A few years ago I read a report from the Bodega Marine Lab that said that global warming/climate change was going to make the wind blow more and harder here and that wind would supercharge the upwelling. Imagine my disappointment to find out that the exotics that would show up from warming would be Pacific halibut. Check out the water temp over the last five days at the Bodega Buoy (46013):
The water temp has been unable to hit 49º. 48º is kind of a stretch. Terrafin.com shows a patch of water off of the Head that's 44º. That's a lot of upwelling. It's so much that we may see a deepwater die-off of crabs and other slow-moving creatures. It happens off of Oregon and Washington when they get a lot of deep, oxygen-poor (but mineral-rich!) water sloshing over the continental shelf. This water slides South and mixes with the offshore warm water and the Southern California bight's nearshore warm water and makes for lots of feed for their critters. It's possible that our extra wind has helped create the extra bluefin that SoCal is seeing. I'm glad something good is coming from it somewhere, because here it sssssuuuuccckkkksssss.
There were a few fish caught in the last few days. One boat got out across the bar on Saturday and ended up fishing in the outer bay for salmon. And caught one! That's not the only salmon to come from there in the last month or two but it probably shouldn't be your first choice of location. A mid-week weather break may find Gage fishing out in 200 feet of water off of Bird for salmon. That should be statistically better odds for catching, but often the fish don't know their stats. There were also a few halibut caught in the bay this weekend, mostly near Hog Island but a few near Marshall, as well. The halibut fishing is still far from good but the interior bay water is warming and a few schools of baitfish are moving into the bay, probably to warm up. Halibut catching can only get better.
9 comments:
cold water should be good for kelp to return and just maybey abalone?
I like an optimist. I think we're screwed no matter how many abalone may or may not be out there. The starfish are coming back, thankfully, but I think that the powers that be are happier with the current regulations.
We will probably give it a go Friday. We really want to fish more like where no one else does, except one guy I know that likes to drift across the bay from the boat house. He might be trying for salmon though..... But we also want a fish, so might have to head to a bit warmer hydro-climate. Anyways how's the tray bait situation?
Outlaw
I could say I'm impressed with Willy dabbling in oceanography but I never cease to be amazed with the knowledge he has about the oceans and the critters that live in it. Recent abundance of halibut in SF Bay is likely a result of warming waters. Positive environments for some species usually bring negatives for other species.
We have tray anchovies and herring. For now
As to the halibut in SF bay. Do you think the massive amount of fresh water being pumped south enables the halibut to travel further up into San Pablo?
There is a lot less fresh water flowing into the bay.
Saltwater fish will go where they can, especially if there's food.
IMO this is water conditions coming back to normal after the BLOB and the Ridiculously Resilient Ridge. Last year was the first normal water temp and wind year, this year is building on it.
2016-2020 was filled with super unsettled conditions, both wind and water wise. The winds blew everything out along the coast well into September, which shouldn’t happen, but it was the ecosystem being off and trying to right the ship. Last year the winds backed off mid June and we finally had “normal” summer conditions. I expect the same this year by mid June!
Like people and money.
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