Monterey Bay is a great place to be if you like to fish. And, we’re really just getting going on our summer season. Fishing has been great all around the bay and it’s going to get better. In Monterey, Chris Arcoleo sends out the Check Mate and Caroline nearly every day, and every day reports limits aboard each boat. Wednesday’s trip on the Check Mate recorded 220 rock cod and 31 lings for 22 anglers. The Caroline only had 20 anglers aboard, and their tally was 200 rockfish. The Point Sur area is teeming with big chilipeppers in 300-500 feet of water while crowds of lingcod are ready to bite out to 750 feet. Arcoleo reports the squid spawns nearshore have dwindled, though the private boaters are picking up plenty of nearshore rockfish as well as halibut.

 

Joey Stagnaro is at the wheel of the Kahuna these days and he’s stoked with the numbers and quality of fish they are getting. This week he reported, “It’s the same, same, same. Every trip we're getting beautiful limits of chilis, vermilion and canaries. Some nice ling cod coming over the rail too!" Kahuna has been fishing mostly close by to Moss in roughly 300 feet of water. The deep canyon edges seem to be the spot for chilipeppers. Stagnaro says they will be taking longer range trips soon, down to the Point Sur area when the weather cooperates. Meanwhile in Santa Cruz, Ken Stagnaro has been dispatching the Velocity and Legacy out for a variety of deepwater trips as well as half-day outings. Thursday and Friday's half-day nearshore trips netted limits for all aboard. In Wednesday’s report, Stagnaro said, "Early LIMITS of quality rock fish/cod on our seven-hour deep sea cod trip plus a lingcod! Lots of chillipeppers caught today.”

 

On the six-pack front, we checked in with JT Thomas from Go Fish Santa Cruz who reported "We fished the deep waters today (Wednesday) with Steve and his team. They caught early limits of big vermillion, yellow tail and chili peppers." Rodney Armstrong on the Knot Alone has been fishing the deepwater reefs as well, capitalizing on the numerous chilipeppers. He made an inshore trip on Monday and reported, "Near shore fishing is pretty good right now. Six limits and a few short lingcod." 

 

Lots of bait in the bay means lots of fish for us to catch. Bayside Marine’s Todd Fraser noted that this week saying, "The bay has come alive with squid, mackerel, sardines, jack smelt, and anchovies. The bite has been great for halibut from Santa Cruz to Capitola. The shore anglers are still reporting great action from New Brighton to the Cement Ship. There were halibut, perch, and striped bass caught by shore anglers today on swim baits, battle stars and kastmasters.”