The ocean has been cold, clear and fairly bumpy, conditions that neither salmon fishermen nor (apparently) salmon like. Common themes the last two days are "no bait" and "no fish". This caused more than a few people to fish in the bay where the stripers have followed the anchovies. Jacie Albarran of Clarksburg caught this 24 pounder today but most of the rest have been 8 to 12 pounds. The halibut have also been "bitey" but mostly further back in the bay or around the bottom of the tide when the water is warmer near Hog.

    Here's a picture from Thursday when the boys and I found three salmon willing to bite in the morning. Mine wasn't big enough for a picture with Gage's 18 pounder and Cameron's 20 pounder, but it was the first fish in the boat. All told we had six bites between 7:00 AM and 8:30 AM in 50 to 70 feet of water off of the North end of McClure's Beach. There were a few other fish caught there around the same time but I haven't heard of any since then. There's still bait in the outer bay (the esteroes) but it seems that the pelicans and murres have found the anchovies but the salmon have not. Perhaps some signage to direct them? Someday when the wind quits and water warms up to 58º or so, the salmon will return in great numbers to the inshore waters and we will rejoice. Or be angry we missed it. Definitely one of the two.