A last-minute decision to launch out of Bodega Bay turned into an unforgettable day on the water—and a hopeful start to California’s recreational salmon season.
Opening Weekend Arrives—With an Uncertain Forecast
After years of closures and uncertainty, this weekend marked the opening of the recreational salmon season for California’s San Francisco Management Area. While anglers north of Point Arena had already enjoyed a few weeks on the water, this was the opener many Central and Northern California salmon anglers had been eagerly awaiting.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans.
Weather forecasts leading up to Saturday’s June 27 opener called for rough conditions, with winds from Half Moon Bay to Bodega Bay forecast to reach the upper 20s and, at times, exceed 30 knots.
With the forecast looking so unfavorable, many anglers decided to sit out Saturday’s opener. Those who did brave the conditions, however, were rewarded with spectacular fishing. Charter captains from Pillar Point to Bodega Bay reported limits of quality Chinook. Boats like the New Easy Rider out of Berkeley and the Outer Limits out of Sausalito were stoked to get their clients on limits of good grade fish.
After sitting out Saturday and suffering from a serious case of FOMO, I decided to try my luck on Sunday, taking my 20-foot Grady White, Feeling Lucky, out of Bodega Bay.
I chose Bodega over the Golden Gate because it gave us options. The plan was simple: launch at Westside Regional Park, ease out through the harbor entrance, and take a look at the conditions. If the weather turned out to be as bad as forecast, we could simply turn around without having invested too much time or effort.
A Better Day Than Forecast
We arrived at the ramp around 7 a.m. and were surprised to find only nine or ten trailers in the parking lot. Clearly, many anglers had been discouraged by the forecast. The U.S. Coast Guard was conducting vessel safety inspections at the launch, and thankfully, we passed with flying colors, earning another one of their coveted “golden tickets.”
As we idled away from the dock, we were pleasantly surprised by the lack of wind. Heading through the harbor and out into the bay, the conditions were far better than expected. The ocean was reasonably flat, and the wind wasn’t much of a factor.
We made our way to the bell buoy just south of Bodega Rock and deployed our gear, planning to stay mostly inside the bay and troll south toward Tomales Point. It didn’t take long before our first rod went bendo. The fish hit a spoon, but once we got it close to the boat, we realized it was just barely legal. We decided to shake it and keep looking for bigger fish—a bold decision to start the morning.
Not long afterward, Captain Tyja Taube of Reel Obsession Sport Fishing came over the radio to report that he’d found fish near the point and that the salmon he had cleaned were packed with squid. That was all the information we needed.
We swapped out our setup for a small squid-colored hoochie behind a small red Hot Spot flasher and continued toward Tomales Point.
That proved to be the right call.
Within minutes, we hooked what would become our biggest salmon of the day—a beautiful king that weighed roughly 20 pounds dressed. We continued working the area around the Tomales buoy and added three more quality Chinook to the box.
Our original plan had been to call it around 10 a.m., when the forecast predicted the wind and swell would begin to build. As luck would have it, we landed our fifth fish almost exactly at 10 o’clock.
With five salmon already in the box—just one short of a three-angler limit—we decided to give it another 30 minutes. We eventually hooked what would have been our sixth fish on a large blue hoochie behind a large Hot Spot flasher, but it came unbuttoned before we could get it to the net.
No complaints here.
Five beautiful kings for three anglers on a day we hadn’t even planned to fish was more than enough reason to head for the barn.
A Promising Start to the Season
Our timing couldn’t have been much better. As we made the run back toward Bodega Bay, the wind and swell began building exactly as forecast. Reports coming over the radio suggested the bite had slowed considerably by the time we called it.
Later that afternoon, I checked in with several friends who had fished out of the Golden Gate and Pillar Point. While a number of charter boats still managed to post limits, the bite wasn’t nearly as fast as it had been during Saturday’s opener.
Given the weather forecast, we felt fortunate simply to get on the water—and even more fortunate to enjoy the kind of fishing we experienced. It was especially encouraging to see so many friends, charter captains, and private anglers back on the salmon grounds after the challenges of recent years.
Weekends like this are exactly why GSSA works so hard to restore California’s salmon runs and protect the rivers they depend on. Healthy salmon support not only our fisheries, but also coastal communities, businesses, and a way of life that generations of Californians treasure.
Here’s hoping this is just the beginning of a memorable season. To everyone who made it out this weekend—whether you found limits or simply enjoyed being back on the water—fish safely, look out for one another, and we’ll see you on the salmon grounds.