USCG Captains Course offered in Eureka
The USCG Master 100ton/OUPV course will be held here in Humboldt Bay from June 17-28. Hosted by the City of Eureka, tuition for 15 students will be fully funded by Vineyard and RWE. Information on requirements and a link to the course registration are can be found here. You will need to reserve your seat with a deposit.

Ruth Lake Bass tournament coming this Saturday
Southern Trinity Area Rescue will be holding the annual “Paul Jadro Memorial Bass Tournament” on Saturday, June 1. Blast off will be at 5:45 a.m. or at first safe light, by draw. The one-day tournament event offers a first prize award of up to $1,000 with payout to 1 in 3 in addition to door prizes and sponsor products. The entry fee is $140 per team with a big fish buy in option of $10. The tournament is catch and release and all competitors must fish from boats that are required to have operational live wells on board. Life jackets are required. Check in at the Marina on Friday May 31 at 4:30-6 p.m. or Saturday 4:30 – 5:15 a.m. For more information, contact Lon Winburn at 707-499-2490.

California halibut bite heating up
The California halibut bite is starting to pick up as quite a few were caught late last week and into Saturday. According the Justin Kelly of RMI Outdoors, the best bite was in the second channel in the north bay. “Swimbaits seem to be the ticket right now, with chartreuse and white being the most productive,” said Kelly. “The bite has slowed this week mostly due to the wind. You can do ok in the mornings if the tides are right.”

As a reminder, the California halibut bag and total possession limit was reduced from three to two in California waters north of Point Sur, Monterey County last June. The minimum size limit is 22 inches total length. The reduced California halibut limit is designed to protect the resource amid increased recreational fishing pressure due to limited fishing opportunities and changes in other ocean fisheries including salmon.

Fish for free this weekend in Oregon
Oregon will be having a Free Fishing Weekend June 1 and 2. On those two days, no license, tag or endorsement is required to fish, crab or clam anywhere in Oregon. This applies only to waters already open to fishing, crabbing or clamming. All other regulations, such as bag limits, still apply. Visit www.dfw.state.or.us/news/2024/05_May/052324.asp for more information.

The Oceans:
Eureka
Excessive winds are keeping the Eureka fleet from putting quality time on the water. According to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing, Friday and Tuesday were the only fishable days in the past week. “The halibut fishing remains slow, but we haven’t had much time to look around yet,” said Klassen. “And when we’ve gone out, conditions have been tough. We’ve had some big tides and the water has been dirty. There’s been a little bite right at the tide change, but that was about it. The rockfish bite at the Cape has been good, but we’ve only been down there a couple days. The lingcod bite has been slow, but there’s plenty of blacks, vermilions, and canaries. The wind looks like it let up this weekend, right now Sunday and Monday are looking fishable.”

Trinidad
“The rockfish bite has been a little on the slow side so far,” said Curt Wilson of Wind Rose Charters. “We’ve been able to get limits, but you have to keep at and really know the spots well. We’re working spots from Trinidad Head to Patrick’s Point. The Pacific halibut bite hasn’t taken off yet, I’ve only heard of one caught so far. The crabbing has been excellent. There’s lots of them, but they aren’t in the greatest shape right now.”

Shelter Cove
“Rock fishing has been good and the lingcod bite really picked up over the weekend,” said Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “Dirty water moved back in Tuesday and the bite slowed. Most of our effort has been at the Old Man.”

Crescent City
The wind continues to blow, keeping most of the boats off the water reports Britt Carson, of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. He said, “There were a couple days with decent conditions, but the rockfish and lingcod bite slowed just a little. There have been a few more California halibut caught off the rocks this week. There’s also been a few stripers caught at the very end of Enderts Beach. The Pacific halibut bite is still slow, mostly due to lack of effort. I’ve heard of just the one caught since the opener.”

Brookings
​“Salmon fishing continues to be slow out of Brookings, mainly because of cold water temperatures of 45 to 46 degrees,” said Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. “Even with calm conditions over the weekend, very few salmon were brought in. Halibut fishing has improved, while lingcod and rockfish action is good. Windy weather returns Tuesday afternoon.”

Lower Rogue
According to Martin, a few springers are still entering the Rogue, but most anglers are waiting for fish to begin holding up in the bay. “Wild fish may be kept beginning June 1.”

Send in your fish photos
Land a big lingcod or halibut lately? Or maybe your friend or relative has reeled in their first perch. Email your fishing photo to kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com and I’ll run them with the “Fishing the North Coast” weekly blog. Just include the name of the angler in the photo, where and when it was taken and any other details you’d like to share.