The shore crabbing has been slow, as usual, but not bad. People are catching, not limits, but some crab of both species from the beach. In the bay from a boat has been better but far from awesome. Outside the awesome is still in abeyance but limits are possible, even (and especially) in the outer bay. The whales are chilling with gin and tonics somewhere south for the moment, so traps are still cool, but if I was going to buy more crabbing gear it probably (and this, as a purveyor of traps, pains me) wouldn't be traps but would be conical gear. The two best times of the season for Dungeness are the beginning of the season and the end, which also happens to be the likeliest times for traps to be closed. Conicals are cools year-round.

   I heard of one striper in the surf this week. Gage and I tried on Thursday for a couple of hours before we got frozen out. No fish or bites for us. Gage did snag a sand crab, so surf fishing is likely a thing again even if we can't catch there. It's fishing. Give it a shot.

   Salmon fishermen: If you haven't heard yet, it seems that only 61,000 salmon made it up the river last year, out of a minimal target of 180,000. That's about a third. I've heard that there may be only 20,000 fish that may be allowed to be caught this year in California. Commercial guys caught over 200,000 fish last year. No fishing for them equals checks from the government, later. They don't want those fish. Sport guys caught almost 60,000 fish last year. Maybe we get six weeks? We'll see. Nomad Madmac sales continue to be through the roof, so bluefin effort may be more than salmon this year. Bad year to be a fish.

   A message from the Golden Gate Salmon Association:"

Dear Salmon supporter, The governor has taken direct aim at our salmon and we need to let him know he needs to change course.

In a harsh blow to salmon recovery efforts, Governor Gavin Newsom has bowed to the will of factory farm operators in the Central Valley and invited his water managers to waive state law aimed at protecting salmon and other species, which they have now done.  Since Newsom issued his executive order on February 13 authorizing a drastic cut to required freshwater flows through the Delta, Delta outflow has fall by almost half. Without this water, salmon survival will plummet. We are losing baby salmon in the Delta right now.

The state’s Dept. of Water Resources (DWR) admits that granting their request will harm salmon in a number of ways including pulling juveniles off their natural outmigration route to their deaths in the interior Delta.   The governor made his move just as some of the two million fish released at Coleman were expected to be entering the Delta on their way to the Bay and ocean.  They are part of an experiment intended in part to restock the upper Sacramento Basin with salmon after recent disastrous returns to the upper Sacramento Basin and now they’re probably lost. Newsom’s capitulation to the state’s powerful agricultural industry comes as most of the state’s reservoirs are at or above where they’d normally be this time of year and a record 186% of normal snowpack in the Sierras will soon fill them further.  The executive order states explicitly that rules protecting salmon can now be waived simply because powerful Central Valley interests are demanding more water supply.  State and federal water managers are ramping up diversions to big agricultural water districts across the Central Valley and have told many of them to expect 100% of their annual water allocation.  This isn’t fair or balanced to those who fish or rely on salmon.  Only 61,200 fall run Chinook salmon returned to the Sacramento River last fall, far below the target of 180,000 fish.  Many are worried we may not have a salmon fishing season this year.    Salmon numbers have dropped dramatically during Governor Newsom’s time in office while water-guzzling almond orchards have grown by 300,000 acres.  So please take a moment to let the Governor know you disagree with his action and support reinstating salmon protections and a more fair balance.  Your voice is strongest if you call the governor’s office at (916) 445-2841.   Tell them you’re calling to ask the governor to rescind his executive order waiving salmon protections regarding water flowing through the Delta.  Or, click here and we’ll make it easy for you to add your name to a petition we’ll send to the governor’s office.   Please share this call to action as far and widely as you can.

Sign The Petition Here

"

     While the crabbing has been pretty slow for most, a few guys have done well. During a weather window last week one crabber was able to limit out in the Outer Bay on Dungeness in one soak of four pots. I think he had them in for two days but can't confirm. This weekend, one lucky (skilled, really) boat caught 21 Dungeness near Hog yesterday for three fishermen and 11 today for two guys. Not limits, but pretty nice crab for not having to risk your life as aggressively as crossing the bar. There is something to be said for not possibly being crab food. 

  My cousin the commercial crabber found a few halibut on Ten Mile this week. Unfortunately for him and them, the Dungeness had already had their way with the (now skeletal) halibut by the time the traps were pulled. There were three on Friday and two on Sundays pull. All halibut inside of 70ish feet. There's three theories circulating as to why the flatties are showing up. One says the fish are moving around in a seasonal migration pattern and happen to be passing by the area. Another says that many halibut relocate to deeper water in the winter, kind of a spin on the previous theory. And my theory is that the fish know that with a crap salmon season, they're on the death list, so some are choosing suicide by crab pot. As the salmon returns this year are, as I heard it, a bit less than in 2007, I guess the flatties aren't completely wrong (suicide is never the answer!). Returns this bad in the past resulted in two years of no (legal) salmon fishing, so... Already people are concerned for halibut and they're not wrong. A little bump to the minimum size (24" maybe?) wouldn't be the worst thing to happen. A second year to spawn before harvest? During a peak harvest event? I know, it's insanity. I just like halibut. And don't like slot limits.

     I realized that I hadn't been posting for a while when people started texting me for crabbing reports. Sorry. The crabbing in the bay has been slow, as is the historical norm for this time of year. Generally February and March are the slowest times of year for Dungeness. Most of them should be molting/mating during this time, as I understand it. The bay tends to have a higher number of what we sometimes call "mudders", or darker crab that don't molt due to their less-than-perfect health. A healthy crab will molt its shell at least once a year. If you catch a crab with a barnacle on its shell, well, it wasn't healthy enough to store away enough fat to molt on schedule. That's what get called a mudder. Their gills are darker and "muddy". But they aren't distracted by sex or losing their skin, so they'll still climb in your trap or hoop, and they still taste pretty good. The fact that you can still catch them makes them even better. So, there's still some crab around, not pretty ones, mostly, but eaters. The best kind. 

    Salmon fishermen: Be aware that things look grim for us this year. Not too good for the salmon, either. Last week there was a California Fish and Game Commission meeting where the commissioners got a refresher on salmon in preparation for the bad news this year. The summary included one line that I will quote; " Strong measures this year and next, including fishery closures, are necessary to bring recruitment/escapement up regardless of what happens in water year 2023." The bolding is mine. To see the report, click here. Best bet is to tie up new leaders for halibut. I'll be ordering up some new jigs from Bigfoot Baits for halibut because it looks like salmon may be either out of or only a small part of the fishing picture this year. Bad year to be a halibut. 

    Gage and I tried the surf for stripers or perch today and caught a grand total of nothing. There weren't even any sand crabs (which may have something to with no fish: No fish food, no fishies). But when I got home and checked my email, it turns out we were a bit late for just picking up fish off the beach. Stephanie Miller sent me these pictures of her morning discovery: 

    The longnose lancetfish is a rare visitor to Dillon Beach. We see one every every few years or so. One that arrived alive was fileted and cooked. The taste test showed us why there is no commercial fishery for these things. Not good. Kinda cool looking, though.

     How bad will the 2023 salmon season be? Our first look comes on March 1st: "

Feb. 1, 2023

Media Contact(s): Grace Easterbrook, CDFW Marine Region, (707) 576-2375 Jordan Traverso, CDFW Communications, (916) 212-7352

CDFW to Host Virtual Public Meeting on Ocean Salmon Fisheries The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) invites the public to attend its annual Salmon Information Meeting via webinar on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The meeting will feature the outlook for this year’s sport and commercial ocean salmon fisheries, in addition to a review of last year’s salmon fisheries and spawning escapement. Following the informational presentations, stakeholders are encouraged to offer testimony and recommendations for the 2023 fishing season regulations in advance of the upcoming Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meetings in March and April. The 2023 Salmon Information Meeting marks the beginning of a two-month long public process used to develop annual sport and commercial ocean salmon fishing regulations. The process involves collaborative negotiations between West Coast states, federal agencies, tribal co-managers, and stakeholders interested in salmon fishery management and conservation. Public input will help California representatives develop a range of recommended season alternatives at the March 5-10 PFMC meeting in Seattle. Final season recommendations will be adopted at the PFMC’s April 1-7 meeting in Foster City, Calif. Salmon Information Meeting details, informational materials and instructions for attendance will be published in advance of the event on CDFW’s Ocean Salmon webpage. Please see the Ocean Salmon webpage for a complete Calendar of Events and contact information regarding the Salmon Preseason Process, including other opportunities for public engagement in the season-setting process.

"

 

   Not a fishing report, but California Recovery Divers came out today and found and retrieved the body of the lost kayaker. I'm sorry that he's passed away, but glad that these guys found him for the family. The only thing worse than a death is a lack of closure due to a death. These guys like to accomplish difficult tasks, and finding a body lost in a body of water is surely difficult. They had the gear to locate the body in about 15 minutes, but it took until almost 4:00pm until the current slowed enough for them to dive and recover the body. Very nice work, guys, and good on you. Pretty much nobody else wanted to find what you did, and we're appreciative. I hope I helped instead of just lingered around like an annoying fanboy.