’re located in a good spot,” said Klassen. “Most of the action has been between the 45 and 52 lines, and there’s fish scattered throughout. Most are still coming between 250 to 300 feet. The good news is the black cod seem to have lessened, but there’s still plenty of Hake to deal with. Rock fishing remains excellent at the Cape, but the lingcod bite is still on the slow side.”

Shelter Cove
“Fishing was a little slower for a few days this week, but we still managed limits of rockfish each day,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “We did have a couple days of lingcod limits as well, but overall lingcod fishing remains slow. We’ve been fishing off the Ranch House and down as far as Mistake Point. There are lots of anchovies in the harbor, but so far not very many California halibut. The salmon are thick in there as well so it’s hard to get a presentation on the bottom. Ocean conditions have been crappy for weeks and no one has gone Pacific halibut fishing since the Fourth of July week.”

Crescent City
According to Britt Carson of Crescent City’s Englund Marine, quite a few California halibut are now being caught daily. “On a good day, we’re seeing 10 to 15 caught along South Beach,” said Carson. “And we’re seeing some big ones too. I’ve seen quite a few better than 30 inches, including one that measured 42. There hasn’t been much effort for Pacific halibut lately, seems that everyone has what they need. The rockfish and lingcod bite are still wide open when the boats can get out. Both reefs are producing quality limits.”

Brookings
“Lingcod and rockfish action has been good out of Brookings, but many anglers are turning their attention to Thursday’s calm offshore forecast to run for tuna,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Several Brookings-based boats are heading out for albacore on Thursday. Salmon fishing has been slow in the ocean but a few kings are biting in the Chetco estuary.”

The Rivers:
Lower Klamath
As of the weekend there weren’t any big concentrations of steelhead, but reportedly adults started to show up mid-week. Fishing should only get better as we head into the first few weeks of August. The daily bag limit is two hatchery steelhead or hatchery trout per day on both the Klamath and Trinity rivers, with a possession limit of four. Anglers must have a Steelhead Fishing Report and Restoration Card in their possession while fishing for steelhead trout in anadromous waters. For more information, visit nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=202686&inline

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue Bay is kicking out big numbers of bright kings, but since it’s the only show in town, there are plenty of boats fishing. “Upwards of 100 boats are day are kegged up in the bay, but many are catching a fish per rod or better. Anchovies fished behind large Pro Troll 360 flashers are working best.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

After a solid week of fishable ocean conditions, the end is near for our Pacific halibut season. With more good weather forecast through the weekend, it will be a close call whether we make it until the first of August. The hope was the halibut quota would carry well into August and coincide with the arrival of tuna season, but that doesn’t look to be the case. Between fishable conditions, plenty of fish and anglers getting good at catching, we’re looking at a shortened season. As of July 23, California’s share of Area 2A’s quota, which includes Washington and Oregon, is at 84 percent, with 33,119 net pounds harvested against the 39,520 quota. Once the quota is met, rockfish will be the only option for offshore anglers until the tuna arrive, which is looking like it’ll be soon. To monitor the in-season tracking, visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/pacific-halibut#31670772-in-season-tracking.

Marine Forecast
Out 10 nautical miles, ocean conditions look to remain fishable through the weekend. As of Wednesday, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 15 knots and waves north 4 feet at six seconds. Saturday, the winds will be the same with waves north 4 feet at five seconds. Sunday, winds will be out of the north 5 to 15 knots with waves out of the northwest 4 feet at five seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Ruth Lake parking lot closure
According to the Ruth Lake Community Service District, the marina parking lot will be closed to the public July 28-Aug. 4 due to asphalt repair. Boat launching will be available at Ruth Rec Campground. For more info, call (707) 574-6194 or visit ruthlakecsd.org.

Sport Crab season coming to a close
The 2023 sport Dungeness crab season in Humboldt, Mendocino and Del Norte counties will close July 30. The season is expected to reopen Nov. 4.

California halibut bite heating up
The California halibut bite is heating up and more and more are being caught daily. There aren’t a lot of anchovies in the bay yet, but there seem to be plenty of shiner perch for those wanting live bait. Anglers fishing swim baits and frozen bait are also catching their share. The fishing seems to really improve when we have the smaller tide swings, which we’ve had this week. The minimum size is 22 inches and the daily bag and possession limit is two.

The Oceans:
Eureka
The Pacific halibut bite is still going strong, although the bite was a little tougher for some Monday, reports Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “It was definitely a mixed bite Monday, some got them and some didn’t,” Klassen said. “There’s fish scattered over a large area from the Eel Canyon up to the 54-line. But overall, the fishing is still really good and quite a few limits are being caught each day. There’s also been some nice Canary rockfish showing up in the halibut grounds. The rockfish bite is still excellent at the Cape when boats can get there.”

Shelter Cove
“Ocean conditions have been pretty bad and have kept us close to home a couple of days,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “On top of that, the rock fishing was tough. The days the weather allowed us to get to the Hat, we did pretty well. Lingcod fishing remains pretty slow. Crabbing is still good and we’re getting easy limits each day fishing below the bell.”

Crescent City
A few California halibut are being caught along South Beach, according to Britt Carson of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “Small boats trolling anchovies have had some good success this week,” said Carson. “The effort on Pacific halibut has definitely slowed down, but the fishing hasn’t. The rockfish bite is as good as ever and we’re seeing some big lings being caught. We had a couple up to 35 pounds come in. The thresher shark bite slowed down, I haven’t heard of any caught this week. A few boats are still targeting them.”

Brookings
“The first albacore of the season were caught out of Brookings on Monday, less than 20 miles from the harbor,” said Andy Martin, of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Water temperatures are as high as 62 just 18 miles from shore. Windy weather could limit success this week. Halibut fishing is fair to good out of Brookings. Lingcod fishing has improved.”

Lower Rogue
Salmon fishing is kicking into high gear on the Rogue Bay, according to Martin. “Catch rates have improved as the run builds. Most guides had multiple fish over the weekend. The bay also is crowded, with few salmon options elsewhere.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

Steelhead have been trickling into the lower Klamath, and the fishing so far has been on the slow side. That’s the tough news. The good news is the river is in great shape. The water temps are slightly cooler than previous years, and the water is clear and free from moss. These excellent conditions, however, could be working against anglers. Cool temps aren’t providing a reason for the steelhead to stop and the few coming in are likely blowing right through. But it’s still very early in the season and the steelhead action really starts to pickup toward the end of July into early August. Until then, anglers can enjoy the chance to hook a steelhead or two with very little angling pressure. The daily bag limit is two hatchery steelhead or hatchery trout per day on both the Klamath and Trinity rivers, with a possession limit of four. Anglers must have a Steelhead Fishing Report and Restoration Card in their possession while fishing for steelhead trout in anadromous waters. For more information, visit nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=202686&inline.

Klamath/Trinity Chinook salmon regulations
The California Fish and Game Commission acted unanimously to enact a full closure of California’s recreational salmon fishing season in the Klamath River Basin rivers through its annual process for adjusting seasons and bag limits, planned effective August 15, 2023. Below are the 2023-2024 sport salmon regulations as listed in the California Supplemental Sport Fishing Regulation booklet dated July 15, 2023.

• Klamath River from 3,500 feet downstream of the Iron Gate Dam to the Highway 96 bridge at Weitchpec: Aug. 15 through Dec. 31, 2023. Closed to the take and possession of Chinook Salmon.

• Klamath River downstream of the Highway 96 bridge at Weitchpec: Jul. 1 through Aug. 14. Closed to all salmon fishing except for 1 Chinook Salmon by federally recognized tribes; Aug. 15 through Dec. 31. Closed to the take and possession of Chinook Salmon.

• Trinity River main stem downstream of the Old Lewiston Bridge to the Highway 299 West bridge at Cedar Flat: Jul. 1 through Aug. 31. Closed to all salmon fishing except for 1 Chinook Salmon by federally recognized tribes; Sep. 1 through Dec. 31. Closed to the take and possession of Chinook Salmon.

• Trinity River main stem downstream of the High-way 299 West bridge at Cedar Flat to the Denny Road bridge at Hawkins Bar: Jul. 1 through Aug. 31. Closed to all salmon fishing except for 1 Chinook Salmon by federally recognized tribes; Sep. 1 through Dec. 31. Closed to all fishing.

• Trinity River main stem downstream of the Denny Road bridge at Hawkins Bar to the mouth of the South Fork Trinity River: Jul. 1 through Aug. 31. Closed to all salmon fishing except for 1 Chinook Salmon by federally recognized tribes; Sep. 1 through Dec. 31. Closed to the take and possession of Chinook Salmon.

• Trinity River main stem downstream of the mouth of the South Fork Trinity River to the confluence with the Klamath River: Sep. 1 through Dec. 31. Closed to the take and possession of Chinook Salmon.

In waters where the bag limit is zero, fish for which the bag limit is zero must be released unharmed, and should not be removed from the water.

Marine Forecast
After a week of sloppy seas, better conditions will begin Thursday. As of Wednesday afternoon, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 15 knots and north waves 5 feet at six seconds. Saturday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 15 knots and waves north 4 feet at five seconds. Winds will be similar Sunday, blowing 5 to 15 knots from the north with waves north 5 feet at five seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/eureka/ or www.windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

California halibut bite improving
The California halibut bite is heating up, with a few more caught daily. There aren’t a lot of anchovies in the bay yet, but there seem to be plenty of shiner perch for those wanting live bait. Anglers fishing dead bait and even jigs and swimbaits are having plenty of success. The fishing seems to really improve when we have the smaller tide swings, which will start this weekend. The minimum size is 22 inches and the daily bag and possession limit is two.

Pacific halibut quota update
The CDFW has projected 31,257 net pounds of Pacific halibut have been harvested through July 16. In 2023, the Pacific halibut allocation for California is 39,520 pounds. The Pacific halibut fishery will run through Nov. 15 or until the quota is reached, whichever is earlier. To view the latest catch projection information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/pacific-halibut#31670772-in-season-tracking.

The Oceans:
Eureka
Rough ocean conditions have prevented most boats from chasing Pacific halibut the past several days, reports Tim Klassen, of Reel Steel Sport Fishing. “We’ve been off the water since late last week but there were a couple of fishable days in there,” says Klassen. “Prior to the seas coming up, most boats were still getting limits of Pacific halibut. The large area between the Eel River and Mad still has plenty of fish, but they are moving around a bit. Boats have been fishing between 250 and 300 feet. And there’s still plenty of hake and black cod you’ll need to deal with. Ocean conditions finally look like they’ll improve starting Thursday.”

Trinidad
We’ve been dealing with some sloppy conditions the last few days, reports Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters. “The Pacific halibut bite has slowed dramatically, and so has the effort,” says Wilson. “The black rockfish has been good and we’re getting limits, but it’s been a little tougher. When we can get there, Redding Rock continues to produce some quality rockfish and lingcod. Crabbing has been decent, we’re sending the customers home with a few each trip.”

Shelter Cove
According to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, ocean conditions have been pretty sloppy the past few days, but boats have made it out most days. “Rock fishing remains pretty solid and the lingcod fishing improved a little with the opening of the all-depths fishery Sunday,” says Mitchell. “Due to the conditions, we’ve been fishing right around the whistle. Crabbing is still really good, as well, and we’ve been setting gear below the bell.”

Crescent City
“Thresher sharks have showed up on South Beach this week and a few were caught,” says Britt Carson, of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “The biggest one over the weekend weighed in at 168 pounds. Anglers are slow trolling a herring or anchovy. A few California halibut are being caught along the beach, as well, but it’s not red-hot. The rockfish bite continues to be excellent, with both reefs kicking out limits of rockfish and lingcod. The Pacific halibut bite is still going strong. Guys who have figured out the anchor system are doing well.”

Brookings
Ocean salmon fishing remains slow out of Brookings, says Andy Martin, of Brookings Fishing Charters. “A few hatchery coho are being caught on calm weather days,” he says. “Halibut fishing is good on flat days, with many six-pack charters getting two-fish limits. Herring and squid combinations fished in 200 to 230 feet of water are working best. Windy weather kept boats close to shore on Sunday and Monday, but rockfish are thick on the inner reefs.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, the Rogue Bay produced its best day so far this season on Saturday, with dozens of salmon landed. “Some guides estimated the total number of fish caught close to 100. Sunday and Monday were slower, in part because of strong winds. The afternoon outgoing tide has been the best bet.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

Anglers fishing out of Eureka and Crescent City enjoyed some of the best Pacific halibut fishing of the season this week. Both ports kicked out limits for boats willing to put in some time. And most days it didn’t take much time. Out of Eureka, charters were loaded up and headed to the dock not long after dropping anchor, sometimes within an hour. That’s some pretty good halibut fishing! And that’s despite unfavorable tides and having to contend with those pesky black cod. The halibut fishery has really caught fire in Crescent City, where anglers are enjoying one of the best seasons anyone can remember. Ocean conditions have been great the last few days, and I’m sure that didn’t hurt the cause. But there’s little doubt the sea floor is covered in halibut right now. Eyeing the weather ahead and where we stand with the quota, you’ll want to get in on the action before the end of the month. Or you may miss the boat.

Pacific halibut quota update
The CDFW has projected 27,437 net pounds of Pacific halibut have been harvested through July 9. In 2023, the Pacific halibut allocation for California is 39,520 pounds. The Pacific halibut fishery will run through Nov. 15 or until the quota is reached, whichever is earlier. To view the latest catch projection information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/pacific-halibut#31670772-in-season-tracking.

Weekend marine forecast
After a nice stretch of calm seas, the wind is forecast to pick up over the weekend. As of Thursday afternoon, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 10 knots and waves from the north 4 feet at six seconds and west 2 feet at 11 seconds. Saturday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 15 knots and north waves 7 feet at 10 seconds and west 2 feet at 10 seconds. Winds will increase slightly Sunday, blowing 10 to 20 knots from the north with waves north 7 feet at nine seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Mendocino area all-depth rockfish season opens July 16
The all-depth recreational groundfish season will open on July 16, 2023 in the Mendocino Groundfish Management Area (GMA), which includes Shelter Cove and Fort Bragg, and will remain open until December 31, 2023. The San Francisco GMA  will also open at the same time. The all-depth, boat-based season allows fishing in these GMAs regardless of depth, outside of state or federal marine protected areas or other closures where fishing is prohibited.

The all-depth, boat-based season provides access to nearshore rockfish, cabezon, and greenlings along with deeper shelf and slope rockfish species and lingcod. Take of bronzespotted rockfish, cowcod, and yelloweye rockfish continues to be prohibited year-round at all depths.

Divers and shore-based anglers will continue to be exempt from boat-based season restrictions affecting rockfish and other federally managed groundfish, which allows for year-round diving and shore-based angling in line with current regulations. For more information, visit https://cdfwmarine.wordpress.com/2023/07/11/recreational-groundfish-all-depth-season-opens-july-16th-in-san-francisco-and-mendocino-management-areas/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

The Oceans:
Eureka
According to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, the Pacific halibut bite is really good right now. “There seems to be a lot of fish out there, and some days the limits come quickly,” he said. “Boats are catching from the Eel River north to the Mad. There are some small ones in the mix, 6 to 12 pounders, but there’s also fish up to 80 pounds. The average is running right around 20 to 25 pounds. Herring is still a top producer. The black cod and Hake are thick out there, you’ll need to check your bait every few minutes. The rockfish bite at Cape Mendocino has been excellent, though it’s tough to get past the black rockfish as they are voracious. The lingcod bite continues to be on the slow side.”

Trinidad
According to Tony Sepulveda of Shellback Sport Fishing, the Pacific halibut got a touch more elusive this week. “We still put fish on the boat every day we tried with plenty of good ones up to 60 pounds,” said Sepulveda. “Limits of jumbo black rockfish went along with them. The negative tides made them a little fickle, but still no problem loading the boat. Out near Reading Rock produced limits of lingcod and rockfish every day we made the remote waters run. And the jumbo lings went on the hard chew late in the week. We had five over 20 pounds, topped by a 30-pounder Sunday, to go along with limits of jumbo rockfish and couple bonus 40-pound Pacific halibut.”

Shelter Cove
“The rockfish bite continues to be wide-open,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “However, the lingcod bite is still slow. Most of the rockfish action is happening outside the Hat. The halibut bite has been slow this week.”

Crescent City
“The Pacific halibut bite has been excellent, the best we’ve seen in a long time,” said Britt Carson, of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “Most of the boats are targeting the South Reef area in 230 to 280 feet of water. There’s also been a few caught by anglers targeting rockfish near the North Reef. Both the rockfish and lingcod bite are still wide-open, with limits coming easily. The reefs along with the Sisters have been productive. The California halibut bite has been hit and miss. Not many coming from the rock wall, but the trollers are getting a few along South Beach. Razor clamming, which just opened back up last week, has been productive for the guys who know what they’re doing.” The daily bag limit for razor clams is 20 and the first 20 clams dug must be retained regardless of size or condition. The fishery in 2023 is open north of Battery Point in Del Norte County.

Brookings
“Halibut fishing has busted open out of Brookings, with an average of a fish per rod,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Some charters are getting their two-fish-limits for Pacific halibut. The best action has been in 180 to 240 feet of water. Lingcod and rockfish action also is good out of Brookings. Catch rates improved with the calm weather over the weekend. Fishing has been slow for coho salmon.”

Lower Rogue
The Rogue Bay is producing a few salmon, but overall action has been slow according to Martin.  “Just a handful of kings are being caught each day. Fishing generally picks up by late August. Surfperch are biting along the south jetty.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.

Hank Moore, of Chico, landed a nice Pacific halibut on a recent trip out in Eureka aboard the Seaweasel II. Photo courtesy of Gary Blasi/Full Throttle Sport Fishing

A nice long stretch of fishable weather provided some pretty good Pacific halibut action from Eureka up to Crescent City. Private, and especially charter boats, have been putting a lickin’ on the halibut since last weekend. There were plenty of days where boats were back in port well inside of 10 a.m. with a box full of flatties. This time last year, the fishing was wide-open, and it looks like we’re on the same pace this season. Unlike last year, we don’t have a salmon season to take the pressure off the halibut, so there’s a good chance our season will come to an end early. So, if you haven’t yet gotten in on the action, you better make it quick. This fishery won’t last long. Through June 25, CDFW projected 20,573 pounds had been caught. But those numbers are sure to skyrocket after the wide-open bite last week. To view the latest catch projection information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/Pacific-Halibut#31670772-in-season-tracking.

Weekend marine forecast
Northerlies will continue to strengthen through the week as well as advisory level winds and seas. As of Wednesday afternoon, Friday’s forecast is calling for north winds 5 to 15 knots and waves north 6 feet at seven seconds. Saturday forecast is forecast for north winds 10 to 20 knots along with northwest waves 10 feet at 11 seconds. Sunday’s forecast is calling for north winds 10 to 15 knots and waves northwest 10 feet at 10 seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Upcoming events
The National Parks Service and the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife are hosting a Veterans Fishing Day on Saturday, July 1. Family members are also invited for a fin-filled day of surf perch fishing. The event will be held at the Redwood Creek Day Use area off U.S. Highway 101 just south of Orick. No fishing license is required as it’s a free fishing day in California. Participants are encouraged to bring water, lunch/snacks, life vests, chairs and sunscreen. Fishing rods and tackle will be provided if needed.

Shelter Cove Fishing Preservation, Inc. is holding a Fish and Chips Fundraiser on Monday, July 3. The event will start at 11 a.m. at the tractor launch area and donation is $20 per person. For more information, visit facebook.com/scfpinc.

July 1 is statewide free fishing day
On Saturday, July 1, people may fish California’s waters without a sport fishing license. All regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect. On free fishing days, every angler must have the appropriate report card if they are fishing for steelhead, sturgeon, spiny lobster, or salmon in the Smith and Klamath-Trinity river systems. For more information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing/Free-Fishing-Days.

The Oceans:
Eureka
Halibut is still the focus out of Eureka, and when the weather cooperates, limits are coming easily. Most of the action continues straight out of the entrance in 270 to 300 feet of water. The charter fleet is scoring early limits of flatties up to 60 pounds while sitting on the anchor. Last week provided some calm seas and boats made the run south to Cape Mendocino where the rockfish are devouring baits. The offshore weather ahead doesn’t look great heading into the weekend.

Shelter Cove
“There hasn’t been much fishing effort lately,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “However, the rock fishing and crabbing remain excellent with limits of both daily. The lingcod bite is still slow, but we have managed limits a couple days of smaller grade fish. We’ve spent most of our time outside the Hat. There hasn’t been much effort on halibut this week.”

Crescent City
“When the boats can get out, they’ve been loading up on rockfish and lingcod,” said Chis Hegnes of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “The Sisters and South Reef are giving up good numbers. After a decent bite last week, the Pacific halibut bite has slowed down. Same with the California halibut. A few have been caught off the jetty and along South Beach, but it has slowed. There’s been a pretty good perch bite for a while now at Kellogg Beach.”

Brookings
“Halibut action has improved out of Brookings, with a fish-per-rod average on the good weather days,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Lots of fish were caught over the weekend. The coho salmon opener was a dud, with just a handful of hatchery silvers caught. Salmon fishing has been decent out of Coos Bay and Winchester Bay, an indication the coho run may have already moved up the coast prior to the opener out of Brookings. Lingcod fishing has been fair, while boaters are getting limits of rockfish.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, salmon fishing has been slow in the Rogue Bay, while boats anchoring above Lobster Creek are catching a few late-arriving springers. “Water temperatures are on the verge of hitting 70 degrees at the Agness gauge, which should force kings to begin holding up in the bay and jump start the troll fishery.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

After a few weeks of windy weather, which hasn’t allowed for much consistent time on the water, it finally looks like we’re going to string together quite a few fishable days. Through at least Sunday, fairly light winds and small seas are in the forecast. This could spell doom for the Pacific halibut quota. As the fishery continues to sizzle from Eureka to Crescent City, anglers are likely to put a good-sized dent in the quota over the next week or so. With a third of the 39,520-pound quota already chewed up, we’ll be lucky to get through July. But you won’t hear many complaints as the calm conditions allow boats of all sizes to take to the water. So, take advantage of the conditions while they’re here, you never know what next week will bring.

Weekend marine forecast
Gentle to moderate breezes will return Thursday and stick around through the weekend. As of Tuesday afternoon, Friday’s forecast is calling for northwest winds 5 to 10 knots and waves northwest 3 feet at seven seconds. Saturday’s forecast is calling for northwest winds 5 to 15 knots and waves west 4 feet at five seconds. The winds will be out of the north Sunday 5 to 15 knots, with north waves 5 feet at six seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Pacific halibut quota update
The CDFW has projected 14,205 net pounds of Pacific halibut have been harvested through June 18. In 2023, the Pacific halibut allocation for California is 39,520 pounds. The Pacific halibut fishery will run through November 15, or until the quota is reached, whichever is earlier. To view the latest catch projection information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/pacific-halibut#31670772-in-season-tracking

July 1 is statewide free fishing day
Next Saturday, July 1, people may fish California’s waters without a sport fishing license. All regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect. On Free Fishing Days, every angler must have the appropriate report card if they are fishing for steelhead, sturgeon, spiny lobster, or salmon in the Smith and Klamath-Trinity river systems. For more information visit, wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing/Free-Fishing-Days

Freshwater Lagoon trout plant
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website, Freshwater Lagoon has been planted with trout during the week of June 4, but fishing reports have been hard to come by. Freshwater Lagoon is open to fishing year-round and the limit is 5 trout per day and 10 in possession. For more information, visit nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FishPlants/ or call (530) 225-2146.

The Oceans:
Eureka
Offshore conditions have been favorable since Sunday and the Pacific halibut bite is still going strong. The charter fleet have been catching fairly easy limits straight out of the entrance in 270 to 300 feet of water, same general location they’ve been all year. Conditions look pretty good for the next few days and boats should also be able to make their way to Cape Mendocino where the rockfish bite has been excellent. The California halibut bite is starting to pick up as well. There were a few caught by the boats working the middle and third channels over the weekend. Shore anglers are having a tougher time at Fairhaven Beach where the bite has yet to turn on.

Trinidad
“The rockfish bite north of Trinidad head to Patrick’s Point has been good this week,” said Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters. “We aren’t seeing any real jumbo blacks; most are medium size. But we are seeing a few more lingcod than in the past couple years and we’re getting a couple nice ones per trip. The halibut bite has been good as well, with most of the action just north of the head in 260 feet of water. Reading Rock continues to produce some nice big rockfish as well as lingcod. The crabbing hasn’t been great, but customers are going home with a couple per person.”

Shelter Cove
According to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, the weather didn’t allow us to get to the halibut grounds last week. “We’ve spent most of our days fishing around the Hat for rockfish and it’s been good,” said Mitchell. “We even managed lingcod limits one day, but it was back to slow fishing the next.”

Crescent City
The Pacific halibut bite is still going strong,” said Britt Carson of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “Guys are really starting to figure out the fishery, anchoring up seems to have really changed the game. Just south of the south reef is still the main target location. The rockfish bite is still excellent, but the lingcod bite has really turned on lately. It looks like the California halibut are finally arriving in better numbers. There’s been a handful caught by guys trolling along South Beach as well as anglers tossing jigs off the rock wall across from the boat launch. The redtail perch bite has picked up as well with the mouth of the Klamath and Kellogg Beach being top producers.”

Brookings
“Salmon season opened Saturday out of Brookings, but windy weather limited effort,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Coho salmon are often offshore, close to the surface but over 300-plus feet of water. A few hatchery coho and lots of wild coho were caught Monday. As water temperature warms, expect the bite to improve. Water temperatures were 46 degrees on Sunday and still under 50 on Monday, but slowly warming with a break in the northwest wind and upwelling. Lingcod fishing is fair out of Brookings, but hot near the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse. Numerous boats are planning on halibut trips on Wednesday.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, salmon fishing is slow on the Rogue Bay. “A few springers are still trickling upriver. The best bet for springers is the upper Rogue near Shady Cove. Expect bay trolling to improve by mid-July.”

Send in your fish photos
Land a big lingcod or halibut lately? Or maybe your friend or relative has reeled in their first perch. Email your fishing photo to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com and I’ll run them with the “Fishing the North Coast” weekly column. Just include the name of the angler in the photo, where and when it was taken and any other details you’d like to share.

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com

Gale-force north winds in June are historically common along the North Coast. And this year is certainly no exception. Following four fishable days last week, the north winds have returned in force and look to stick around through the weekend. The good news is when the boats can slip out during these short windows, they are finding some really good fishing. Both Pacific halibut and rockfish have been coming over the rails at a very high clip. With new rockfish regulations in affect for the Southern and Northern Management areas, anglers are able to fish waters that have been off limits for many years. The Pacific halibut fishery continues to grow in popularity as ports where the effort was typically low, are now tapping into the seemingly abundant resource. Fort Bragg and Crescent City are two of the ports where the halibut fishery has increased in popularity. And with that popularity, we’ve seen an increase in the catch rates. Proof of this lies in the quota numbers. At this time last year, only 3,500 pounds had been harvested. This year, as of the first week in June, 12,931 pounds have been harvested towards a 39,520-pound quota. Windy conditions could be a blessing as it looks like the only way to keep the fishery from an early closure.

Weekend marine forecast
Hazardous seas and gusty winds are forecast at least through Saturday. On Friday, north winds are predicted at 15 to 25 knots and waves from the north 9 feet at nine seconds. Saturday’s forecast is calling for north winds 10 to 20 knots and north waves 7 feet at eight seconds and northwest 4 feet at 12 seconds. The winds will begin to calm on Sunday. North winds will be 5 to 15 knots and north waves 6 feet at six seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit weather.gov/eureka or windy.com. You can also call the National Weather Service at (707) 443-7062 or the office on Woodley Island at (707) 443-6484.

Upcoming kids fishing events
On Saturday, June 17, kids and their families are invited to a fun filled day of surf perch fishing and activities at the Redwood Creek Day Use Area located off of Highway 101 just south of Orick. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All kids under 16 will not need a fishing license. A license is required for those 17 years old and above. Parents are advised to bring water, lunch/snacks, life vest, chairs and sunscreen. Fishing rods and tackle will be provided for participants if needed. The event is put on by the National Parks Service and the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.

The 47th annual Kid’s Fish Lake Fishing Derby is taking place on Saturday, June 17 in Orleans. The derby starts promptly at 8 a.m. and runs until noon. It’s open to kids from Pre-K to the 8th grade. Poles and tackle will not be provided and an adult must accompany all children. Hot dogs and lemonade will be provided; adults are encouraged to bring a side dish or salad to share. Hosted by the Orleans Rod and Gun Club and Six Rivers National Forest with sponsors: Coast Central Credit Union, RMI Outdoors, Bassman Dan Custom Rods, California Deer Association, and our awesome river community. For additional information contact Eric Fieberg, Orleans Rod and Gun Club, at 707-951-4453 or LeRoy Cyr, District Fish Biologist, at 530-262-1790.

The Oceans:
Eureka
The Eureka fleet were finally able to get back to fishing last week following some wind and rough seas. With calm conditions through Saturday, boats were able to head south to the cape for rockfish and spend quality time on the halibut grounds. Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing reports the Pacific halibut bite was good, but never wide-open. “There were quite a few days where we had to wait out the tide change, not getting any bites until well after noon,” said Klassen. “But when they came, they came quick. A few days we limited the boat to 40 minutes once they decided to bite. Most of the action remains straight out in 270 to 285 feet. There are some nice fish around, but we’re also seeing some small 6- to 8-pounders. I made just one trip to the Cape and the bite wasn’t red-hot, but we did get limits of rockfish. The variety was incredible, we had about 15 different types of rockfish.”

Trinidad
According to Tony Sepulveda of Shellback Sport Fishing, it’s been a really good week of fishing out of Trinidad. “Flat weather to start the week gave way to big seas, but was very fishable later in the week,” said Sepulveda. “We were able to run every day and produce limits. In general, the grade of pacific halibut has been amazing this year. Lots of fish in the 30-50-pound range with some bigger. Monday, we faltered a bit in that regard with a smaller limit of 8- to 15-pound halibut and rockfish to go with it. We did three remote waters rockfish runs this week with limits of lingcod to 34 pounds and impressive limits of rockfish. Swimbaits and jigs produced the best results.”

Shelter Cove
According to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, not much has changed at the Cove. “Limits of rockfish are still coming quickly, but it’s a struggle to get one lingcod per rod,” said Mitchell. “We’ve fished up at Rodgers Break a couple times and outside the Hat. Same story both places. The Halibut bite has been decent for those willing to put in the time up at Gorda when weather permits. Crabbing remains excellent, we’re still getting limits every day.”

Crescent City
According to Kevin Hooper of Crescent City’s Englund Marine, not much has changed this week. He said, “When the boats can get out, the Pacific halibut bite is still going strong and quite a few are being caught daily. Most of the boats are fishing near the South Reef in 250 to 280 feet of water. The rockfish bite is excellent per usual at both of the reefs and the Sisters. The redtails are biting too, with Kellogg beach being the top spot. There’s been a few California halibut caught along South Beach by boats trolling anchovies.”

Brookings
Ocean salmon season opens Saturday out of Brookings reports Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. He said, “Hatchery coho may be kept June 17 to Aug. 31. A strong run of hatchery coho is expected, and Brookings generally experiences its best fishing in late June and early July. Windy weather could limit success for the opener, however, as coho are generally caught close to the surface, but over deep water 3 to 8 miles offshore. Pacific halibut limits also increased to two fish a day in Oregon on Monday. Halibut fishing improved out of Brookings last week before rougher conditions returned on Sunday.”

Southern Oregon rivers
A few king salmon have been caught in the Rogue Bay according to Martin. “Fishing improves in the bay throughout June, as warm water forces salmon to hold up closer to the ocean. Springer fishing is good near Medford on the Upper Rogue. Boats anchoring on the lower river are seeing fewer fish as the run tapers off. Smallmouth bass are now biting on the Umpqua River near Elkton. Cutthroat trout fishing is fair in the Chetco tidewater.”

Kenny Priest operates Fishing the North Coast, a fishing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and fishingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fishing reports and North Coast river information, email kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com