It looks like maybe there's a few more Dungeness in the bay, or at least at the pier. In the last few days there have been a few of the more experienced pier fishermen catching 2 to 5 keepers. Most people are not doing as well, but at least we know there's a few around. The outer bay is loaded with crab. Unfortunately, the vast majority of them are shorties and females. There are enough keeper males in the mix to keep it pretty interesting but you'd better have a lot of bait. Abalone cards are available today but I expect that people will be pacing themselves a bit slower with the reduced take, hours and area. Some surf fishermen picked up some perch casting off of Dillon Beach yesterday, no jumbos but eating sized.

The salmon season planning process has begun and this month you may get involved at a public meeting in Santa Rosa on Feb. 26. Information about the meeting and planning process can be found here: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/salmonpreseason.asp Hopefully last weekend's rain was enough to wash at least a few smolts into the ocean. We got 7" of rain here which kept most people home, but a few people tried the pier and caught some crab, mostly reds. I heard one report of a few surfperch caught on Dillon Beach last week.