Weather continues to be the biggest concern for local anglers. We have enjoyed a series of bright sunny days, but the wind remains too strong for much offshore fishing, and a persistent swell is keeping our inshore species off the bite on some days. Anglers who pick the right day or get on the water for the early morning glass are still putting fish in the cooler.

Capitola Wharf has been plenty busy, according to Ed Burrell from Capitola Boat and Bait. "Fishing for sardines and mackerel on the wharf is wide open!" Savvy anglers will use the smaller sardines or shiner perch caught from the wharf as bait for bigger game. Burrell says a good number of legal halibut were pulled over the rail this week, along with a steady tally of halibut caught by boaters working the kelp edges in Capitola. Boats working the West Cliff region or further up the line at the North Coast spots are returning to Capitola with flatties in the 15-20-pound range.

Striped bass are still on the bite in that area, Burrell adds. "Guys are running sardines under a bobber from the wharf, and catching quite a few stripers." Sizes range from barely legal (18 inches) to 15 pounds, though at least one 30-pounder came in on the wharf this week. Fishing for stripers with live or artificial baits anywhere in the Capitola/New Brighton/Cement Ship area is a good bet this weekend. Burrell also reminds us that the Capitola wharf will be closed all day Wednesday September 2 to accommodate the fireworks display scheduled for that evening.

Tuna reports were scarce last week, but Captain Jimmy Charters made it out last Sunday despite the marginal forecast. "The ocean was lumpy, it was hard to make bait-fishing stops," Skipper Jim Rubin said. Nevertheless, Rubin managed to bring home six nice albacore ranging from 15-28 pounds. The extended forecast looks like wind and waves will be dropping again after this weekend, allowing the tuna hunters to resume their search for schools of tasty albacore.

If you don't mind a bit of travel, San Francisco Bay is holding steady with a good halibut and striper bite. Captain JayYokomizo on The New Huck Finn out of Emeryville Sportfishing continues to post high scores for both species. Yokomizo has been averaging up to two fish per rod on his outings in S.F. Bay since March.

If you can travel just a bit farther, next week you can actually fish for legal ocean salmon in California. The California Department of Fish and Game has determined Klamath King salmon stocks are sufficiently high to allow limited ocean fishing. The short season extends from August 29 through September 7 in the Klamath Management zone from just north of Horse Mountain to the Oregon border. As in previous seasons, the limit is two king salmon with a minimum size of 24 inches, and barbless hooks must be used. We expect to see a massive influx of trailer boats hitting that area for this abbreviated salmon season.

ARMANDO HAS CAUGHT PLENTY OF FLATTIES FROM THE WHARF THIS YEAR, BUT THIS IS HIS FIRST STRIPER OF THE SEASON!

Bushnell can also be heard on The Let's Go Fishing Radio Show, Thursdays at 7 p.m. on KSCO radio on 1080 AM. Send your photos, comments or questions to scruzfishing@yahoo.com