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.