A few boats went out this week and caught limits of rockfish while enjoying some of the best weather we've had all year. Of course, the weather changed this weekend with some of the biggest seas we've had all year, up to 16' at the Point Reyes waverider buoy. A couple of boats snuck out for a few fish but most fishermen stayed on the beach. The forecast for next weekend is calling for some rain on Friday. Let's hope that's all we get, just rain, and the sea stays flat enough for some crabbing on the opener. Otherwise the pier will be awfully full of people.

With the cold water in the halibut bite should be over for the year. So, to show me how much I really know, the halibut on the bar went on the bite today. One boat had 2 to 26# and another boat had 6 to 22#. A third boat remains fishing as I write this but I hear he has fish as well. Four halibut were caught yesterday off the day beach on dead bait but today's fish seem to like the live smelt. Limits of rockfish and a few lings for those that tried for them. The red crabbing has been good as well, even though crabbers have to sort through five small dungeness for every keeper red. I hope the dungeness can grow another inch in the next two weeks.

Well, the wind blew and the water got cold. There were two halibut taken near the elk fence Saturday but so far today the best report was an ice chest full of sardines. The sardines, as I hear it, came from the outer bay. No rockfish, but then no one got out that far. Some keeper sized dungeness being returned from the pier. Let's hope they hang around for a few more weeks for the opener.

If it doesn't rain too hard the fishing should be good this weekend. Actually, the fish probably don't care about about the rain, but you know what I mean. The water is still around 58 degrees and the halibut are still biting. Sardines have shown up outside and can be caught by finding the ones flipping on the surface and casting sabikis to them. I launched at 4:00 this afternoon and was back by 6:00 with a 25# halibut from McLures Beach, 30' of water on a live sardine. Other fish have come from 10 Mile, the Day Beach and the bar, meaning there's fish all around if you are lucky enough to hook up. Rockfish are biting well at Point Reyes, especially if you are fishing in the Cowboy's boat. Also, if you find a school of black or blue rockfish, even if they won't bite well, try dragging a lingcod lure through their midst. The lings are starting to trickle in with fish to 18# coming in the last few days. With luck the bite will get even better before it gets closed.