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Halibut and Stripers Biting in the Bay! Berkeley Boats Limit Out on Central Bay Bounty
FISHING REPORT for Saturday, May 3, 2025
Howdy anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Saturday morning fishing report for the San Francisco Bay area. It's shaping up to be another banner day on the water!
The bite has been absolutely stellar the last couple days, with halibut and striped bass providing most of the action. Yesterday's reports show boats like California Dawn II out of Berkeley bringing in 23 California halibut (up to 14 pounds!) and 10 striped bass. The Right Hook nabbed 8 halibut on just a half-day morning trip, so the fish are definitely feeding.
We're currently fishing an outgoing tide this morning, which has been the ticket for both halibut and stripers. The fish are responding well to the current movement, especially along the Berkeley flats and Angel Island edges. The California Dawn crews limited out on bass yesterday, so they're definitely on the chew!
For you halibut hunters, drift fishing with live anchovies has been the top producer. Bounce those baits right along the bottom where the flatties are lurking. If you're throwing artificials, white swimbaits with a touch of chartreuse have been getting crushed.
Striped bass are hitting both live bait and lures. The old-timers are having success trolling P-Line Predator jigs in white/chartreuse along the tide lines. If you prefer casting, the topwater bite has been decent in the early morning with Heddon Spooks or similar walking baits.
Weather-wise, we're looking at light westerly winds around 5-10 knots, perfect for working the central bay. Remember your layers though - typical SF morning fog should burn off by mid-morning.
Hot spots to check today: The Berkeley Flats are firing for halibut, while Paradise Cay and the Marin shoreline are producing quality stripers. If you're launching out of San Francisco, the waters near Alcatraz and Angel Island have been consistent producers.
For those looking to head out on a charter, both the California Dawn and Reel Addiction boats out of Berkeley have been on the fish. From San Francisco, several boats reported solid catches with 22 stripers and a bonus halibut on one trip yesterday.
The upcoming rockfish and Pacific halibut seasons are also now open as of May 1st, so there's plenty of opportunity for those wanting to head outside the Gate. The season runs until November 15th, with a one-fish limit for Pacific halibut with no size restrictions.
Tight lines, folks! This is Artificial Lure signing off - I'll be hitting the water myself this afternoon to chase those stripers. Catch ya next time!
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Published on 7 months, 2 weeks ago