Bill Lynch: Salmon season heats up

Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sportsfishing was a happy party-boat caption when I talked to him this week because salmon are finally starting to show up off the Sonoma and Marin coast.

Rick did a combo run on Friday and managed to catch a few salmon, plus limits of rock cod and lots of lingcod. Then early this week, the six-pack boats out of Tomales and Bodega began to have great days in which the catch ran between a salmon per rod to full limits per rod. Rick said that the main impediment to a wide-open bite is the wind. “If we have some calm days, the salmon fishing will be terrific,” he added.

In the meantime the rock and lingcod action has been excellent. Rick was especially happy with the fact that his clients brought home 91 lingcod last weekend along with full limits of rock cod.

To book a day salmon and rock cod trip out of Bodega, call Rick at 875-3344.

The Sacramento River salmon season opens tomorrow. Conditions are much better than last season’s opener, with cooler water temperatures and higher flows.

There are concerns about the effect of early-season warmer water from Lake Shasta in the main river and what it might have done to the winter run.

If you want to try the Sac for salmon, call guide Kirk Portocarrero, who specializes in trout and salmon on the Sacramento. I’ve fished with Kirk several times and he is a nice guy and a great guide. We were fly-fishing for trout on the Sac, and I have never tried the salmon run, but if you hook one of those big kings, you’ll have a real battle on your hands. Call Kirk at 800- 670-4448.

He also guides on Lake Shasta where the fishing has been good.

Just north of the lake and all the way upstream to Dunsmuir, the river is running full, clear and cold, and looks to be in beautiful shape.

Bob Grace of the Ted Fay Fly Shop in Dunsmuir said that the fishing so far is solidly fair, but not yet great. He says nymphing during the day will get fish and there are some fishing rising to dries after the sun is off the water in the evenings.

Over on the McCloud, the fish have wised up, but good anglers are still catching their share.

Other streams in that area including the Pit River, Fall River and Hat Creek are all fishing good right now. The Fall does have its annual evening hex hatch going on.

Meanwhile, windy conditions closer to home have limited fishing in San Francisco Bay, but when it doesn’t blow, the fishing has been close to terrific according to Keith Fraser at the Loch Lomond Bait Shop in San Rafael. He said that there are lots of halibut being caught near Paradise Park, and off Red Rock, the Brothers and in Raccoon Straights. The halibut are plentiful, but running small. “One guy who bought bait here landed eight halibut yesterday, and only one was a keeper (minimum 22 inches),” Keith said.

He added that there are lots of striped bass in the Bay as well and that fishing should be good this week. Call Keith at 415-456-0321 for more information or go book a Bay party boat.