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Lingcod, albacore fishing great off coast

Fishing and hunting

Local anglers should look to the waters off the Sonoma coast this week for an interesting mix of opportunities to catch fish. Capt. Rick Powers, at Bodega Bay Sportfishing, is having his usual full limit trips on rockfish, along with plenty of lingcod. But the real story is the tuna (albacore) fishing, which is the best it has been in many years. Rick and other party boat captains are making weekly (sometimes two or three times a week) out 30 to 40 miles and bringing home full boatloads of these tasty, wonderful fighting fish. They're also seeing dolphins, whales and other interesting ocean life. It makes for a great full day of action.

There are still a few salmon being caught out there too, but that action has slowed considerably. Call Rick at 875-3344 for more information and to book a trip.

Striped bass are keeping anglers busy inside San Francisco Bay, said Keith Fraser, at Loch Lomond Bait Shop in San Rafael. The bigger fish are being caught drifting live shiners in the usual spots including off Alcatraz, Angel Island, Red Rock and Brothers and Sisters. Trolling at the top of the tide along the Marin shoreline results in lots of hookups, but only one out of four fish is a keeper.

Drifting shiners is also producing some halibut, and salmon anglers are still bringing home a few fish caught at Cal City.

Keith books bay party fishing boats. Call him at 415-456-0321 for information and reservations.

Moving north, Valerie Lightborne, at Leonard's Bait Shop at Port Sonoma, said striped-bass fishing has been good in the Petaluma River, Miramonte Slough, Napa River and the slough near Skaggs Island, as well as in the Bay near the Pump House and Bell Marin Keys. The best baits continue to be bullheads and grass shrimp. The fish are running from 22 to 28 inches.

Lake action has been relatively slow, but I did see one report from guide Sid Silberberg that he had some fun action at Lake Berryessa this week casting into bait balls of minnows and hooking lots of feeding bass and trout. Sid guides Berryessa and can be reached at 650-583-3333.

There are lots of bass tournaments at Clear Lake now, but I haven't seen much from recreational anglers how the action is. Clear Lake is tough fishing unless you really know the waters.

Salmon fishing on the Sacramento and Feather rivers has been good this week.

Call guide Kirk Portocarrero at 530-221-6151 to book a trip.

Fly-fishing on the upper Sacramento River near Dunsmuir has also been good this week, said Bob Grace, at the Ted Fay Fly Shop.  Bob said the fall caddis hatch is starting, and action could get even better. Bob can also arrange a guide for the river. Call him at 530-235-2969.

Rachel Andras and husband Jim have a new baby daughter, Brechin Christine Andras, born Sept. 25. She weighed in at six pounds, six ounces and was 19 inches long, a good catch for any angler.  

Rachel and Jim own and operate Andras Outfitters in Talent, Ore., and taught fly-fishing at Leland Fly Fishing Ranch here in Sonoma for several years. They continue to offer excellent guiding and fly-fishing travel services to many Sonomans, including me. Jim is the best fishing guide I have ever fished with. If you want a great day of steelhead fishing on the Rogue, call them at 530-722-7992.

My brother, Jim, and his son, Chris, fished with Jim Andras on the Rogue for summer steelhead this week, and while the bite was a little slow they did catch lots of smaller trout and salmon smolts, and lost two nice steelhead. They did land two nice steelhead to six pounds.