The waiting game for salmon out of Half Moon Bay continues although most of the fish that are being taken are from the Coastside Net Pen fish from the Mokelumne River Hatchery. There are signs of Humboldt squid off shore, and since they haven’t made an appearance in local waters for several years, this could give party boats an added feature during the long winter months. Rockfishing remains the staple, and in addition to the Huli Cat being a large party boat running the combination trips, Captain Dennis Baxter of the New Captain Pete will also feature the popular combination trips this season.

Baxter was out on a nature trip over the weekend, and he said Saturday 10-12, “We saw definite signs of Humboldt squid two miles past the buoy so around 22 miles offshore from the harbor as there were birds working the surface with clear signs of three different squid being eaten on the surface by birds. There is still a trickle of salmon between the entrance buoys, and the best bite remains in the evening, but you have to be the ‘Chosen One’ to put up a score. The private boat, the Noosa Cat, put in his lines, and they had three salmon within 15 minutes, ending up with 4 on Friday evening, and these are all tagged fish from the Coastside Net Pen project. I am still collecting heads in my cooler at the docks, and 100% of these tagged fish have been from the Mokelumne River Hatchery. It is a scratchy salmon bite, but if you are the ‘Chosen One’ on that particular evening, you can put up a good score. I will also be running sport crab trips starting on November 2^nd on combination trips.”

Rockfishing remains the story with the Huli Cat running down to the Deep Reef in 200 feet of water for 15 limits of rockfish and a few ling cod to 6pounds. Second captain Michael Cabanas said, “There were a number of big vermillions along with yellows in the sacks, and shrimp flies were the number one offering.”  Oceans salmon fishing ends on October 31^st.

he salmon have been chomping all week and the seas have laid o