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Updated July 2, 2026 

SHELTER COVE — The salmon bite has been good according to Jake Mitchell of Sea Hawk Sport Fishing. He said, “The grade of fish has been really good too, averaging between 12 and 15 pounds. Most of the fish are coming from the whistle down to the Hat. Rock fishing overall was a little tougher. We’re still getting limits but taking more time than usual. We’ve been fishing out in deeper water outside of the Hat.

FORT BRAGG — Salmon action slowed to a crawl as the fish moved up the coastline toward Shelter Cove. Captain Tim Gillespie of All Aboard Adventures is hoping the salmon move back down the hill within reach of Fort Bragg with the big blow over the weekend, but both his boats continue to find limits of quality rockfish and Dungeness crab working the local reefs along with a solid lingcod count. The ocean salmon season lasts until July 19 and from August 1 to 31 with a harvest guideline of 5100 Chinook salmon from the 40/10 line in southern Humboldt County to Point Arena. There are an estimated 4162 salmon left from this harvest quota. Dungeness crab season remains open until July 30, and limits are possible, and the crab are getting hard once again. There is no commercial season above Point Arena to the Oregon Border.

BODEGA BAY — Gale force winds were the story on the salmon opener, but small boats were able to scratch out limits of salmon in the Outer Bay. The big news was the showing of huge halibut outside of Bodega Head with fish over 40 inches, and plenty of them. Anchovies are all over, and there is a major squid spawn, leading commercial squid boats to arrive in the region. Following the squid were the halibut, white seabass, and salmon. Once the weather calms down, Bodega should be the epicenter of northern California salmon season. The other good news is the opening of a section of Cordell Banks on June 23 for the first time in over 2 decades. When the weather is right, lingcod and rockfishing will be epic at Cordell. Rockfishing along the local reefs and in deeper water continues to produce limits, but all interest is geared on salmon fishing now. Recreational salmon season from Point Arena to Pigeon Point runs from June 27 through July 22 and from August 1 through 31 with a harvest quota of 34,900 Chinook salmon. The second phase of the salmon season starting September 1 will be open with a harvest quota of 20,000 fish, but Bodega Bay boats will have to travel several miles south below the 38/02 line just above Point Reyes to participate in this season. Dungeness crab season closed on June 30.

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