Doug took this photo today. Small fish weighed 17 pounds and the larger, 25. Two halibut may not seem like a lot, but when the weather forecast says "Gale Warning" and you can successfully catch a few fish before high-tailing off the water before the big, big winds get there, it's a lot. Two really nice fish, to boot. 

      The wind is blowing, as it should in May, but this bit should dies out after the weekend. The wind is cooling off the water and will hopefully upwell some nutrients that will jumpstart the food chain of the California Current, as the reports from the ocean have been sorta sad in the salmon department. The commercials have had two "cycles" to fish now and did okay on the first and mostly less so the second. The wind didn't help the second opener's success, but I felt pretty good to hear one of Gage's friends refer to the fishing conditions as "Victory at Sea." I'm not sure if he's seen any of those old shows, but I guess he's probably heard old fishermen saying it, and I mean old, because that's before my time, too, and I feel pretty old. The commercials have caught an estimated 26152 salmon out of their 83000 fish quota for the summer season. Most of the fish caught have been north, Bodega to Point Arena, heavy on the Point Arena. They have two more fishing cycles in which they can fish that area before they have to wait until August 1. It is very unlikely they will fill their quota before the end of the month, so after May they will be restricted to fishing south of Pigeon Point until August 1. It hasn't been awesome there for them, or really, anyone, but this wind may reset the table and send a few fish and feed that way. Historically, by the end of June it should be winding down down there, so the upwelling may be too little, too late, but if nothing else, seeing what actually happens will be interesting, at least to those of us playing along at home.

     Unsurprisingly, crab traps will close at 6:00 PM on May 22. We got an extra month of traps over the commercials in our zone, so don't complain. The whales will be here, probably, until December (they have Christmas obligations elsewhere I guess) but traps for crab will reopen when Dungeness season closes. Why, you ask? Ask me in person. What I posted is public knowledge on CDFW's website. I'd rather not post info some anti-fishing jackhole individual can use against me. But I'll tell you in person. Just know that even though CDFW seems like they're trying to close everything down, they also leave open stuff that hasn't been targeted by groups. It's either bureaucratic incompetence or some people still pulling for fishermen and I go with option two, not just because I'm a suck-up but also because I believe that there are people there, still, with our (and their, really) best interests at heart. Thank you, fellow fisherpersons. Anyways, here's the official press release about crabbing from CDFW:

Recreational Crab Traps Restricted in Central Management Area to Protect Whales from Entanglement while Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishing Opportunities Continue  

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Meghan Hertel has assessed entanglement risk under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP) and announced a crab trap restriction in the recreational Dungeness crab fishery in Fishing Zone 3 (Sonoma/Mendocino County Line, 38°46.125' N. Latitude to Pigeon Point, 37°11' N. Latitude). This change, which will go into effect at 6 p.m. on May 22, 2026, is intended to minimize entanglement risk as humpback whales return to forage off the coast of California. 

A crab trap restriction was implemented in Fishing Zones 4 and 5 (Pigeon Point to Point Conception, 34°27' N Latitude) on March 27, 2026. CDFW reminds recreational crabbers that take of Dungeness crab by other methods (including hoop nets and crab snares) is allowed through the close of the season. All open Fishing Zones remain under a Fleet Advisory for the recreational Dungeness crab fishery. CDFW also reminds all fishery participants to implement best practices as described in the Best Practices Guide. 

The commercial fishery remains open in Fishing Zones 1 and 2 (California/Oregon border to the Sonoma/Mendocino County line) under existing trap reductions and depth constraints. Fishing Zones 3-5 (Sonoma/Mendocino County line to Point Conception) have transitioned to use of authorized Alternative Gear (aka Pop-Up gear) through the remainder of the season. 

CDFW anticipates the next risk assessment will take place in early June 2026. For more information related to the risk assessment process, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries page. For more information on the Dungeness crab fishery, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/crab.