Conditions are shaping up for a decent fishing weekend on the Monterey Bay. Anglers have enjoyed catching a full variety of species this past week, and it looks like there is more to come.

This weekend will be slightly windy on the ocean and the mixed South and Northwest swells could make things bumpy for anglers in the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project's Big Fish Derby. This is the premier fishing derby for our area and lasts all weekend. Tickets can be purchased at Bayside Marine in the Santa Cruz Harbor.

The water is warming up, especially in the shallow protected areas near Cowell's Beach, New Brighton and Capitola. The warmer water is attracting more halibut to these calmer areas, and anglers are taking full advantage of that fact. We received halibut reports from the New Brighton area, Capitola, the Harbor and Lighthouse Point area and even a few caught near Four Mile Beach. The fish were located in 10-60 feet of water, according to Todd Fraser from Bayside Marine, who measured nice flatties every day last week, the largest weighing 33 pounds.

Surfcasters continued to catch smaller halibut from the beaches, with an occasional keeper in the mix. Striped bass and even a few small White Sea Bass were caught by surfcasters this week as well. White fluke swimbaits, KastMaster lures and Krocodile spoons all were working well for these fish last week. With the increased groundswell this week, the halibut will probably move to deeper water. Targeting the 35-60 foot depths will likely be more productive for the flatties this weekend.

Fishing for rock cod and lings is improving, especially off the North Coast areas. Jim Rubin and Gerry Brookes took their clients to Ano Nuevo on Monday for full limits of quality rockfish including reds, blacks and olives as well as lingcod up to 18 pounds. Other skippers such as Ken Stagnaro on the Velocity and Tim Zoliniak on the Makaira continue to fish the South side of the bay near Point Pinos, for quick limits of olives and vermillion rockfish.

Salmon fishing was slower this week. Anglers really had to work for the fish they caught from the Soquel Hole to Davenport. Hopes are high, however. Todd Fraser from Bayside Marine reports a new school of salmon has entered the Bay and we could be seeing them locally very soon.