Monterey Bay anglers enjoyed fantastic weather and sea conditions this week, but that will change soon. Our first major winter storm is fast approaching and it will persist through Monday. This is a major event according to National Weather Service forecasters, with a west swell up to 14 feet with a 16-second period and winds from the south predicted up to 25 knots.

Official NWS high surf and coastal flooding advisories are in effect for Friday, October 14. Forecasters warn of strong rip currents and large shore break waves over the weekend. The combination of big waves and onshore winds could create local flooding as well, due to “a combination of high tide and beaches in their summer sand profiles. These summer sand profiles are poor in preventing wave run-up and allow waves to reach areas further inland,” forecasters caution. It will be interesting to see how the fishing might change after this early winter storm.

The past week was very productive all around the bay. Go Fish Santa Cruz took the beautiful Miss Beth off Natural Bridges and Wilder Ranch areas on Wednesday and Thursday. Captain Jim Rubin called conditions “Drop-dead gorgeous,” and clients caught full limits of rockfish including blues, blacks and olives. Launching from Moss Landing, Kahuna Sportfishing fished the Big Sur area on Monday. Owner Carol Jones called it a “spectacular day down the coast fishing for rockfish and lingcod. Our group of 15 anglers landed limits of rockfish with some nice coppers, vermilion, a few cabezone and two around on the lingcod to 15 pounds.”

Perhaps most exciting is the increasing number of bluefin tuna sighted within Monterey Bay. A number of reports were forwarded over the past couple weeks claiming bluefin jumpers near Point Pinos in Monterey. This week the rumors are solidifying, according to Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine. Fraser says, “There have been a few boats looking for bluefin and seeing them. The bluefin are in the same area as last year about 9-13 miles out. The anglers are having a hard time getting these fish to bite due to their spooky nature.” In 2015 we enjoyed a month or so of bluefin fishing with the tuna grounds stretching from Davenport down to just outside Santa Cruz, in 400-1400 feet of water. Hopefully the weekend storm won’t drive these fish away.

Speaking of tuna, everyone is invited to the 39th Annual Albacore Feed, a benefit dinner for the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project. Fresh albacore is coming from Oregon this year for the yearly dinner and raffle extravaganza. The event takes place on November 12 at the Castroville Recreation Center, 11621 Crane Street, Castroville. Tickets cost only $20 and are available at the door or via the MBSTP website www.mbstp.org.