Friday, December 28, 2012

10:00PM

Though the steelhead season should be picking up steam over the next few weeks, the hot ticket has been the stripers in the Salinas River and Carmel River Lagoon.  Some steelhead have been hooked in the Big Sur and the San Lorenzo River and its neighboring creeks have been getting more fish.

The stripers in the lagoons are subject to steelhead regulations.  That is, you can only fish for them on the days you can fish for steelhead, the gear must also conform to the steelhead regulations and you must have a steelhead report card in your possession.  You can, however, keep up to two stripers of 18-inches or longer total length per day.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

10:08PM

The Carmel River is closed this weekend as the flow is less than 80 cfs.  Unless we get a significant amount of rain, the river is likely to be closed this coming Wednesday, too.  The Big Sur, Arroyo Seco and streams north of Carmel are open through Sunday.  The only credible report received was on Pajaro River lagoon...nothing.  No reports yet from the Big Sur.  Check the CDFG's Central Coast Steelhead Fishing Hotline (831-649-2886) on Tuesday afternoon to see if the Carmel and Big Sur will be open for this coming weekend.

The surf off Carmel Beach looked good this morning but no one was fishing it.

No other reports.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

11:00PM

Today was the first legal fishing day on the Carmel River.  Conditions are pretty good...good flow and good clarity.  The lagoon was the popular location as fresh steelhead had apparently entered the lagoon plus the ever-present stripers were a bonus.  Haven't heard any specific details, though.  No reports from the Big Sur or San Lorenzo at this time.  Check the CDFG's Central Coast Steelhead Fishing Hotline (831-649-2886) on Friday afternoon to see if the Carmel and Big Sur will be open for this coming weekend.  With a high pressure ridge prognosticated to bring dry weather for a considerable time, it's likely that the Carmel will not be open for fishing for very long so take advantage of it if it's open this weekend.

No other reports.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

10:00PM

Steelhead:  December 1st was the opening of the Central Coast steelhead season.  No reports have been received as of this writing and I don't expect to receive any, either.  Though the Big Sur and streams in Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties were open, flows were too high to fish safely and effectively.  The lower Carmel had zero flow but, with the rains over the past few days, flow is currently approaching 2000 cfs.  Flows of all streams will drop rapidly and then stabilize...hopefully at or above minimum flows. It's generally too early for adult steelhead to enter the streams but downstream-migrating juveniles can provide fun.  Expect to see adults arriving in numbers sometime in January.

Surf perch & stripers:  No reports as the surf has been too rough to allow for safe angling.