Monterey Bay anglers enjoyed pretty good fishing this week, with a variety of species available and on the bite. The fishing season seems to be developing slowly, which could suggest really good times to come.

“Everything’s late this year,” says Carl Azevedo, owner and operator of Boccie Boy Bait. Azevedo nets baitfish for anglers, and marvels at the incredible number of juvenile anchovies close to shore this year. “I scouted out around the wharf the other day, there must have been 100 tons of anchovy out there. Still too small to net, but they grow quick,” he reports. Typically by mid-June, the young anchovies are bait sized. By July we should have a healthy mass of anchovy bait available, according to Azevedo.

Usable baitfish are available but may be difficult to find. Scattered mackerel and sardines were reported near the Santa Cruz Harbor area and off the Capitola Wharf. The big squid boats are currently working in Monterey near Point Pinos, but latest reports indicate the spawning schools are spotty at best.

Halibut are showing up in greater numbers, and in shallower water as well. Like the anchovies, this process is happening a bit later in the season this year, but no one is complaining. The bigger flatties continue to be caught by anglers mostly bounce-ball trolling in 60-70 feet of water from the Mile Buoy in Santa Cruz down to the Pajaro area. Drift anglers are using live bait or whole squid and catching big ones (20-30 pounds) in the deep water and small ones (five-15 pounds) in 40-50 feet of water, and just outside the kelp beds in Capitola and Del Monte Beach in Monterey.

Charter boats continue to target rockfish and lingcod in the bay. Chris’ Fishing Trips is still using live bait to stack up big lingcod numbers, and bagging half to full limits of rockfish as well. Owner Chris Arcoleo reported on Saturday’s trips “Limits (260) rock cod & limits (52) of ling cod for 26 anglers on the Check Mate! Three-quarter limits of rock cod & (58) ling cod for 33 anglers on the Star of Monterey! Three-quarter limits of rock cod & (30) ling cod for 23 anglers on the Caroline.”

In Santa Cruz, Captain Jim Rubin with Go Fish Santa Cruz has been fishing near Natural Bridges. Owner Beth Thompson reports, “The morning bite was slow but picked up in the afternoon. They caught near limits of nice rock fish consisting of blues, blacks and olives as well as some nice vermillion.”

Salmon fishing is improving in the Monterey Bay with most reported caught near the Soquel Hole. Reports from the Morro Bay area include a developing salmon bite in that area. Good news for us because those fish have to swim through Monterey Bay on their travels north to spawning rivers.