Anglers around the Monterey Bay are enjoying our first real salmon season in years. Reports indicate the salmon fishing’s getting better, with fewer skunks and an increase in limits caught. The proportion of shakers is on the increase as well. A new school is moving into the bay, feeding on abundant anchovies and an increasing number of sardines. Fish quality is decent. Anglers are reporting an increase in undersized fish, with keepers ranging from six to nearly 20 pounds. Commercial boasts working in our area report an average weight of 12 to 15 pounds per fish, and are finding plenty of fresh king salmon to sell. Hot spots close to Monterey are the 250-300 foot depths outside Point Pinos, and the canyon edges closer to Moss Landing. Some boats have found success fishing the Soldier’s Club and Mulligan Hill area.

Anglers from Moss Landing have found the central area or the bay to be most consistent for salmon catches. The main Monterey Bay submarine canyon is always a good bet, and close by for the Moss Landing boats. The Soquel and Pajaro Holes continue to host roving schools of king salmon. The fish are down deep. Successful anglers are trolling “in the mud,” as close to the bottom as they can. Over the past week, we’ve seen an increase of salmon catch reports coming from the 300-foot depths straight out from Santa Cruz, off of Natural Bridges, near Three-Mile Beach and up the coast towards Davenport. Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine keeps a close eye on fishing reports from Santa Cruz boats, and notes an increase this week of fish caught from 100-160 feet down, in addition to the main body of fish holding deep near the bottom.

Bonito are proving to be an enjoyable distraction for trollers, halibut drifters and even for anglers casting lures from the Capitola and Santa Cruz Wharves. These tuna-like fish are a blast to catch, especially when you get surface action. Normally seen in our area at summer’s end and early fall when the water is warmest, this year’s higher water temps have drawn schools of bonito from the south to feed in Monterey Bay. They are very aggressive fish, capable of swimming up to 40 miles and hour. Techniques for catching bonito include trolling up to seven or eight miles and hour, or throwing lures with a high-speed retrieve. Live bait always works, of course. Quite a few bonita have been reported caught lately, both inshore by the halibut hunters as well as by salmon trollers who are fishing deep in 300 feet of water. The bonito range from 14 to 24 inches. They are quite edible, but should be promptly bled and iced for the best culinary results.