Sports salmon season reopens in CA, bringing big catches and new hope to North Bay fishermen

BODEGA BAY, Calif. (KGO) -- After nearly a three-year closure, Bay Area sport salmon fishing is back, and North Bay fishermen are celebrating a season already producing impressive catches.

At Bodega Bay on Friday, the charter boat Surf Scooter returned to the dock with coolers full of king salmon, giving anglers and fishing operators a long-awaited boost after years of restrictions tied to declining salmon populations.

"We're greeting this with open arms," said Captain Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sport Fishing. "Things have been tough the last few years to say the least."

Powers said fishing conditions have been exceptional since the season reopened.

On Friday, every passenger aboard the Surf Scooter caught the two-fish daily limit allowed under state regulations.

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"The catch is about as good as it gets," Powers said. "We had fantastic fishing today. Big salmon -- big huge king salmon."

Among the anglers was A.J. Cruz, who traveled from Honolulu to fish Northern California waters.

"Amazing," Cruz said. "Great quality, fat content, and they're mean. These fish are mean."

As fishermen unloaded their catches, several harbor seals gathered nearby, apparently hoping for a meal of their own. Visitors at the dock were impressed by both the size and quality of the fish.

"We were here yesterday. The fish are bigger today," said Sherriff Gunther, who was visiting from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "The quality of the fish is bigger today."

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Santa Rosa resident Steve Furgeson said the strong early returns are encouraging after years of closures.

"They shut it down for so long, it had to come back," Furgeson said. "There's a bunch of them out there now."

The reopening marks a significant moment for California's salmon fishing industry, which has endured severe economic hardship in recent years. State and federal fishery managers closed both commercial and recreational salmon fishing seasons after salmon populations fell to critically low levels.

"We've been missing our salmon season," Powers said. "We've had two years where we didn't get to fish, then last year, a very abbreviated season, a six-day season."

The positive reports extend beyond Bodega Bay. Operators with Salty Lady Sportfishing in Sausalito say fishing has also been strong there, with salmon averaging about 20 pounds. Fishing groups say the duration of this year's season will depend on how quickly anglers reach the harvest limit established by regulators.

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"Fishing will remain open until a quota, a number of fish caught, is 34,900," said John McManus, senior policy director for the Golden State Salmon Association. "When that number is hit, they will shut the fishery down."

For now, demand appears strong. Powers said his phone has been ringing constantly with anglers eager to book trips while the fishing remains productive.

"It's been phenomenal fishing," he said. "Wide-open limits every day. They're all big, beautiful salmon."

The 2026 recreational ocean salmon season will remain open until the statewide quota of 34,900 fish is reached or fishery managers determine additional restrictions are necessary.