Conditions remain prime for fishing in the local area. Good catches of rockfish, halibut, white sea bass and even a few lingcod were reported this week. Anglers can fish just about anywhere in Monterey Bay right now and enjoy good results.

The rockfish bite is holding steady on the local reefs. Ken Stagnaro from Stagnaro's Sportfishing has been working the areas off West Cliff on his twilight trips and bringing home near limits on the short jaunts. On Sunday, 32 anglers found a good mix of red, yellow and brown rockfish fishing into the evening on the Velocity.

Gerry Brookes on the Doble took a run to the north on Friday. "We ran to Franklin Point, Ano Nuevo area. It paid of nicely. We put in nice limits of vermillion, lingcod, big blacks, blues and stopped on the way home, and put in a nice 20lb Halibut, and one shorty." Brookes returned to that area on Saturday for similar results. Jim Rubin from Captain Jimmy Charters went in the other direction, and fished the south side of the bay. Rubin reported limits for all aboard of big blacks, blues, olives, reds and bocaccio. Meanwhile, the preferred area for many serious Santa Cruz anglers the past few weeks has been from Pleasure Point to the Cement Ship. Ed Burrell at Capitola Boat and Bait brought in two more white sea bass on Tuesday, weighing 27 and 36 pounds respectively. Burrell weighed in a number of additional sea bass at the wharf including one whopper of 47 pounds. Most were caught near the Cement Ship. "They do seem to like that area for some reason. Probably the bait. Sardines are still all over the place," Burrell says.

Big halibut in the 25-30-pound range were still being caught in the Pleasure Point area this week, and a good number of smaller flatties were taken on the rental skiffs, according to Burrell. If that's not enough, thresher sharks are also in the area, and occasionally providing hookups for skiff and private boat anglers as well.

This weekend's kayak fishing derby was a great success, with 60 anglers meeting on Delmonte Beach in Monterey. Monterey Bay Kayaks organized the Derby. First-place winner Eugene Tsuji went home with a brand new Ocean Kayak Trident 13 fishing kayak. Patrick Kuhl took second place in the prestigious event, and Nathan Tsuji captured third. All winners were red or brown rockfish in the three-pound range.