Summertime fishing has hit full stride now. Rockfishing remains off the charts, halibut are finally moving into the shallows in significant numbers and if you know where to go on any given day, king salmon is definitely on the menu.

All the major and minor reef areas in the Santa Cruz and Capitola areas can provide quick and easy limits of rockfish. Many of the fish close to town are on the small side, but a number of big blacks and occasional vermilion were caught this week as well. Charter boat skippers are dividing their time between "sure thing" rockfish and hopeful trips for salmon.

A big school moved into the Bay last week, and the bite was hot near Pt. Pinos for a few days, though pretty much dead by Saturday. Those fish apparently moved up and around the Monterey Bay with flurries of salmon activity this week reported from Soldier's Club and Moss Landing, a good bite near Pajaro despite all the jellyfish in that area, and finally a few fish reported in shallow water right out front of Santa Cruz.

Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine notes "The salmon fishing continues to be good for the anglers working the shallow water in front of Santa Cruz down to Moss Landing. There were a few fish caught on the west side of the Soquel Hole at 36'50/122'02. The area around Pajaro still has jelly fish but there are some salmon in the area at 36'49/121'49." Ed Burrell at Capitola Boat and Bait also reported a few salmon caught in 100 feet of water in front of the Santa Cruz Harbor this week, by anglers trolling deep.

These fish are big and very physical according to Jim Rubin on the Becky Ann. "We landed six big fatties of the kings 18-25-pound beauties. We lost five other salmon right behind the boat because the fish are very wild."

With nearshore water temperatures approaching 60 degrees, the larger female halibut are finally starting to appear with more frequency. The flat sandy areas From the Harbor down to New Brighton are good halibut hunting grounds now, in 35-50 feet of water. Fish of the week honors go to Jim Burkhardt, pictured who brought in a 34-pound flatty on his tiny kayak near Capitola on Thursday. Burkhardt was using a swimbait near Surfer's Reef in Capitola.