Salmon Season Day 4 - Area Info...

I worked all day, but I've kept my ear to the ground for the word on the bite.

Crescent City is reportedly slow like elsewhere.

Trinidad is slow:  "Counter had 5 kings and three butts at 4:00 pm" - and a personal friend reported very slow action and nothing happening on the radio for anyone.

Eureka still slow.

The Cove:  DFG is patrolling the line to keep the guys in the right place.  Only a couple fish were caught today.  Cool story about a 42 pounder from opening day!

This is a tough season for sure.

Thank you for the update Eric.  Are you going to try again this weekend?

Sure it is tough--but far less tough than it is on the Salmon who are on the cusp of extinction due to habitat destruction and commercial over-fishing.

The Cal DFG, in their wisdom, let most of the healthiest stock get far up stream before opening the season on the laggards who aren't the most fit for survival in the challenging new era anyway. I like the idea--the fittest and strongest make it up stream to spawn unmolested while the laggards and less fit risk getting caught and eliminated from the gene pool. Works for me and for my children and grandchildren.

 Of course it will make Salmon ever more difficult to catch as the gene pool shifts, but it will be worth it to let such a noble animal survive and prosper. We would all be the poorer if we lost them forever. We need to think of, not just ourselves, but our future generations and our legacy.

Cal DFG, in their wisdom, let most of the healthiest stock get far up stream before opening the season on the laggards who aren't the most fit for survival in the challenging new era anyway.

Not sure what you're talking about...

Anyway, it's an update of the 10 day salmon fishing season on the ocean.

Yes, Sonny, I'll give it a go this weekend.  The swell is forecast to be up a bit, but it sounds do-able, and I look forward to dragging the chove around a few more hours out there.

Not sure what you're talking about...

Here is what I meant: DFG shortened the window and slide it back later meaning a lot fewer spawning fish were exposed to the angling risk and pressure than in a normal year.

IMHO it's all a numbers game: total number of potential spawners - (predation - angler-caught  - netting - barrier-stopped) = Number survivors to spawn -> new generation population after egg and smolt predation.  The Salmon needed a lot of help this year and may for a few years to come. It wasn't just fishing and development pressure either. The fact that we are seeing the Sardines back in the Bay Area along with WSB is a sign that the collapse of the bait fisheries might be reversing and the Salmon and Striped Bass (and other predatory fish) might bounce back as well. Haven't heard much on the Delta Smelt this year. Let's hope.

I am still disappointed that the only Salmon I'll be eating is what we buy at Costco and Safeway. You guys up there are very fortunate--especially given the sorry state of California's Salmon fishery--that you have a chance at them at all this year. Good to see you are enjoying the privilege.