Fishing the North Coast

Trinidad, Crescent City Kicking Out Limits of Rockfi sh

By Kenny Priest

fishing@northcoastjournal.com

The rockfi sh bite continues to be red-hot out of Trinidad and Crescent City. Both ports have quick access to the rockfi sh grounds, making it much easier to be on the water even when the ocean is a little snotty. And the fi shing has been phenomenal. Limits have been pretty easy to come by. In Trinidad, there are plenty of good spots between the head and Patrick’s Point. Up in Crescent City, there is an abundance of rocky outcroppings whether you head north or south to the Sisters.

The Eureka fl eet, having to deal with a dangerous bar crossing as well as a long boat ride south to Cape Mendocino, hasn’t had nearly the amount of time on the water compared with the other coastal ports. For the entire month of May, the fl eet has seen less than 10 fi shable days. That’s not necessarily good for business or the freezer. It looks like the weather will cooperate for the next few days before the wind pops back up Saturday. If it’s rockfi sh you’re after, Trinidad or Crescent City are the two best options going.

Weekend marine forecast

The next few days look decent but the wind is predicted to pick up by the weekend. Friday’s forecast calls for winds out of the north 5 to 15 knots and waves northwest 5 feet at six seconds and west 3 feet at 11 seconds. Saturday is not looking good, with north winds 15 to 20 knots and waves northwest 8 feet at eight seconds and northwest 5 feet at 17 seconds. Sunday looks a little worse, with north winds 10 to 20 knots and north waves 10 feet at eight seconds. These conditions can and will change by the weekend. For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit www.weather.gov/ eureka/ or www.windy.com. To monitor the latest Humboldt bar conditions, visit www. wrh.noaa.gov/eka/swan. You can also call the National Weather Service at 443-7062 or the o ce on Woodley Island at 443-6484.

The Oceans:

Eureka

Wind and rough seas kept the Eureka boats tied up over the holiday weekend. The Pacifi c halibut fi shing was good last week, with the best fi shing between Eureka and Trinidad in 250 to 300 feet of water. Several of the charter boats returned to port with limits of halibut averaging 15 to 25 pounds. Ocean conditions look decent starting Wednesday, but the wind is forecast to return by the weekend.

Trinidad

Being within a few miles of the fi shing grounds continues to be a huge advantage for boats fi shing out of Trinidad. Rockfish, including this nice copper caught by Vern Lyton, Ocean conditions weren’t of Weed, continue to fly over the rails in Trinidad and great late last week, but the Crescent City. Located close to the fishing grounds is a Pacifi c halibut didn’t seem to big advantage for these two ports. mind. Curt Wilson of Wind Photo courtesy of Steve Huber/Crescent City Fishing Rose Charters was able to put limits on board Friday fi shing in sloppy getting limits of razor clams the past few conditions with fi sh up to 30 pounds. The days, taking advantage of the minus tides. rockfi sh bite remains solid, with boats The clams are small to medium in size. The fi nding no shortage of quality black rock- redtail perch bite has really picked back fi sh just north of Trinidad Head. Crabbing up, anglers are reporting easy limits comis still good and the charter captains are ing o of Kellogg Beach. The California sending their clients home with limits of halibut fi shery has yet to take o , mostly fresh Dungeness. due to ocean conditions.”

Shelter Cove

Ocean conditions allowed boats to hit Rogers Break last Monday and Thursday, reports Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. “The rockfi sh and lingcod bite was great as it usually is up there,” said Mitchell. “The weather kept us close to home the rest of the week where we managed limits of rockfi sh in marginal conditions. A few boats tried for Pacifi c halibut o Gorda Thursday, but couldn’t fi nd any takers. Windy conditions are in the forecast for most of the week.”

Crescent City

When the boats can get out, the rockfi sh and lingcod action has been excellent, according to Britt Carson of Crescent City’s Englund Marine. “Boats going both directions have been scoring limits of quality rockfi sh and some nice lings. The Pacifi c halibut bite is starting to show signs of life as two were caught last week. Most of the e ort is on the backside of the south reef roughly six miles from the harbor,” he said. “Skilled diggers have been

Brookings

“The ocean salmon openers are just around the corner out of Brookings,” said Andy Martin. “Anglers can begin salmon fi shing and keep hatchery coho on June 12. Kings cannot be kept until June 19, when the season opens for both wild and hatchery kings and hatchery silvers. There are big schools of anchovies near the harbor and salmon are being caught and released by bottom fi sh anglers. Windy weather has kept the fl eet in close but limits of rockfi sh and some lingcod are being caught. A break in the wind is expected this week.”

Read the complete fi shing roundup at www.northcoastjournal.com. ● Kenny Priest (he/him) operates

Fishing the North Coast, a fi shing guide service out of Humboldt specializing in salmon and steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and www.fi shingthenorthcoast.com. For up-to-date fi shing reports and North

Coast river information, email kenny@ fi shingthenorthcoast.com

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