Sunday Scoop, Fishery Warnings & New Seasons

I hope everyone had a restful Thanksgiving because it’s game on right now. We have some mixed fishing conditions this week which will give you time to prepare yourself. For you serious crabbers, California Department of Public Health just lifted a restriction on Dungeness Crab in a solid North Bay region. We’re also about to hit December, marking the beginning of the good season for a very special fish - one that might not be around for too much longer.

*Warning in effect for Pacific beaches through Tuesday, see forecasts and stay safe

First, our weekly fishing & stocking reports…

Seems like infinite Dungeness Crab from our local charters. Word on the street is people are having good luck deeper than 100 feet if you’re having a hard time, but this is not a firsthand account.

*Counts Via Fish Emeryville, Lovely Martha Sport Fishing, CA Dawn Sportfishing

That’s it :(

November 20th 2025 - California Department of Public Health has lifted a warning on Dungeness Crab caught on the coast from the Sonoma/Mendocino County Line down to Point Reyes. Previously CDPH was warning against consuming the internal organs & viscera (crab butter if you’re into that) of Dungeness Crab in this region. They have since lifted this due to declined levels of domoic acid in harvested crabs from this region.

I’m going to say something slightly controversial here - I don’t think you should be eating the viscera anyway. The effects of domoic acid poisoning can be really severe. I’m almost overly cautious when it comes to chemicals, acid, mercury etc. in fish and crabs I catch so take that as you will. What’s nice with this restriction is I’m not as worried to boil the crab whole first before cleaning it.

Technically best practice is to dispatch the crab and immediately clean & cook since domoic acid can seep into the meat and cooking liquid when boiled whole.

What isn’t clear to me is whether Tomales Bay is included in this, or just the Pacific facing regions. Through some Facebook research I’ve found some posts from very much alive people showing off their sport-harvested crab and they seem to be doing fine. But if anybody has a definitive answer to this feel free to hit reply.

Full CDPH Announcement

6,500. That’s how many White Sturgeon between 40 and 60 inches are estimated to be in California, down from around 30,000 from 2016-2021. Algae blooms, overfishing, and poaching have all contributed to the decline of these magnificent fish in the Bay. Even so, December marks the start of good sturgeon fishing in the Bay, so now is the time to get caught up.

White Sturgeon are strictly catch and release only this season due to this population decline. Obviously I hope they bounce back, but with the way California fisheries have been managed only time will tell. Due to these factors, I’m willing to make the claim that we may be looking at some of the last sturgeon seasons in the Bay Area for the foreseeable future.

If you are going to be fishing for sturgeon this season, remember that these dinosaur fish are actually quite fragile. A large sturgeon’s skeleton can’t support its own weight out of the water, and any over 60 inches fork length can’t be removed from the water at all according to the CDFW. Green Sturgeon can’t be released from the water either and must not be targeted.

To prep for sturgeon season you’ll need some heavier gear. I’m planning to use a heavy power Okuma SST rod as my primary one but I’m even considering getting something heavier. You will also need some barbless hooks, as you can only target sturgeon with barbless hooks on a single line. Since sturgeon are bottom feeders and will likely be picking up chunk bait, I’ll go a step further and recommend circle hooks for minimal damage to the fish AND a better chance of getting hooked up in a good spot for barbless fishing.

We’re going to be posting more about sturgeon fishing as we get into winter, and expect a full write up & tutorial on our Thursday newsletter.

White Sturgeon Status Report

*WARNING IN EFFECT - Long period westerly swell with increased risk for sneaker waves and rip currents on Pacific Coast beaches through Tuesday. Consider fishing inland until this is over.

*Always check conditions before going out there, this data may no longer be up to date so please be safe

Remember, this newsletter is for you. Want to see other spots forecasted or specific content? Hit reply and let us know! Good luck out there 😎