Fort Bragg angler Kirk Bingman caught this Chinook while trolling a Hoochie/dodger combination. Photo by Cal Kellogg

Hundreds of squawking sea birds take turns diving at the ocean's surface, frenetically looking to pluck a finger-sized anchovy from a baitfish school concentrated beneath them. The skipper slows the charter boat to a crawl and the mate yells, "Okay guys! Drop 'em down to 40 feet." The air is electric with expectation as everyone lowers their baits and secures their rods in rail-mounted holders. Everyone keeps their eyes pasted to their rods, which bow at the weight of 2-pound balls of lead.

Minutes drag by and then your rod suddenly snaps up straight as if it were a Marine in dress blue uniform preparing to salute the Commander in Chief. Almost as instantly it bends again, and pumps violently -- the telltale sign that a king salmon has inhaled your anchovy and triggered the sinker release. You snatch the rod and feel the surging power of a heavy Chinook as someone up the rail yells, "Fish on!"

The next thing you know the mate is behind you with a hand on your shoulder, "Keep working the reel and head for the stern," he instructs. Gaining line is nearly impossible as the salmon's weight and strength combine with the boat's forward motion. The king is determined to stay deep but the steady pressure you apply ultimately breaks the stalemate. When the fish materializes off the stern its bulk and appearance startles you. The king is thicker than your thigh! Its bluish green back and prominent black speckles give it the appearance of a massive rainbow trout on steroids. Tense seconds pass. The mate eyes the Chinook and then takes aim with the net. In one motion he scoops the fish and hauls it over the rail.

Welcome to ocean salmon fishing, Northern California-style! This scene will be repeated thousands of times between now and the end of summer, and you too can be a part of it.

With albacore, lingcod, halibut and at least a dozen varieties of rockfish available to anglers in a wide variety of places along the Northern California coast, nothing rivals the fish-catching fun, excitement and popularity of Chinook salmon. While the San Francisco Bay Area represents the center of operations for the north state's salmon fishing scene, other options do exist. Look northward and you will find a number of lesser known ports that offer abundant salmon, outstanding fishing, small crowds and ocean scenery that is second to none. Bodega Bay, Fort Bragg, Eureka, Trinidad and Crescent City are top salmon fishing destinations for anglers who possess a zest for adventure, a need for elbowroom, and a love of big Chinooks.

BODEGA BAY
Alfred Hitchcock's classic film, The Birds, brought notoriety to the sleepy Sonoma County town of Bodega Bay during the '60s. These days, it's not Bodega Bay's birds but its salmon and other game fish that attract people.

Captain Rick Powers of the Bodega Bay Sportfishing Center says Bodega Bay's salmon season kicks off in April and extends through November. The area produces its biggest kings -- some to 50 pounds -- during July and early August.

Depending on conditions, either trolling or mooching produce fish for Bodega anglers. During the early season when the salmon are spread out, trolling is the way to go. Top offerings include rigged anchovies and herring, Krocodile spoons, Apex Lures, J Plugs and Hoochies. Later in the season, when the kings begin targeting concentrations of baitfish, mooching whole anchovies and herring becomes productive, and trolling will still produce plenty of fish. Mooching is popular because it allows the use of lighter tackle than that used for trolling.

Bodega Bay offers charter boats, a marina, boat ramp, lodging, food and campgrounds. For information, contact Bodega Bay Sportfishing, 707-875-3344, or the Bodega Bay Chamber of Commerce, 707-875-3422.

FORT BRAGG
Visit Fort Bragg at the right time and you can experience some of the best Chinook fishing available anywhere. Fort Bragg's salmon season gets under way about mid-May and extends through mid-August, peaking from mid-June through July, when Klamath and Sacramento river kings concentrate outside Noyo Harbor.

Kings weighing more than 40 pounds are caught just outside the mouth of the Noyo. Good nearshore fishing extends about 3 miles to the north and south from the river's mouth. The nearness of the salmon makes Fort Bragg a great destination for private boaters.