There are plenty of sanddabs and Dungeness crab to be found, but a little more rain or a little less surf could really open things up for additional species.

Jim Rubin on the Becky Ann collected his usual limits of crab for five clients Sunday. That's six big Dungeness each, plus limits for the crew. Then, they headed towards the edge of the Pajaro Hole-sanddab country. It took barely two hours for the clients to fill their buckets. "We've got enough!" Rubin and company were steaming home before 10:30am. On the Velocity, Ken Stagnaro counted 750 sanddabs for 15 clients on his trip Saturday. Again, it was non-stop action and early limits. Both charter companies will continue at least one trip per week while waiting for salmon season to open at the beginning of April.

It may be that more anglers are surfcasting below Moss Landing than above, but reports this week suggest the better bite is on those southern Monterey Bay beaches. Surfcasters using a variety of bait or lures such as the motor oil red or gold flake grub are catching near-limits of big barred surfperch. For this side of the Bay, the beaches and rocky points of the North Coast can produce big black or striped perch. Again, either bait or lures are productive.

Ed Burrell at Capitola Boat and Bait has seen a few perch come over the rail this week. Barred perch are being caught close to the surfline, while the middle of the Capitola Wharf is producing mostly split-tails as well as a few blacks. Burrell also notes there is a good chance to catch bigger sand soles using perch rigs baited with shrimp. Burrell is staying busy this winter sprucing things up for the upcoming season. Plans at Capitola Boat and Bait include 20 new skiffs for the upcoming year; all powered by Mercury or Yamaha four-cycle motors.

Lack of rain means low, clear water in the local streams. Steelhead season is open in our area, but very few fish are being caught and released.

Our photo shows Jeffery Jones who caught his biggest fish ever, a sand sole, from the Capitola Wharf recently.