Dana Wharf Fish Report: Clean Waters Make for Strong Bass Action

By Zach Cavanagh

Water conditions continued to be strong, and the Halibut Derby charged on at Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching.

In his weekly report, Captain Brian Wooley said the waters were super clean once again with temperatures hovering between 65-67 degrees.

Woolley said the half-day trips saw good action nearly every day of the week, with both sand bass and calico bass coming in. The bass were being caught on the surface with flylined baits and rubber lures.

The trips also used some “exotic” bait such as shrimp and clams to pull in some sheephead.

Out in deeper water, the rockfish varieties remained in large supply for the three-quarter day trips. The rockfish took a liking to the sardine bait as well as the coltsniper jigs. The action on skipjack slowed a little as Woolley said it’s been “mostly show and no bite.”

In the Halibut Derby, the leaderboard continued to grow. There are now 17 entries on the board, with some recent catches sliding up near the top. Six entries are 10 pounds and over, including a 19-pounder from last weekend’s drift trips. However, the leader is still a 25-pounder caught on the first drift trip of the season.

Halibut Derby runs through the end of March, and more information can be found at www.danawharf.com/halibut-derby.

[adrotate group=”9″]

Here are the latest fish counts out of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching:

Nov. 20 – 4 boats, 142 anglers: 21 calico bass, 6 sand bass, 12 sheephead, 18 whitefish, 73 rockfish, 142 vermillion rockfish,45 bocaccio, 9 bonito, 143 bass released.

Nov. 19 – 3 boats, 81 anglers: 36 bonito, 1 white sea bass, 9 calico bass, 11 sand bass, 8 sheephead, 19 whitefish, 86 rockfish, 118 vermillion rockfish, 49 bocaccio, 121 bass released.

Nov. 18 – 4 boats, 127 anglers: 14 calico bass, 4 sand bass, 6 sheephead, 3 bonito, 2 halibut, 143 bass released.

Nov. 17 – 5 boats, 142 anglers: 1 skipjack tuna, 8 calico bass, 6 sand bass, 12 sheephead, 50 whitefish, 115 rockfish, 151 vermillion rockfish, 32 bocaccio, 2 bonito, 12 sand dabs, 78 bass released.

Nov. 16 – 2 boats, 34 anglers: 20 rockfish, 40 vermillion rockfish, 65 bocaccio, 24 whitefish, 4 calico bass, 7 sand bass, 6 sheephead, 60 bass released.