In general, fishing has been very productive across the Monterey Bay.  A few white sea bass were caught near Pajaro and the Sand City area. Halibut are still widespread with Capitola to the Cement ship remaining as the epicenter for this year’s epic bite. We have received only an occasional striped bass report, mostly from anglers night fishing on the Monterey side of the bay. The barred surf perch bite is heating up with bigger fish being caught and more of them. Using sand crabs as bait might be the key, according to famed surfcaster Craig Pappas. “I’ve been using sand crabs the past two days. I stopped after catching (and releasing) 26 fish today. The biggest weighed in at one pound, eight ounces.

Party boats continue to enjoy limit-style fishing from all ports around the bay. Chris Arcoleo from Chris’ Fishing Trips in Monterey reported, “We’ve been heading south towards Sur and accepting the beating on the way home. It’s worth it. Limits are quick down there with big reds coming from the deeper reefs and tons of schoolie rockfish on the shallow reefs. Don’t know where the lingcod are, we’re only picking up a few on each trip.” Carol Jones from Kahuna Sportfishing out of Moss Landing hosted another “Shallow Water Special” trip last Sunday. She reported, “Fun fishing with ultra-light gear in 60 feet of water. Some nice shallow water vermilion and coppers along with some schoolies including nice olives and a couple of lingcod. Artificials only....no bait. Limits for 16.”

In Santa Cruz, Stagnaro’s Sportfishing continues to report limits for nearly all their trips. Ken Stagnaro reported, “This was a great weekend to get out on the water and beat the heat! Legacy went out for seven-hour deep sea trips Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and came home with early limits of rock fish for 19 people each day. The afternoon trips caught about ¾ limits of rock fish Saturday, Sunday and Monday.” Joey Stagnaro aboard the Velocity reported Friday’s trip started slow until they moved to deeper water. “Then we lit ‘em up! We put 200 fish on the boat in about 20 minutes!” Go Fish Santa Cruz’ skipper John Thomas has been taking his clients up the coast towards Davenport and hitting the deeper reefs up there. He reports quick limits of big canary and vermilion rockfish on every trip, along with an increasing number of lingcod as the season advances.

Conditions for the coming weekend look good although Saturday afternoon might get a bit windy. Otherwise, low winds and small swells are in the forecast which means boats can go further and stay out longer.