Yesterday the water was nice (except the bar on outgoing tide- no bueno) and a few boats went out and caught rockfish and Dungeness. The sea comes back up tomorrow with the Northwest wind following the rain. Commercial crab pots started dropping from Bodega Head to Gualala on Friday morning, so we're all crabbing the same water now. The Northern commercial Dungeness season has been delayed until at least the end of the year so the number of commercial boats will remain the same until early next year. Speaking of next year, the good news is that rockfish in our area will open earlier on April 1st. The bad news is that you'll only be able to keep one lingcod.

    § 27.35. San Francisco Groundfish Management Area. This Section applies to take and possession of federally-managed groundfish species as defined in Section 1.91, California sheephead, ocean whitefish, and all greenlings of the genus Hexagrammos. For specific definitions, applicability, and procedures, see sections 1.91 and 27.20. For size limits, possession limits, and other regulations that apply to individual species, see specific sections beginning with Section 27.60.
    (a) The San Francisco Groundfish Management Area means ocean waters between 38º 57.50' N. lat. (at Point Arena, Mendocino County) and 37º 11' N. lat. (at Pigeon Point, San Mateo County).
    (b) Seasons and depth constraints (except as provided in subsection (c) below): (1) January 1 through March 31: Closed. - 2 - (2) April 1 through December 31: Take of all species is prohibited seaward of a line approximating the 40-fathom depth contour along the mainland coast and along islands and offshore seamounts. The 40-fathom depth contour is defined by straight lines connecting the set of 40-fathom waypoints as adopted in Federal regulations (50 CFR Part 660, Subpart G).
    (c) Leopard shark may be taken or possessed in Drake's Bay, Bolinas Bay, Tomales Bay, Bodega Harbor, and San Francisco Bay year-round.

    § 28.27. Lingcod.
    (a) Open areas, seasons, and depth constraints: See Section 27.20 through Section 27.50 for definitions, special closure areas, and exceptions. Take and possession is authorized as follows:
     (3) San Francisco Groundfish Management Area: Open and closed dates and depth constraints as defined by Section 27.35. - 6 - 
    (b) Limit is authorized as follows: 
    (3) San Francisco Groundfish Management Area: One
    (c) Minimum size: 22 inches total length.

   Also coming in April: Salmon season will open on the 6th with a 24" minimum size.