BY MERIT McCREA
MORRO BAY/AVILA — Consistency is the rule in this region. All it takes is decent weather out on the water and anglers catch about all the rockfish they can handle. That’s exactly what happened this past week.
Patriot Sportfishing Avila Beach boats were again able to find limit to near-limit action for anglers. The Phenix had a charter on Sunday and fishing swimbaits and iron in shallow water, their 18 anglers loaded up on bolina and reds.
They had 115 bolina and 45 reds for the day, while a variety of other rockfish filled out limits. Lindsey Fleming’s 9-pound ling took the jackpot.
The Flying Fish was on open party half-day duty and with 18 anglers, they all ended up with 10 rockfish each. The Patriot was chartered and their 22 clients pulled in 226 total fish, counting 4 lings and 2 whitefish.
Private boaters launching at the Sportlaunch connected with halibut and seabass. Saturday saw the most boats launched, with a total of 35 floated. It was the only day salmon were caught and in addition to about 7 rockfish per angler, there were 8 lings, 2 salmon 29 halibut and 12 white seabass taken.
Friday there were 27 halibut. Tuesday the Phenix tried for seabass and got one too – it’s squid nest season up here now.
From Morro Bay, the deeper waters up north continued to crank out great red fishing. The Fiesta was on 12-hour duty Sunday with 25 anglers. Their day’s catch consisted of 25 coppers, 75 bocaccio, 100 vermilion, 7 lings and 50 rockfish of other types. Top ling was a 15 pounder.
Saturday the Back Pearl fished a 12-hour long range trip farther north, where 26 anglers loaded up full rockfish limits with 130 reds (limits) and 6 lings. Frank Alva of Tulare had a 14-pound ling.
From Morro Bay Landing, the Endeavor, Starfire and Avenger put anglers on full-limit fishing daily, only missing max limits for all anglers on the shorter trips Sunday.
The Endeavor fished Ragged Point Sunday with 22 angers aboard. All ended up with a limit of rockfish, which included a limit of vermilion. The Starfire fished 3/4-day and also managed limits but with 120 reds.
Sunday was the only day all week where half-day anglers didn’t quite catch all they were allowed – it was plenty close though.
