FISHING THE NORTH COAST
Changes Coming to Sport Rockfish Regulations in 2023
341 West Harris St., Eureka 707 445-3138
poletskis.com
By Kenny Priest
fishing@northcoastjournal.com
I
n response to recent scientific information suggesting some nearshore groundfish species are in decline, significant changes to California’s groundfish sport fishing regulations are expected starting next year, according to a press release issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The upcoming changes were developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) to reduce pressure on these stocks, resulting in shorter fishing seasons in nearshore waters, but new opportunities in deeper water. In 2022, nearshore groundfish fishing season lengths ranged from eight to 10 months, but in 2023, they are expected to shrink to not more than five-and-a-half months in all areas. Within the 10-fish daily combined rockfish, cabezon and greenling bag limit, the sub-bag limits of one fish each for quillback and copper rockfish, and four fish for vermilion rockfish will continue in 2023. These sub-bag limits have been in effect since January of 2022 and were necessary because new information in 2021 indicated severe declines in the populations of quillback and copper rockfish off California, and recreational vermilion rockfish catch continued to be greater than sustainable harvest limits. While groundfish fishing seasons will be shorter for nearshore waters and some bag limits are reduced, new opportunities to fish in deeper water beginning in 2023 will allow anglers to target healthy populations of shelf and slope rockfish in deeper waters, like schooling mid-water widow and yellowtail rockfish, or bottom-dwelling blackgill rockfish. “Next year is expected to bring a momentous shift in the sport groundfish fishery as all but one of the overfished shelf species that drove management decisions for the better part of the past two decades are now healthy,” said CDFW Environmental Program Manager Marci
Brookings Fishing Charters deckhand Eric Howard holds a vermilion and Yaremko. tiger rockfish caught July 30 at the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse To stay near Crescent City. Photo courtesy of Andy Martin informed of in-season regulatory changes, Trinidad call the Recreational Groundfish Hotline at “No big schools of salmon were located (831) 649-2801 or visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/ out of Trinidad on the opener,” said Curt Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/GroundWilson of Wind Rose Charters. “There fish-Summary. were a handful caught but they are defiTuna Update nitely scattered. A few were caught south Fort Bragg and Shelter Cove were the off the beach in 60 to 100 feet of water. hot ports the last couple days. Bragg boats The black rockfish bite is still excellent found the tuna as close as 20 miles offout front, but Sue-Meg (formerly Patrick’s shore. Scores ranged from the high teens Point) seems to be the best spot at the to the mid-30s. The fish are big, too, with moment. A bunch of canary rockfish have a hefty number of 30-pounders coming shown up as well. The ling cod bite has over the rails. The cove boats had it better, been a bit tougher lately. Pacific halibut having to travel only 10 to 12 miles to find has slowed slightly but is still good for the the right water and fish. The average score boats putting in some time.” was about 30 per boat and mostly a nice Crescent City grade of fish. A Dorado was also reportedAccording to Britt Carson of Crescent ly caught Monday. City’s Englund Marine, Monday’s salmon opener was very slow. “I only heard of a handful of fish caught but it was just one Eureka day,” said Carson. “Hopefully they are out According to Tim Klassen of Reel Steel there somewhere. The Pacific halibut bite Sport Fishing, Monday’s salmon opener has been on fire this week. We’ve weighed was a little on the slow side. “There were in some big ones in the past few days, ina handful of fish caught over a wide area, cluding some weighing 70 and 80 pounds. didn’t sound like anyone found schools Most of the boats are targeting the halibut of salmon,” said Klassen. “There were a south of the South Reef. The rockfish few caught in the Table Bluff area and action is steady, with limits coming easily. down at the Eel River canyon, and a few Lings are a little harder to come by. A few up north. Just no big concentrations of California halibut have been caught this fish. The water has warmed up north of week at South Beach.” the canyon, that could have something to Read the complete fishing roundup at do with it. We did find some really good www.northcoastjournal.com. ● sign between False Cape and Centerville on our way back from the Cape and had a Kenny Priest (he/him) operates Fishing the couple quick bites, but nothing stuck. The North Coast, a fishing guide service out rockfish bite at the Cape is excellent right of Humboldt specializing in salmon and now, with a wide variety and a really good steelhead. Find it on Facebook, Instagram, grade. The Pacific halibut bite is still going YouTube and www.fishingthenorthcoast. strong, with the best bite coming between com. For up-to-date fishing reports and the 50 and 54 lines in 200 to 220 feet of North Coast river information, email water.” kenny@fishingthenorthcoast.com.
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northcoastjournal.com • Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022 • NORTH COAST JOURNAL
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