Whether you’ve been holed up with family or getting some reps in fishing, I hope you’ve had a great holiday (and hopefully break from work).
That storm last week was pretty brutal, and it looks like we’re set to get more rain later this week. This gives us a slim window for fishing early this week.
Luckily a lot of people are off for the holidays right now, so if that’s you - this is a great opportunity to get some fishing in before the New Year!
Reports are a little light this week due to people taking breaks for Christmas, but here’s what we have…
Happy New Years Anglers!!
Saltwater Fishing Reports this Week 🎣
A rare week with no fish counts from the usual charters we follow. This isn’t because they haven’t been catching fish, it’s more like they just haven’t had boats out for the holidays.
Crab: Reports of big keepers being hauled out of Ocean Beach. After a (relatively) slow start to the season there this is great news. Bodega Bay and Half Moon by boat is seeing some love too, but the snaring crew seems to be coming up a bit short there.
Sturgeon: If you’ve been following us for a while you know what I’m going to say: Suisun Bay. The hot spot for sturgeon fishing these days. What’s new though is I saw a report for a BIG sturgeon caught out at Dumbarton Pier in the South Bay. Remember to follow all CDFW guidelines with these fish before going out. Catch and release only.
Stripers: Carquinez strait seems to be the spot still. They’ve mostly left the Bay but I still see reports of schoolies and medium sized fish caught North of the Richmond Bridge.
Bay Area Trout Stocking Report 🐟
No new updates here - looks like they are taking a pause on stocking. Lake Merced and Sandy Wool Lake had strong stocking recently.
Been seeing a lot of trout pulled out of Los Vaqueros recently too. You can view our last trout reports on the site (recent posts) to see what stocks are fresh.
The End of Rockfish Season 😔
Goodbye rockfish, till next year
This is it: the end of rockfish season. What a time we had. January in theory could be a great time to catch these fish but due to CDFW regulations, no take or possession of rockfish/groundfish are allowed.
In my opinion if you’re not set on keeping rockfish, I’m not sure why you’d be targeting them anyway. They don’t exactly put up a huge fight, and bringing them up from deep can injure the fish. Lingcod are a different story BUT the same regulations apply.
This will last through the end of March, when it opens up again around April for boats only. Sad news for the jetty crew.
Of course if you accidentally catch one you can release it, but targeting them seems to be discouraged if not expressly illegal due to CDFW regulations so I would stay away from that. Regulations are always subject to change, read more about your specific region here:
So what’s left for Bay Area fishing this Winter?
Surf Perch: Ol’ reliable. Catch them on the coast! Within the Bay it’s open season on these guys until March - catch them at your favorite beach, shoreline or pier.
Sturgeon: Seems like they are spreading throughout the Bay, but regulations on these fish are tricky. Do your research based on where you want to fish for these prehistoric legends. Specific gear is needed.
Sharks and Rays: If you’re looking for a fun fight, this is what I’d gravitate towards. They can be easier to catch than their other fishy counterparts. Get some smelly bait on the bottom and wait for the bite! Catch them within the Bay at your favorite pier or shoreline.
Crab: If you have a boat you probably already know what to do. If you’re stuck to the shore, grab a big rod and a crab snare and get out there! Dungeness Crab can only be kept outside of SF Bay. Rock Crabs can be taken from within the Bay.
Gus’ Discount tackle in San Francisco will hook you up. Check minimum sizes and regulations before going out.
Here’s a more detailed article for crabbing.
Weekend Fishing Forecasts - Curated Spots
Half Moon Bay 🐟 (Last Call for Rockfish - Closed January 1)
We like low tide for catching rockfish from the jetties. Swells seem low. Be careful out there, avoid if raining (slippery conditions).
Monday | Tuesday | Wed | Thurs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather | Clear | Clear | Possible Rain | Rain |
Wind Speed (mph) | Medium Heavy | Medium Heavy | Medium | Heavy |
Swell Height (ft) | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 3.8 |
Wave Power (kJ) | 72 | 148 | 190 | 449 |
Wave Interval (sec) | 8.9 | 12.6 | 12.0 | 12.0 |
Pressure (in) | 30.27 | 30.18 | 30.00 | 29.94 |
High Tides (ft) | 5.9 @ 5:19 AM 3.6 @ 6:56 PM | 6.4 @ 6:05 AM 3.8 @ 8:17 PM | 6.8 @ 6:55 AM 4.1 @ 9:20 PM | 7.0 @ 7:47 AM 4.3 @ 10:12 PM |
Low Tides (ft) | 0.4 @ 12:40 PM 2.3 @ 11:26 PM | -0.5 @ 1:39 PM | 2.7 @ 12:25 AM -1.1 @ 2:32 PM | 2.9 @ 1:28 AM
|
Our Rating | Good | Good | Okay (Rain?) | Rough |
Ocean Beach 🦀 (Dungeness Crab)
We like the tide changes for catching big Dungeness. Avoid outgoing tides where water flows out of the Bay, creating strong currents along OB.
Monday | Tuesday | Wed | Thurs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather | Fog | Clear | Cloudy | Rain |
Wind Speed (mph) | Medium Heavy | Heavy | Heavy | Heavy |
Swell Height (ft) | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 3.2 |
Wave Power (kJ) | 72 | 146 | 145 | 228 |
Wave Interval (sec) | 10.1 | 13.5 | 12.1 | 11.0 |
Pressure (in) | 30.27 | 30.18 | 30.03 | 29.97 |
High Tides (ft) | 6.3 @ 5:28 AM 4.0 @ 7:15 PM | 6.6 @ 6:14 AM 4.3 @ 8:33 PM | 7.0 @ 7:02 AM 4.7 @ 9:37 PM | 7.2 @ 7:52 AM 5.0 @ 10:29 PM |
Low Tides (ft) | 0.4 @ 12:42 PM 2.5 @ 11:49 PM | -0.4 @ 1:37 PM | 2.9 @ 12:49 AM -1.0 @ 2:29 PM | 3.1 @ 1:50 AM -1.4 @ 3:19 PM |
Our Rating | Not Bad | Not Bad | Good | Rough |
Carquinez Strait 🎣 (Sturgeon & Striper)
We like a couple hours before high tide through a couple hours after.
Monday | Tuesday | Wed | Thurs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather | Clear | Clear | Clouds | Rain |
Wind Speed (mph) | Medium | Medium | Medium Heavy | Heavy |
Swell Height (ft) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
Wave Interval (sec) | 10.1 | 13.5 | 12.1 | 11.0 |
Pressure (in) | 30.3 | 30.21 | 30.06 | 30.00 |
High Tides (ft) | 5.6 @ 8:20 AM 3.4 @ 9:42 PM | 5.9 @ 9:08 AM 3.6 @ 10:59 PM | 6.2 @ 9:58 AM | 3.8 @ 12:05 AM 6.3 @ 10:48 AM |
Low Tides (ft) | 1.5 @ 1:41 AM 0.4 @ 3:39 PM | 1.9 @ 2:38 AM 3.6 @ 10:59 PM | 2.2 @ 3:38 AM -0.7 @ 5:26 PM | 2.4 @ 4:39 AM -1.1 @ 6:18 PM |
Our Rating | Good | Good | Okay | Rough |
*Always check conditions before going out there, this data may no longer be up to date so please be safe
Good luck out there 😎