COVID-19 All But Shutting Down California Sportfishing
Sport fishing season 'dead in the water' over coronavirus — here's the latest, a no-go for Wednesday's deep sea opener, Saturday's sport salmon opener in Monterey Bayhttps://t.co/G6qgh5RQPh
— Tom Stienstra (@StienstraTom) March 30, 2020
Many sportfishing opportunities have already dwindled due to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home orders with the intent of slowing down the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Longtime San. Francisco Chronicle outdoors writer Tom Stienstra has more on what is looking like almost of a shutdown of recreational fishing opportunities:
Fears about the spread of the coronavirus has caused county harbor commissions to close coastal launch ramps and prompted sportfishing operations in the Bay Area to cancel reservations for the opening of the deep sea fishing season on Wednesday.
The opening of sport salmon season on Saturday in Monterey Bay will also be affected as well as the Bay Area’s sport salmon opener on April 11.
“We’re dead in the water, every harbor from San Diego north,” Tom Mattusch, a member of the San Mateo County Harbor Commission and owner of the sportfishing boat Huli Cat.
The statewide trout opener is scheduled for April 25, but with another 30 days (at least) tacked onto the stay-home orders, the sheriff of Mono County, one of the Eastern Sierra’s most busy trout fishing areas, has told would-be visitors to stay away.
