Mostly good weather here over the last week with only a couple of days you couldn't (breaking bar) or wouldn't want (windy) to head out to the ocean. The crabbing situation remains about the same; Ten Mile very good, Outer Bay good depending on location, and inside Tomales Bay good to bad depending on who you ask. Some insiders limited out pretty easily and some had a hard time catching a couple of reds. By and large, almost everybody had crab to eat but most would have liked more. No word on when traps will open yet but the state testing of crab for domoic acid has finally come up entirely clean now, so if you like the "butter", I guess you can "enjoy" it. 

    Rockfishing has been a bit slow near the mouth of Tomales Bay but definitely better when to get away from where everybody else has been fishing. Gage and I took a couple of buddies out for rockfish on Thanksgiving morning and we caught 40 rockfish and 5 lings to 15 pounds. We only dropped on schools of fish instead of blind drifting and probably spent as much time looking for schools as we did fishing them, but when they were decent fish (w e also stopped over a couple of schools of tiny ones) they were on the hook as soon we got to the bottom. Small jigs and shrimp flies for the rockfish and 8" swimbaits for the lings. 

   My lack of reports (and the boring ones I make when I do write something) correctly inspired Branden Mendoza to send over this report:

   "Hey willy late report from Friday. Went down to 10 mile for 2 limits of crab and a few rockfish and 2 lings. Proceed to make crab and salmon raviolis on Saturday was a great weekend." That looks and sounds spectacular. If your goal was to make me jealous, you succeeded. 

 The crabbers in powered boats have mostly been doing okay in the bay for Dungeness. I have heard of very few limits but even less skunks. Mostly boat are returning with four to sixteen Dungeness between Sand Point and Pelican Point. The usual spots, as usual, have had the most crab and the most pressure. The water around Marker 5 isn't solid buoys but it wouldn't take too many more to get there. The current has been running pretty hard in the afternoon and stealing gear. Don't let your rings linger in the channel too long. The Outer bay has been better on average but no guarantee of success. Don't be afraid to move around some. Ten Mile has definitely been more consistent but also has blank spots. 

    The official notice about no traps here (We are in Area 3) was released yesterday:

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program Update

November 19, 2021

CDFW Director Bonham has completed an assessment of marine life entanglement risk for the recreational and commercial Dungeness crab fisheries under the Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program (RAMP). The commercial Dungeness crab fishery will open on Dec. 1 in Fishing Zones 1 and 2, north of the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to the Oregon state line. The recreational fishery for Dungeness crab is open statewide (all Fishing Zones) with a temporary crab trap restriction for Fishing Zones 3 and 4 (from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Lopez Point in Monterey County). The commercial fishery will also continue to be delayed in Fishing Zones 3 and 4 due to the presence of high numbers of humpback whales in the Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay.  In early December, CDFW will re-assess entanglement risk in Fishing Zones 3 and 4. CDFW staff and collaborators have scheduled additional surveys in the next two weeks that, weather permitting, are anticipated to provide the data necessary to reassess whale presence. It is anticipated that the next risk assessment will occur on or before December 15.

     Amanda Rocha schooled Gage on lingcod yesterday and especially hurt his feelings with this 20 pounder. His feelings weren't hurt enough that he wouldn't share the picture, at least. This ling, and the rest of the ice chest full of rockfish, were caught between the Keyholes and Abbott's Lagoon in about 120 feet of water. The lings liked the brown 8" swimbaits from Pitbull. 

   Today Gage and I made a run on flat water to the far side of Cordell Banks to look for bluefin. I think we saw a couple on the fishfinder but we had no takers for our slow-trolled live jacksmelt and huge sardine. We did see quite a few whales, especially in about 300 feet of water on the way in where there were over a dozen "bird-nado" spots with clouds of birds feeding on bubble-netted bait (anchovies?) while humpbacks lunge-fed . I wish salmon season was open because it looked like easy limits. It also didn't look good for traps.

 

     Good news first. While the crabbing is far from red hot inside the bay, it ain't bad, either. I only spoke with two of the returning boats today but one had nine Dungeness and the other, sixteen. The snare-throwers are still catching some from the bank. The outer bay has more crab but you still need to work to find them. They ain't everywhere. Nobody has been down to Ten Mile since the weekend but nobody that went then complained about the crabbing or fishing. The crab aren't a thick carpet down there, either, but there's probably more good spots than bad spots. Run the gear and move it until you know you're in a good spot. Then consider rockfish. 

    The bad news: It looks like no traps until at least mid-December. There are still whales. Hey, at least most of us don't have house payments that depend on us catching crab. For those that do, sorry. Here's the link to the Assessment, and here's the link to the data. If you've been on the fence about buying rings, just know that it's not just this year for the restriction. Consider your purchase an investment towards your future. And if you look at the data, page 6 shows the largest concentration of humpbacks to be at Cordell Bank. What does that mean? Concentrations of baitfish, maybe? Big, fat whales gotta eat. So do big, fat bluefin. Correlation is not causation, as they say, but the next largest concentration of Humpbacks is just west of where the Santa Cruz boats are still catching tuna. Well. Cordell isn't far....

    I'm not sure of these folks' names but I believe that they're part of the Carl Rhodes group here. It sounded like the first couple of days of crabbing they caught a few, but by today they were limiting on crab and rockfish and they even caught one of Gage's fish. Gage says it wasn't big as his big one but it looks bigger than the one I caught. Not everybody did as well, but it mostly wasn't sadness today. Even the beach-bound snare-chuckers caught pretty decent crab today. I even heard of a young man with four commercial-sized crab from the surf side of the beach today. The beach fishing is kinda meh right now. But the crabbing from shore isn't bad. 

 

     Here's a report from today from Richard Baratta: "Hey Willy, we Follow the advice of a certain fishing blog today and ended south by the big beach in the slop and chop. Had to move the hoops three times Found some big ones for two limits and 70 feet some nice rock cod to but no lingcod due to the strike because of the recent demise of their leader. Nice to see the beach so busy even with more beach.

Richard" Well, Richard, I was watching Gage and it turns out the trick is to wait a bit before reeling up your hooked rockfish. Gage was marveling at the fight that canary was putting up before it suddenly stopped wiggling and just went to serious dead weight. The ling never twitched, as it was busy trying to anaconda a seventh of its weight. In my humble opinion, there are likely bigger ones out there as the deep water has been off limits for a long time now (close to 20 years) and lings make lots of babies. It is probably lucky for the other rockfish that lings also eat their own, or there'd be no other rockfish. Gage advised a few other boats that had similar success today, limits of rockfish and Dungeness but no lingcod. 

    Richard also sent this video of a conical net in use. I think they work okay.

    Other people caught fish and crab today, but Gage wants you all to know that he caught this 23 pound lingcod. As you might notice, it was a hitchhiker on a 2-3 pound canary. It was our largest fish by far. We ended with four lings 5 to 23 pounds, twenty rockfish 2 to 6 pounds, and 20 commercial-sized Dungeness down on Ten Mile. We put our rings in 70 feet of water and fished in 120 feet and bounced back and forth. There's definitely a proper time for a soak with nets and it seems to be somewhere between 20 minutes and an hour. When we pushed toward the two hour limit our numbers dropped. Also, everybody that paid extra to get a conical hoop net should know that it was money well spent. I believe that our single cone caught at least 10 of our 20 crabs and beat our three ring nets pretty easily. I think that is partly because it was difficult to raise any of them straight up and the crab bailed out of the flatter rings quickly. The "Type B" hoop has walls. As there will likely continue to be whales in the ocean in the coming years, I think that we may have to add another couple "B"'s to our collection. The few other guys that I spoke with did well on the crab down there and caught some rockfish, too, but Gage wants me to assure you that they didn't do as well as him. 

    Inside Tomales Bay the Dungeness crabbing is slower but not dead. One gentlemen fishing from shore told me that he and his friend had caught 12 Dungeness and 5 big reds from the beach. He was camping here for a few days so I don't know if that was a daily total or for a couple of days, but either way it ain't a bad number. I believe that he was using squid for bait in his snares. The powered boaters are returning with 0 to limits in the bay with the average running pretty close to four keepers per boat. Remember, if the average is four and a couple of guys caught 20, a lot of people caught very few. Remember, if you're not catching in a spot, move. It may not get any better but it the catching won't get any worse.
 

       After replying to many questions on here, in the email, and by text, please allow me to, again, share my understanding of the regulations. Then I'll post those so can make your own interpretation.

      

   These are legal to use now. This is a "hoop net, Type B". You'll see it in the rules to follow. The classic ring net is also kosher. So are snares with no more than six loops. There is significant pressure on the powers that be to open traps soon, and likely, if they have a borderline report on turtles/whales they may open sport traps and commercial. Commercial in the area between Point Reyes and Gualala may have to wait a bit longer as there's some dirty crab near the Russian River. Not very many, and not very dirty, but there's just enough domoic acid to screw their season over and yet allow us to fish with a "clean before eating" advisory. No "butter" for you. Ocean conditions seem good for salmon and whales, so it remains to be seen how many whales are actually counted in their official survey.  I'm seeing way too many pelicans around to feel very hopeful. Pelicans leave when the food leaves. Like Doug.

  Here's the official regulations :

29.80. Gear Restrictions for Recreational Take of Saltwater Crustaceans.

(a) General Provisions:

(1) Saltwater crustaceans may be taken by hand.

(2) Nets, traps or other appliances may not be used except as provided in this Section.

(3) It is unlawful to disturb, move, or damage any trap; or remove any saltwater crustacean from a trap, that belongs to another person without written permission, including permission transmitted electronically, in possession from the operator of the trap. Any person with written permission from the operator of a crab trap will be in compliance with subsection (c)(3)(A)(1) if the written permission contains the operator’s GO ID number that matches the GO ID number on the buoy of the crab trap being fished.

(b) Hoop nets may be used to take spiny lobsters and all species of crabs. Between Point Arguello, Santa Barbara County, and the United States-Mexico border, not more than five hoop nets shall be possessed by a person when taking spiny lobster or crab, not to exceed a total of 10 hoop nets possessed when taking spiny lobster or crab per vessel. The owner of the hoop net or person who placed the hoop net into the water shall raise the hoop net to the surface and inspect the contents of the hoop net at intervals not to exceed 2 hours.

(1) Hoop Net Defined: There are two types of hoop nets allowed for use:

(A) Type A: Fishing gear that is comprised of one to three rigid ring(s), with each ring measuring no greater than 36 inches in inside diameter nor less than 10 inches in inside diameter, which is/are connected to soft mesh thereby forming a circular-shaped net with an enclosed bottom. Lift lines shall be attached only to the top ring. A second and third rigid ring(s) may be connected by soft mesh to the top ring; however, each ring must be equal in size to or smaller than the ring above it. When the net is being raised the top ring shall be above and parallel to all other rings, with the enclosed bottom portion of the soft mesh even with or hanging below all other rings. All parts of the hoop net shall collapse and lie flat when resting on the ocean floor in such a manner that the gear does not entrap or restrict the free movement of crustaceans until lifted. When suspended from lift lines, the entire hoop net shall measure no taller than 36 inches. The ring material shall not be thicker than one inch in any dimension.

(B) Type B: Fishing gear that is comprised of two to three rigid rings (not including the bait ring), with each ring measuring no greater than 36 inches in inside diameter and the top ring measuring no less than 15 inches in inside diameter. The upper ring or rings shall be connected to the bottom ring and supported by no more than six rigid support arms, and the assembled frame shall measure no more than 10 inches tall. The rings and support material shall not be thicker than one inch in any dimension. All rings shall be connected by soft mesh, thereby forming a net with an enclosed bottom, and lift lines shall be attached only to the top ring. When suspended from lift lines the enclosed bottom portion of the net shall be even with or hanging below all other rings, and the entire net shall measure no taller than 30 inches. A bait ring may be attached to the net as long as the ring is not part of the rigid frame.

(2) Any hoop net abandoned or left unchecked for more than 2 hours shall be considered abandoned and may be seized by any person authorized to enforce these regulations.

(3) Hoop nets used south of Point Arguello, Santa Barbara County, shall be marked with a surface buoy. Except as provided below, surface buoys shall be legibly marked to identify the operator’s GO ID number as stated on the operator’s sport fishing license or lobster report card. This section does not apply to hoop nets deployed by persons on shore or manmade structures connected to the shore.

(A) The surface buoy of hoop nets deployed from commercial passenger fishing vessels shall be legibly marked to identify the commercial boat registration number of the vessel.

(B) The surface buoy of hoop nets provided by a licensed guide to clients for use on guided trips shall be legibly marked to identify the guide license number of the accompanying guide.

(c) Crab traps:

(1) Crab traps shall have at least two rigid circular openings of not less than four and one-quarter inches inside diameter so constructed that the lowest portion of each opening is no lower than five inches from the top of the trap.

(2) Crab traps shall contain at least one destruct device of a single strand of untreated cotton twine size No. 120 or less that creates an unobstructed escape opening in the top or upper half of the trap of at least five inches in diameter when the destruct attachment material corrodes or fails.

(3) Trap Gear Identification: Every crab trap shall be marked with only a main buoy and a marker buoy, except as noted under subsection 29.80(c)(3)(C) below.

(A) A main buoy is a surface buoy that is at least 5 inches in diameter and 11 inches in length.

1. The main buoy for traps deployed by an individual shall be legibly marked with the operator’s assigned GO ID number.

2. The main buoy for traps deployed from a commercial passenger fishing vessel shall be legibly marked to identify the commercial boat registration number of that vessel.

(B) A marker buoy is a red buoy 3 inches in diameter and 5 inches in length attached no more than 3 feet from the main buoy.

(C) In addition to marking the buoy pursuant to subsection (c)(3)(A)2., traps deployed by commercial passenger fishing vessels shall be legibly marked to identify the commercial boat registration number of the vessel.

(4) Crab traps shall not be deployed and used in ocean waters seven days prior to the opening of the Dungeness crab season.

(5) Every crab trap shall be raised, cleaned, and emptied (serviced) at intervals not to exceed 9 days, weather conditions at sea permitting, and no crab trap shall be abandoned in the waters of this state.

(6) Trap Limits:

(A) An individual shall not operate more than 10 deployed traps, except an individual may service up to 10 additional traps if the individual has in possession written permission from the operator(s) of the additional traps whose gear are identified in accordance with subsection (c)(3)(A)1.

(B) A commercial passenger fishing vessel shall not deploy more than 60 traps per vessel.

(7) Starting at least 5 days in advance of the opening of the recreational Dungeness crab fishing season pursuant to Section 29.85, the director shall, on at least a monthly basis until the season opens statewide and March 1 through June 15, evaluate and respond to risk of humpback whales, blue whales, and/or Pacific leatherback sea turtle entanglement with recreational crab fishing gear as follows:

(A) The director shall evaluate entanglement risk based on marine life concentrations as defined in subsection 132.8(a)(10), Title 14, CCR, and consistent with the acceptable data and numerical triggers outlined in subsection 132.8(c)(2).

1. If data are available, and marine life concentrations meet the numerical triggers for any species as specified in subsection 132.8(c)(2)(A) 4. (in the fall) or 132.8(c)(2)(B) (in the spring), the director shall take action pursuant to subsection 29.80(c)(7)(B) below.

2. If data are unavailable prior to the recreational Dungeness crab season opener, the director shall take action pursuant to subsection 29.80(c)(7)(B) below until data are available, at which point subsection 29.80(c)(7)(A)1. shall apply.

(B) If required under subsection 29.80(c)(7)(A) above, the director after consulting with the president of the commission or the president’s designee, shall implement one or more of the following recreational management actions that the director demonstrates protects humpback whales, blue whales, and/or Pacific leatherback sea turtles based on best available science. Recreational management action shall be determined based on consideration of information outlined in subsection 132.8(d):

1. Advisory notice to recreational crab fishers to employ voluntary efforts and/or measures to reduce the risk of entanglements (e.g. best fishing practices).

2. Recreational Dungeness crab season delay and continuation of the crab trap prohibition specified in subsection 29.80(c)(4), whereby the director shall prohibit the deployment and use of recreational crab traps until new data indicates the numerical triggers for any species as specified in subsection 132.8(c)(2)(A) 4. (in the fall) are no longer met, at which point the director shall lift or modify the Dungeness crab season delay as appropriate.

3. Season closure, whereby the director shall prohibit the deployment and use of recreational crab traps until new data indicates the numerical triggers for any species as specified in subsection 132.8(c)(2)(B) (in the spring) are no longer met, or the normal end of the Dungeness crab season specified in subsection 29.85(b)(2), at which point the director shall lift or modify the closure as appropriate.

(C) Recreational management action may be implemented statewide or by fishing zone(s) (as defined in subsections 132.8(a)(7)(A)-(G)), if the director demonstrates less-than-statewide action protects humpback whales, blue whales, and/or Pacific leatherback sea turtles based on best available science.

(D) Notice of a delay or closure pursuant to subsection 29.80(c)(7)(B) 2. or 3. shall be transmitted via a director’s declaration. The declaration will describe the following:

1. Data supporting the entanglement risk evaluation pursuant to subsection 29.80(c)(7)(A).

2. Relevant information informing management considerations from subsection 132.8(d).

3. Rationale for nexus between management considerations in subsection 132.8(d) and chosen recreational management action under subsection 29.80(c)(7)(B).

4. Duration of management action.

(E) The director’s declaration pursuant to subsection 29.80(c)(7)(D) shall provide a minimum of 5 days’ notice before the delay or closure becomes effective.

(F) The director’s declaration and/or any advisory notice shall be communicated via the department’s “Whale Safe Fisheries” web page located at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/Whale-Safe-Fisheries. At its discretion, the department may communicate declarations and/or advisory notices via additional formats.

(G) After the director implements a management action pursuant to subsection (c)(7)(B), he or she shall notify the commission and request that the commission schedule a public discussion of the management action at its next regularly-scheduled commission meeting.

(d) Crab loop traps may have up to six loops.

(e) Crab trap areas: Crab traps, including crab loop traps, may be used north of Point Arguello, Santa Barbara County to take all species of crabs.

(f) Shrimp and prawn traps may be used to take shrimp and prawns only. Trap openings may not exceed ½ inch in any dimension on traps used south of Point Conception nor five inches in any dimension on traps used north of Point Conception.

(g) Diving for crustaceans: In all ocean waters, except as provided in Section 29.05, skin and SCUBA divers may take crustaceans by the use of the hands only. Divers may not possess any hooked device while diving or attempting to dive. Divers may be in possession of spearfishing equipment so long as possession of such equipment is otherwise lawful and is not being used to aid in the take of crustaceans.

(h) Gear Restrictions. It shall be unlawful to use anything other than the following hand-operated devices to take sand crabs or shrimp: spades, shovels, hoes, forks, rakes, devices that use suction commonly known as slurp guns or clam guns, or rigid pipes used to prevent the collapse of holes when digging for sand crabs or shrimp. It shall be unlawful to use any other devices to take crabs or shrimp, including any hydraulic devices.

(i) Dip nets and Hawaiian-type throw nets: Shrimp may be taken with dip nets and Hawaiian-type throw nets north of Point Conception.

(j) Shrimp trawls: Shrimp beam trawls may be used to take shrimp only in San Francisco Bay waters east of the Golden Gate Bridge, and in San Pablo Bay. The beam trawl frame from which the net is hung may not exceed 24 inches by 18 inches. The trawl may be towed by motorized vessels but may not be retrieved by mechanical devices. Any fish, other than shrimp, caught in the trawl must be returned immediately to the water.

29.85. Recreational Take of Crabs.

(a) Any individual who fishes for crabs using crab trap(s) pursuant to subsection 29.80(c), shall have in possession a valid Recreational Crab Trap Validation for the current license year (Section 701, Title 14, CCR).

(b) Dungeness crabs (Cancer magister):

(1) Dungeness crab may not be taken from or possessed if taken from San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay, plus all their tidal bays, sloughs and estuaries between the Golden Gate Bridge and Carquinez Bridge.

(2) Open season: Fishing rules for Dungeness crab may be changed during the year or in-season by the director under the authority of subsection 29.80(c)(7). See subsection 29.80(c)(7) for additional information.

(A) Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties: From the first Saturday in November through July 30.

(B) All other counties: From the first Saturday in November through June 30.

(3) Limit: Ten.

(4) No vessel that takes Dungeness crabs under authority of this section, or Section 29.80, shall be used to take Dungeness crabs for commercial purposes.

(5) Minimum size: Five and three-quarter inches measured by the shortest distance through the body from edge of shell to edge of shell directly in front of and excluding the points (lateral spines).

(c) All crabs of the Cancer genus except Dungeness crabs, but including: yellow crabs, rock crabs, red crabs and slender crabs:

(1) Open season: All year. Fishing rules for crabs of the Cancer genus may be changed during the year or in-season by the director under the authority of subsection 29.80(c)(7). See subsection 29.80(c)(7) for additional information.

(2) Limit: Thirty-five.

(3) Minimum size: Four inches measured by the shortest distance through the body, from edge of shell to edge of shell at the widest part, except there is no minimum size in Fish and Game Districts 8 and 9.

(d) All crabs of the genus Cancer, including Dungeness crabs, yellow crabs, rock crabs, red crabs and slender crabs, may be brought to the surface of the water for measuring, but no undersize crabs may be placed in any type of receiver, kept on the person or retained in any person’s possession or under his direct control; all crabs shall be measured immediately and any undersize crabs shall be released immediately into the water.

These are the standard rules. Now we are operating under the "no traps" provision. Yes, it's complicated. If it were easy everybody would do it. It already seems like everybody does do it, so imagine if it were simple? CDFW is concerned because less people are buying fishing licenses. They think that making a 12 month license will bring more people back to fishing. I think that it will make those that fish happier but a lot of people are turned off of fishing by the complicated rules. Longer licenses won't make the rules less complicated. So, rejoice! Those that can figure it will have less competition. Blessed are those that read.

    The weather was okay today with a nice morning, a little rain, and then some wind and a little larger swell in the afternoon. The Dungeness catching was....okay. A few guys did well with some limits and near limits inside Tomales Bay and in the Outer Bay. One boat ran to Ten Mile and did very well. The most impressive thing was the number of almost legal Dungeness. It will be very good crabbing at the end of this season and the start of the next one. Lots of 1/8" shy crab out there. There was at least one warden in a boat working inside Tomales Bay today and he was one busy dude. Don't be tempted. The current in the bay was pretty strong in the afternoon and there was a lot of rings that didn't make it home. If yours was among them, look again tomorrow, as it may still be where you left it or somewhere towards the mouth of the bay. 

    So, on top of the lack of traps, the weather is forecast to be, well, maybe okay? For a while? Or not? On Saturday. Lots of ifs. The certainty is that inside Tomales Bay it will be like Squid Game or The Hunger Games or The Running Man or whatever is your favorite flavor of dystopian competition movie. I predict no less than 20 miles of floating rope between Sand Point and Hog Island. There will be bound up propellers. Sharpen your knives and gird your loins. For those that don't know, most rope floats. It is hard to see. Boaters will run over it, not because they want to but because they won't see it. It will seize their propellers and they will cut off the rope so that they can get to wherever they're going. You will lose your gear. And it is your fault for not weighting your line. Put a couple ounces of weight on your line every twenty feet and you will make everybody else very happy. I know you won't, but I just gotta say it. Saying it now makes me feel like I tried. The floating rope rule (and weighting it for everybody's benefit) applies to the ocean and Outer Bay as well, even though there's a chance that getting there from here on Saturday may be complicated. On paper it looks doable, but it is pretty close to not doable as well, which makes me think that there's a fair chance that the Fire Department may get an opportunity to run those shiny jet skis this weekend and (hopefully) save somebody. That means, also, that they may not get the opportunity and somebody may die in the breakers on the bar that may or may not happen. Crapshoot days are generally the most fatal, as they give you a false sense of security ("I can make it!"). If you aren't sure, don't go. Pro tip: If you need to drink to work up your courage to go, don't go. Stay in camp and drink. It'll kill you way slower.

 It is official. No traps from Gualala to Lopez Point until at least November 22. At that time an updated assessment of the whales and turtles in the area will determine whether traps are opened here or if we wait some more. Rings and snares are fine to use. The commercial fleet will be sitting in port until at least the same time. They don't get an option to use rings. Obviously this is not what anybody wanted, but considering the fact that the other option for CDFW was to not open Dungeness crabbing at all, well, I guess we can probably make it work. For those of you that are deciding to just sit it out and wait for traps to open, cool, but you may end up dropping your gear at the same time as or even after the commercial fleet drops theirs. There's no need to give you a head start when you already got one. It may not be the start you want but it's at least 16 days without real competition. I am not a good crabber, so I need the head start. It also may very likely be a longer delay than just the 22nd, as the whales and turtles must leave before the flyover (on or about the 15th) and currently the conditions are kinda weird. Storms are trying to send the whales packing but there's still bait around, enough for the whales to be encouraged to stay. Enough bait, even, for a good salmon bite on Halloween day and an insane bluefin tuna bite out of Santa Cruz with guys catching multiple fish up to and perhaps over 200 pounds. The water is still 58º F at Cordell Bank. Talk about mixed messaging. Anything could happen and probably will.

     About that salmon bite; Thumbs sent this over: "Would you plz give Dennis Rioual a last day recognition for catching a couple of nice salmon on the closing day halloween day, it would mean a bunch to him and a favor for me, caught just south of abbots,,...thanx " October salmon are pretty special and multiple salmon on Halloween is quite a treat indeed. 

    The Coastodian caught a salmon yesterday as well: "Hi Willy,

A fine finish to a fine salmon season.

Boated this 30+ pound fish south of Bird, North of Elephant 35 pulls down in 80 ft of water.

Had three other bites, one we never saw, two we felt but they were off in seconds.

Light drizzle on four occasions followed by sun to dry us off.

Heard of several other fish caught south or north of us. Lots more fish not sticking.

Saw no whales." You know, when they chopped the early and later parts off of this season I figured that the later part didn't matter, as the season usually functionally ends here in September. But now, damn. Guess what you'll be hooking while you're rockfishing this month. 

    Russ Lincoln took this photo of Cameron and I trolling for salmon in the evening back in August. We lost our only bite that night, but it was pretty. Those wildfires do make for a beautiful sunset.

For those that wish to see the official press release:

Media Contacts: Ryan Bartling, CDFW Marine Region, (415) 238-2638 Jordan Traverso, CDFW Communications, (916) 212-7352

CDFW Works with the Recreational and Commercial Dungeness Crab Fleets to Protect Whales and Sea Turtles from Entanglement

The recreational take of Dungeness crab using crab traps in Fishing Zones 3 and 4, (from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Lopez Point) will be temporarily restricted when the season opens on Nov. 6 due to presence of humpback whales and leatherback sea turtles and the potential for entanglement from trap gear. The season had been scheduled to open statewide on Nov. 6, 2021. However, the deployment and use of crab traps in any recreational crab fishery (including rock crab) is temporarily restricted in those zones until lifted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director. The recreational take of Dungeness crab using crab traps is allowed starting Nov. 6, 2021 in Fishing Zones 1 and 2 (from the Oregon state line to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line) and in Fishing Zones 5 and 6 (the area south of Lopez Point). The CDFW Director is opening the fishery in these zones under a Fleet Advisory and reminds recreational crabbers to implement best practices, as described in the Best Practices Guide. Recreational take of Dungeness crab by other methods, including hoop nets and crab snares, is not affected by the temporary trap restriction and is allowed statewide beginning Nov. 6, 2021. For more information, please see the FAQs for the new recreational crab trap regulations or CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries Webpage.   The commercial Dungeness crab fishery south of the Sonoma/Mendocino county line was scheduled to open on Nov. 15, 2021 in Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5 and 6. However, the season opener has been delayed in Fishing Zones 3 and 4 (Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Lopez Point) due to presence of humpback whales and leatherback sea turtles and the potential for entanglement. Fishing Zones 5 and 6 are scheduled to open Nov. 15 under a Fleet Advisory, pending Domoic Acid testing results. CDFW reminds the commercial fleet in these fishing zones to implement best practices, as described in the Best Practices Guide. CDFW also reminds all commercial fishery participants that, pursuant to Senate Bill 80 (McGuire, 2021), “fair start” now applies to delays implemented to reduce the risk of marine life entanglement and commercial traps may be baited 64 hours before the opening of the season statewide.   “This is the first time the recreational Dungeness crab fishery is subject to similar measures as commercial crabbers to help protect whales and sea turtles," said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. "We recognize that change takes time but thank all Californians who treasure these recreational fishing opportunities. We continue to value and appreciate the work put in by the fleet and the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group. This year, while the start of the recreational season may look different, the process allowed us to open some parts of the coast to recreational crab traps and all the coast to recreational crabbing with other fishing methods. This shows there is a way to partner more closely with the recreational fishery to protect California's whales and sea turtles while still providing meaningful recreational and commercial fishing opportunities."   Prior to this determination, CDFW worked with a broad range of scientific partners, researchers, agencies and the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group to collect and synthesize information regarding presence of humpback whales, blue whales and leatherback sea turtles across each fishing zone. Aerial surveys, vessel-based surveys, and satellite telemetry data indicate aggregations of humpback whales and several leatherback sea turtles still present within Fishing Zones 3 and 4. Under triggers established as part of the Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program (RAMP) regulations for the commercial fishery, as well as new regulations adopted by the Fish and Game Commission for the recreational Dungeness crab fishery, the CDFW Director is required to implement a management action for these fishing zones to reduce marine life entanglement risk.   For the commercial fishery, Fishing Zones 1 and 2 are not scheduled to open until Dec.1, 2021 and crab meat quality test results are not yet available. CDFW has not yet evaluated the need for any actions to reduce marine life entanglement risk in these zones.   CDFW anticipates the next risk assessment will take place on or before Nov. 22, 2021, at which time the Director will re-evaluate the temporary recreational crab trap restriction and commercial fishery delay in Fishing Zones 3 and 4, as well as the need for any management actions for the commercial fishery in Fishing Zones 1 and 2. For more information related to the risk assessment process, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries page or more information on the Dungeness crab fishery, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/crab