Question For Pacific Fishermen

[Evolute]

I need to be able to find out where large schools of fish are, and where they are moving toward. I especially need this information for sardines, anchovies, salmon, and rockfish, along the California coast.

I know that for certain other types of organisms, there are large and well developed networks to help people find animals. For example, for bird watchers, there are websites, emailing lists, telephone hotlines, etc., with extensive listings of bird sightings, reports, and discussion.

So, I am wondering if there are websites, email lists, hotlines, etc., where I can get very current sightings and reports about locations of schools of fish, types, numbers, etc. Are there any? If so, could you please direct me to them?

By the way, just to be clear, my interest is as a wildlife photographer, and I would not be using any of the shared information for fishing.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Evolute]

I'm bumping this one more time, to see if anyone can help, before letting it drop into obscurity.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Pete1977]

Bloodydecks.com is a fishing forum with a mainly southern california contingent of recreational sport fishermen. You could also try contacting the fisheries science branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Marine Fisheries Service.

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/regional.htm

http://swfsc.noaa.gov/

http://bloodydecks.com/

 

[zman308]

I am an East Coast Fisherman so I can't help you with specifics. In Florida and on the east coast and Gulf Coast we have numerous fishing magazines like Florida Sportsman and South Florida Sportfishing that have monthly fishing schedules and tell where the fish are running. Florida Sportsman has a Florida Fishing Planner which comes out each year with all the zones, tides, moon cycles and when and what fish are running. You need to talk to sports fisherman in your area and find out what resources you can use. There are dozens of websites of club sites for specific areas on the East Coast, there must be the same for the west coast. Do a search for the area you are interested in, ie. San Deigo Fishing. This may work.

 

[Evolute]

Thank you two, very much. I will pursue those leads.

 

[shappa]

I'm not sure in just what area you are looking for info.
Eureka/arcata, fort bragg, s.f. bay, santa cruz. farther south...

Possibilities....
Western Outdoor News. a weekly publication that tell where fishing is hot and not. Also covers game animals.

another possibility is talking to a charter boat owner.

Third is the marine research dept at the local college.

Maybe someone in the closest Fish and Wildlife dept might be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[Gene Martin]

Get a copy of National Fisherman. They have a Pacific Coast section. It's a monthly publication. Mick Kronman used to do the Pacific Coast edition, he's a California fisherman, used to be out of santa Barbara. You might try a websearch for him.

I say used to because I don't read National Fisherman anymore.

Gene