It’s July. High season for sport fishing on the Monterey Bay. Winds, swells and other weather conditions have made thing a bit tough for boat-based anglers on the bay so far this year. The less-than-stellar boat-based fishing is balanced nicely by fantastic surfcasting action, with more stripers being caught up and down the coast than we have ever seen.

Capitola Boat and Bait reports multiple hookups of bigger stripers from the wharf, with the best chance for bass around sundown. Jig up small mackerel, and deploy on a Carolina rig or the “Dead Man” rig, with a leader attached via slider to the main line, and a pyramid weight to hold the main line on the bottom.

An increasing number of legal lingcod being caught by the skiffs working the local reefs outside of Capitola and up towards Pleasure Point. Halibut are also coming on the bite in Capitola in 50-70 feet of water, and by the Mile Buoy, according to Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine. Fraser also has good news on the king salmon front, “The salmon are still around in 220 feet of water near Pajaro and up by Natural Bridges. The wind has settled and the marine layer is staying around in the morning. The swell has dropped and the fishing is bound to improve!”

Monterey charter boats are providing reports of steady groundfish action in that area. The Check Mate from Chris’ Fishing Trips had a great day Wednesday, with ¾ limits of rockfish and a ling per rod for the 18 anglers aboard.

Bottom fishing near Santa Cruz remains steady as well. Go Fish Santa Cruz has Captain Jim Rubin as skipper aboard their boat Miss Beth. Vastly experienced on our local waters, Rubin’s Monday report was quite positive, with a great day of fishing despite less than ideal conditions. Go Fish Santa Cruz reported, “Our charter today was with the Lewinski Family. We fished locally in the beautiful Monterey Bay off Santa Cruz due to an ocean swell. We had limits of rockcod consisting of olives, blues, blacks and vermilion by 11:30. We had a few lingcod come unbuttoned right at the boat. They are out there and biting. Everyone had a blast and we’re ready to go out again.”

Santa Cruz Port District successfully launched our new dredge Twin Lakes on Thursday. Harbor crews will be pulling the old dredge Seabright out of the water on Thursday and the best-case scenario is the launch ramp will be reopened by Friday, July 1. The new dredge is about the same size as the old one, but being new and capable of higher engine RPM’s, should prove to be much more efficient in keeping the harbor channel clear during winter months. Further information, including plans for an “Official Christening” of the Twin Lakes is available on the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor website.