We have enjoyed some fine fishing conditions on Monterey Bay this week. A few days sported some blustery winds, but most days were very fishable into the late morning.

Chris’ Fishing Trips from Monterey continues to report limits of rockfish and lingcods on each of their trips towards the Carmel area. Chris’ is batting 1000 this year. The Kahuna now has Skipper Brian Cutting, a Moss Landing local, at the helm. The Kahuna makes regular trips to the seldom- fished areas off Big Sur, Cutting reports after last Saturday’s trip, “Point Sur trips have been successful with most trips shelling out limits of rockfish and some limits of lingcod.”

In Capitola, fishing was productive as well. Ed Burrell at Capitola Boat and Bait report good catches of bolina rockfish and lingcod from the East Reef as well as halibut up to 22 pounds and large variety black schoolie rockfish from the Mile reef area.

Stagnaro Sportfishing’s Legacy steamed up the coast on Wednesday and sampled one of Captain Kris Victorino’s deep reef locations. The 16 anglers aboard caught early limits of vermillion, green spotted rockfish, bocaccio and remarkably large yellowtail rockfish. If the anticipated closure takes place this spot and others like it will become inaccessible. Hopefully, not for 12 years again.

Rockfish depth limits were much more liberal this year, allowing us to fish for rockfish, cabezon and greenlings (RCG Complex) in increased depths, specifically the 60-fathom line as defined by Department of Fish and Wildlife waypoints. Word has it the DFW will impose in-season depth restrictions, limiting anglers to the 30-fathom line. Officially, the DFW only has this to say so far, “In-season changes to recreational groundfish regulations are pending and expected to take effect in mid-October.”

Apparently , too many anglers cannot recognize a yelloweye rockfish, as biologist fish-counters at the docks have reported enough of that illegal catch to tip us over the DFW line. It is really a shame, because the 60-fathom depth limit opened up areas near Monterey Bay that essentially had not been fished for 12 years. There plenty of fish on these deeper reefs and many of them are very big. Opening the deeper waters also takes pressure off the shallower inshore reef areas.

Marko Milotkin from the California Sportfishing League shares more sad news from the DFW. Senate Bill 187 was summarily dismissed by the Appropriations Committee in the California State Legislature. Milotkin reports, “There was no explanation from the Committee for the dismissal of SB187, which would have established a 12-month fishing license. The 12-month licensing structure is widely regarded as an improvement to the current mandatory December 31 expiration date for fishing licenses. Annual license sales have dropped over 50% since 1980 despite a 60% increase in the State’s population. One reason for this drop in sales (and revenue) is the high price of a license.”