Fort Bragg fishing spots? winter?

I just moved to Ft. Bragg from Arcata. I'd like to know some good spots to fish and what I can fish for around here. The boat based fishing regulations seem pretty restrictive for this time of year; what is worth fishing for in the winter?

I've been out of Van Damm State Park and South Caspar beach. I dove for abalone and speared some perch last year but all I've done since I moved here is drop some crab rings and got just a few crabs.\

Anybody else from the Ft. Bragg area?

What seasons do I have to look forward to?

Welcome to the boards. Didn't catch your name yet. You live in a prime location for kayak fishing there in fort bragg. I run whale watching tours out of there march-april. Look for a dude driving around a trailer full of yellow sea-kayaks. We should have some salmon fishing by then and theres always the rivers. You have several coastal streams in your area with fall/winter salmonid runs. Rockfish, lingcod, California and pacific halibut along the coast. Besides that you have sea-caving which will beat out kayak fishing any day.

Besides that you have sea-caving which will beat out kayak fishing any day.

?

Besides that you have sea-caving which will beat out kayak fishing any day.

 

Each year both of the Bay Area kayaking clubs (Western Sea Kayakers and Bay Area Sea Kayakers) spend extended weekends at Mendocino to surf and to explore the sea caves.  It's a primo area for the experienced paddler.  Since I'm a surf chicken, I only paddle in the bays and explore the rock gardens, blow holes, and sea caves in a calmer environment.

I live over the hill in Ukiah.  ALl of my wifes family lives on the coast...there is a ton to do over there.  Abs open in April, crab is open now, rockies and salmon in the summer.

BS-Go Lumberjacks!  I am an HSU grad too.

If you don't mind fishing from shore there's a ton of striped perch around the Noyo Harbor jetty this time of year.

striped perch around the Noyo Harbor jetty.

I've fished for perch off the beach before, what kind of rig would you suggest? Something like a 1 ounce donut weight at the end then a couple of #6 hooks 12 and 24 inches up? What kind of bait? I dug sand crabs when fishing off the beach. Would abalone lip trimmings be good?

Welcome to NCKA. Check out this article By Alex  on surf perching.

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=42

I will be up in Eureka on a business trip in a couple of months and will be yak fishing on my way home. Let's hook up if possible.

Scott (GB2)