CAPTION: Larry Roland has been haunting Monterey in pursuit of the white sea bass, also know as "ghost fish," for their elusiveness. We may have to rename his boat "The Ghostbuster."

Once again, weather was the main factor for fishing in the Monterey Bay area last week. Periods of stormy rain and a big groundswell that lasted all week kept many boats tied to the dock. A rare tsunami swell rocking the harbor didn't help matters much either, causing some minor damage to docks and boats as it surged into our port for some hours after the giant earthquake in Chile. A few rays of sunshine peeked through, however, both from the heavens and for the fish holds.

Larry Roland and Ed Burrell from Capitola Boat and Bait showed that dogged persistence pays off. Skunked last week in their search for white sea bass of DelMonte Beach in Monterey, they tried yet again last Monday for much different results. Calimari squid are still spawning in that area, and the squid schools serve to keep big fish around for the feed. The duo fished the same area of 120-150 feet of water off the "Hotel." Burrell managed to catch another 37-pound sea bass. Roland caught two, both in the 30-pound range. Roland doubled down when they went inside to 110 feet of water and used squid to catch an early halibut that weighed in at 19 pounds. Local Jeff McKee fished Monterey again last week and also caught another 37-pound sea bass.

Burrell says one commercial hook and line fisherman boated 14 sea bass on Monday, and he received reports of numerous halibut caught in the same general area. "The water is clear in Monterey, and the spawning squid is attracting all kinds of sea life. We saw hundreds of dolphins feeding in the area, both black-sided and bottlenose." Fishing from the Capitola Wharf has been a bit slow, according to Burrell. The water is murky so perch are off the bite, though a good number of sand sole were kept from the wharf this week.

Ken Stagnaro from Stagnaro's Sportfishing checked in with very hopeful news about this year's salmon season. In a discussion with Roger Thomas, President of the Golden Gate Fisherman's Association, Stagnaro quotes Thomas as saying "We are going to have a salmon season this year." Closed for the past two seasons both for commercial and sport fishing, the salmon stocks from the Sacramento River system have been historically low, even in crisis. The federal agency Pacific Fisheries Management Council works with the State Department of Fish and Game to determine when and if salmon season will be allowed. Protection of the species is the driving force behind these decisions, but the fish counts are getting better, and we may have a chance this year.

Darrell Ticehurst from Coastside Fishing Club states it succinctly:

"Here are the facts: the model used to predict salmon returns correctly predicted the downturn in 2007 with 58,000 fish, and correctly predicted that 2008 would fall short at 121,000 fish. Now this same model predicts 245,000 adult salmon returning this year, well above the conservation objective of 122,000 needed to insure a healthy run. That model says we can fish, but there is a movement to shut us down anyway.

You must let the decision makers at the PFMC know that you want the opportunity to fish this year in accordance with the data and the approved procedures before the Pacific Fishery Management Council. Preliminary options will be created at the March PFMC meeting in Sacramento. If you want a season then we need you to testify in favor of a recreational season this year."

The salmon question will be discussed on March 8, and public comment is encouraged at the meeting in Sacramento. We may be informed by next week if we get a salmon season this year, but it will likely be a few weeks longer before we know exactly what that season might look like, and how long it might last.

Bushnell can also be heard on the Friday 6:45am fishing report on KSCO 1080AM. Send your photos, comments or questions to scruzfishing@yahoo.com