The Fishing Report: Bodega Bay sportfishing vessels

People ask me all the time about how to go fishing or crabbing in Bodega Bay when you don’t own a boat. Today, I am going to give you a brief break down on the various sportfishing boat options. The ones I am going to mention are certainly not the only ones but the ones that are running full time and have good solid reputations that I can vouch for.
Bodega Bay’s largest sport fishing vessel, The New Sea Angler, is skippered by 40-year captain, Rick Powers. At 65 feet long and 20 feet wide, she is more than capable of handling a wide variety of conditions. For salmon trolling, she can carry as many as 35 anglers and is licensed for 48, but the average load is around 20 people. Cost for a day of salmon fishing is $110 per person and that can include a rockfish/salmon combo beginning in June when the rockfish season opens, but this is the captain’s choice. Rental gear is available at an extra cost. When I asked Rick why he runs a sportfishing boat, he said, “Because every day is different, the weather, the sea, the fishing and the people. I have met 90 percent of my good friends on the boat and continue to meet really good, new people every day.” Rick is bringing down a new luxury charter boat called the Spirit of Bodega that will allow for overnight tuna trips later this summer. You can make reservations aboard The New Sea Angler by calling (707) 875-3344.
By size, the 34-foot Miss Anita is skippered by Vince Orsini. This is a “six pack,” meaning that it is rated for up to 6 passengers, making the fishing experience a bit more intimate than the larger boats. The cost for a day of fishing is $200 per person and includes everything you will need except a fishing license and lunch. Six packs are a favorable way to charter for smaller groups. In addition, they tend to be faster on the water and are able to move over larger distances to find the fish. These types of boats will often fish for more than one species including crab and rockfish combos. When I asked Vince what he likes best about sport fishing, he replied, “This is all I have ever done for 25 years. It is beautiful out there.” Vince is a particularly helpful skipper on the water, especially to other private boaters, with information and assistance. A friend of mine discovered that he had left his rods in the car but not until he was well offshore. He called Vince who then tied a buoy to one of his rods and threw it overboard to be picked up, and made my friend’s day after he caught a couple of salmon with the borrowed rod. The Miss Anita can be reached at (707) 875-3474.
Last but not least, and a new comer to the Bodega sportfishing party, is the six pack, 28-foot Reel-Lentless. Skippered by Bob Monckton, she has been fishing the Bodega Bay for eight years. While Bob is a comparative newbie, he has made quite a reputation for doing all it takes to catch fish. He charges $175 for a day’s salmon fishing and $200 for a combo trip. Bob has indicated that when the fishing gets really good in Bodega Bay this summer, he will be taking afternoon trips as well, leaving the dock around noon. What Bob enjoys about sportfishing is that he gets to take people out and share his knowledge to catch some fish. He said, “I would rather see people catch fish than catch fish myself.” He can be reached at (707)-334-4827.
For more fishing information and/or reports, please call Hunt Conrad at Prospect Mortgage, 431-9715.