salmon report BODEGA BAY {from usa fishing}

On Friday 7-21 morning captain Rick Powers had 25 limits of salmon in the box by 10: AM. They were trolling inside of Cordell Banks in 65 fathoms at 38.08 and 123.18 Rick said the bite was wide open and the fish were huge with a solid 8 pound average. Here come the pigs get out there. Switching over to rockfish they boated full limits of rockfish and a handful of lings and were back in the harbor by 1:PM. All six packs and private boats that ran to the outside salmon bite got limits. There are scattered pockets of salmon along the shoreline but the fast action is offshore. in 50 to 65 fathoms. The weather is flat calm along the coast. At the weather buoys early this afternoon winds are under 5 knots over a 2 to 3 foot swell with a 16 second period. The forecast looks great for Saturday with winds 5 to 15 knots and 10 to 20 knots is forecasted for Sunday. All in all it looks like good weather for the entire week ahead. Next report will be on Sunday 7-30.

The salmon bite has gone ballistic and everyone even those new or luckless in this fishery are reporting limits of salmon. On Thursday 7-20 private, six pack and party boats were all done before lunch with limits of big fish. Many were back at the launch ramp in time for breakfast at the Sand Piper. The fleet is spread over a wide area from SW of the Whistle Buoy to the lower end of Ten Mile beach. Rick on the New Sea Angler started the day in 40 fathoms 3 miles SW of the head. In an hours time they had 15 fish on board when Rick got word from the skipper on the Predator that the bite was wide open SW of Elephant rock. Rick ordered the lines up and they made roughly a 6 mile move south. Dropping in the troll gear it was wide open and in an hours time had 30 limits in the box. The big story was of a big fish and a 30 regular customer of Rick's Fred Cornelius from Vacaville a very young of 91 years of age who landed a 42 pound salmon weighed on a certified scale. The weather was dead flat calm. On Wednesday's combo trip on the New Sea Angler 33 passengers landed limits of big rockfish adding 54 lings to 26 pounds. Switching over to salmon they caught 28 to 30 pounds.

I wouldn't get too excited about that report, that site is Rick's way of generating more customers so he tends to exaggerate a bit.  Most of the poeple reporting limits lately have been catching fish just inside Cordell Banks (7 x 17, 8 x 18).    I don't know about you, but I'm not ready for a 30 mile round trip paddle.   People staying close to shore (2-5 miles out) have been picking up an occasional fish, or have worked all day for their limit.   I'll let you know when the fish get really close to shore (within a mile). 

I'll let you know when the fish get really close to shore (within a mile). 

  Thankyou. Ditto Linda Mar.