Not too many boats hitting the water lately, but today there were several out on the bay. The reports from them were not good. I didn't talk to everyone, but the guys I spoke to hadn't caught any Dungeness crab at all. The fishing was similar, as halibut (aside from the one very confused shortie a few weeks back) have been nowhere to be found in Tomales Bay. The water inside the bay is starting to warm up, though, and likely in the next few weeks the bite should start. Finally. I tried for a bit yesterday and saw quite a bit of bait schooled up from Pelican Point on back to Marshall. Small schools that wouldn't bite a sabiki, but something on the meter. The warmest water I saw was 55.9º at Marshall. That's getting close to the temperature I need to catch fish back there. I need about a 60º minimum (62º+ is better) to not get bored. Fish seem to more active when they're warmer. I am. It's coming, just not fast enough. The water on the bar two hours after the listed low tide was 46.6º on my fishfinder. That is damned cold. A few days back Terrafin showed a temp of 45.3º off of Gualala. That's even colder than damned cold. Stronger-than-usual winds will likely continue to keep the ocean water frickin' frigid. So, I guess, on the plus side, "

Recreational Pacific Halibut Fishery Set to Open May 1

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is pleased to announce the 2023 recreational Pacific halibut fishery will open Monday, May 1 and remain open seven days per week until Nov. 15 or until the quota is reached, whichever is earlier. The 2023 Pacific halibut quota for the California subarea is 39,540 pounds – approximately the same as the 2022 quota.

CDFW’s recommended season dates were informed by a scoping process that included an online angler survey conducted earlier this year. The open dates are not guaranteed days, and the season could be closed early if it is determined that projected catches will exceed the California quota.

Anglers are always advised to check for updated information when planning a Pacific halibut fishing trip. Season dates, bag/possession limits and gear restrictions can be found on CDFW’s Pacific halibut web page. Public notification of any in-season change to regulations is made through the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Pacific halibut hotline at (800) 662-9825 or CDFW’s Pacific halibut Regulations Hotline at (831) 649-2801.

State regulations for Pacific halibut automatically conform to federal regulations set by NMFS using the process described in the California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 1.95. Federal regulations for Pacific halibut took effect April 6, 2023, and were published in the Federal Register (88 FR 21503) on April 11, 2023." What's the plus, you ask? Here's my thinking points: Our water is about as Alaskan as it gets. Several Pacifics were landed last year by salmon fishermen. No salmon season means less distractions. It appears that there's more Pacifics out there than we think. The season will likely close early as the boys to our north have no salmon to divide their attention and they have known halibut grounds to work. We need some of those known grounds. I will be looking again this year.