Is anyone else planning for a salmon trip for the opener?

[JoseCuervo]

Looking things over. April 6-30 is all they are saying for now for us (south of Pigeon Point in my case) I believe. I'd sure like to get out, preferably private, but beggars cannot be choosers!

Any recommendations on head boats? I have a HUGE stinky skunk on my back and a fat wallet.

Rob

[David Hall]

If I can get my boat ready in time I will be on the water for the opener out of Moss Landing. 

[alantani]

Looking things over. April 6-30 is all they are saying for now for us (south of Pigeon Point in my case) I believe. I'd sure like to get out, preferably private, but beggars cannot be choosers!

Any recommendations on head boats? I have a HUGE stinky skunk on my back and a fat wallet.

Rob

i'm staying off the water until people figure out whether their boats work or not.  usually it's opening day, when the boat is in the water for the first time in months, that guys try to fire up their boats for the first time. 

[Fishy247]

I think the Kahuna might still have room on opening weekend. Good boat, I highly recommend. Unless something has changed, though, salmon season south of Pigeon Pont should be open until July 1. Hopefully April 30 isn't true!

[Fishy247]

Oops! My bad, I just double checked and they are all sold out for the weekend. Sorry! You might try the Half Moon Bay guys, someone might be running a trip south of Pigeon that weekend.

[JoseCuervo]

I think the Kahuna might still have room on opening weekend. Good boat, I highly recommend. Unless something has changed, though, salmon season south of Pigeon Pont should be open until July 1. Hopefully April 30 isn't true!

They haven't decided yet on any remaining season after April.

The April ocean salmon season opener (south of Pigeon Point) will run from April 6 through April 30, 2019. Ocean salmon seasons for the rest of the year will be adopted at the Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings in April, 2019.

[David Hall]

There are three options on the table as usual.  The good news is this year the most restrictive of the three still has us fishing until end of July or first week of August.  Last ear we were shut down on July 2nd.

[Fishy247]

I checked on it and we will be able to fish salmon until at least the middle of August. 

[Swami805]

So do the head boats still mooch up there or is it trolling?  Haven't been up there salmon fish in years and it used to be mooching on the kahuna, is that still the case?  Last time I went on the 6 pack atuna and it was trolling

[David Hall]

Depends on how the fish are moving around.  Many of the head boats are actually trolling.  They will mooch if it's productive.  Be prepared for either if your going to fish with them.

[JoseCuervo]

Edited:

The last two or three years I was always on a head boat that was trolling. I prefer it to mooching but tangles can be an issue. Some say trolling isn't as fun, I love just catching fish, but therein lies the key, I leave that up to the skipper since I don't have a choice. About 10 years ago it seems trolling on the party boats was not common. I had not seen it ever and was pleasantly surprised, the Queen of Hearts was my first party boat troll, that was 2015. It was early in the season, no fish boated.

In 2018 I trolled on two party boats and one six pack and still have that huge skunk on my back.. Timing is everything, mine is apparently not good. I should just buy fish at the market.

David is right it depends on what the fish are doing.

Which method is more productive is subjective and the captain's call in the end. If the boat is full they have plenty of money for fuel to cover more ground. Half full ones not so much, mooching is cheaper. They do want fish counts and happy customers so that factors into the skipper's thinking as well.

I know they love selling cannonballs too, so there is that.

Rob

[Fishy247]

So do the head boats still mooch up there or is it trolling?

On the Monterey Bay, the partyboats mooch, with the 6 pack boats doing whatever works. From Half Moon Bay north, they all troll unless the mooch bite is on fire.