The transition from summer to fall fishing patterns is nearly complete. Another big south swell rolled though this week, but this weekend's forecast features relatively mild conditions in terms of wind and swell.

As usual in fall, the best fishing for rockcod moves out to deeper reefs. In Santa Cruz, this means fishing in 80-120 feet of water off West Cliff, and the 90-foot plus depths off the wild north coast. Monterey still has decent rockfish action off DelMonte beach, but for bigger fish and quicker limits heading around the corner at Pt. Pinos, and on down towards Carmel Bay is much more productive. The upper Big Sur coast is most productive, if conditions permit access.

Chris' Fishing Trips in Monterey posted impressive scores for the week, with limits of rockfish nearly every trip, and a couple days with limits of lingcod as well. Depending on the number of clients aboard, the numbers ranged from 90 to 350 rockfish, while the ling count topped out at 29 on their Sunday trip aboard the Caroline. Doni Davi from Kahuna Sportfishing out of Moss Landing posted similar reports. Saturday's trip put 140 rockfish and 23 lings into the gunnysacks of 14 anglers aboard the Kahuna.

Skiff anglers are still finding limits of rockfish from Capitola reefs as well. Ed Burrell at Capitola Boat and Bait indicates Surfer's Reef and Boomer's Reef are still the hot spots in that area for a mixed bag of lingcods, brown, black and the occasional vermilion rockfish.

Halibut fishing has slowed dramatically, likely due to the succession of powerful south swells sweeping the area. According to Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine, a good bite lasted for a week or more near Four Mile and Five Mile Beaches, as squid were spawning in that area. The bite seemed to shut down last Saturday when the squid disappeared, but that area will remain a good spot to scout for the next few weeks.

The Santa Cruz Harbor west jetty is still the local hot spot for salmon fishing. Multiple fish are caught there on a daily basis by anglers using a variety of lures. Craig Pappas from Santa Cruz was one of the lucky ones this week, hooking an 18-pound bright king salmon from the rocks last Sunday at sunset. "I used the "standard rig" for fishing in the harbor: Sliding sinker rig, three-foot leader, #2 Gamakatsu octopus barbless hook with one medium size red fish pill with half a Mad River pink floating worm," Pappas reported. The Harbor bite will certainly continue for the next few weeks, and a few salmon continue to be picked up by trollers in 100-120 feet of water directly south of the Harbor.

Send your reports and fishing photos to Bushnell at scruzfishing@yahoo.com.