Fishing sis still going strong for all our major species in the Monterey Bay. The only thing missing are white sea bass, and we still have hopes for a fall sea bass bite.

Our mainstay rockfish are plentiful and getting bigger. Gerry Brookes on the Doble hosted a group from Miami on Sunday who count species caught as part of their fishing club. They managed 13 different species of rockfish before limiting out with Reel Sportfishing. Jim Rubin on the Becky Ann reports limits of big blues, blacks and yellowtails. Ruben also hooked five lingcod and boated two to 20 pounds.

In Capitola, the lings are biting near Sponge Bob buoy, and Surfer's Reef. There's plenty of sizable rockfish in that area as well, near the kelp beds, and off Adam's reef and the Mile Reef, according to Ed Burrell at Capitola Boat and Bait. With the calm inshore conditions over the past week, we've seen the halibut count go up as well, especially near Capitola. Boats are traveling down towards Pajaro, trolling for multiple halibut in 40-50 feet of water, but there were quite a few caught right in front of Capitola, as well as up the line to the Mile Buoy and Lighthouse Point area.

Tuna fishing was hindered by strong winds offshore this week. A few boats made it out to the Dogbone area, 50-60 miles southwest of Santa Cruz, and reported 6-12 fish for their efforts, says Todd Fraser at Bayside marine. Fraser caught a few tuna last week, but was most proud of his exotic 40-pound Opah, or moonfish, pulled in from the deep blue pelagic waters offshore. Fraser also comments on the Santa Cruz harbor salmon bite. "The salmon continue to bite in the back of the harbor and off the jetty. The anglers are catching fish on pink worms, KastMasters, Little Cleos and Anchovies."

This terminal salmon fishery is a result of the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project's net pen fingerling releases. Every year MBSTP acclimates up to 240,000 king salmon fingerlings in our harbor waters, and survival rates are very high for these fish. At the end of their life cycle, they return to their release point. Adding this bulk of hatchery fish to the general salmon population increases both commercial and sport catch rate, as well as a net increase of spawning fish returning to the Sacramento and other river systems.

Having trophy salmon in the harbor is a challenge for Harbor administrators who instituted an even/odd day program for kids to get a chance in the designated fishing area. The north end of the harbor, or off the entrance jetties are OK for salmon fishing. Even days are for kids 15 and under, and odd days are for everyone. Members of the MBSTP were on hand this week for the kids' days, supplying extra tackle and equipment as well as bait and good advice. Youngsters enjoying this remarkable fishery caught a good number of 20-pound plus fish this week.

Harbormaster Chuck Izenstark and his staff are doing a great job in balancing the various needs of harbor users in terms of the terminal salmon fishery. While allowing for limited fishing, their concerns also include preventing injury to persons or damage to boats and infrastructure, bank erosion, congestion, noise and litter. Implementing the odd/even fishing days is working well so far. Volunteers are welcome to assist on the kids' fishing days. Izenstark says there have been a few complaints but most comments have been complementary. "We have to continue our cooperative and positive efforts."