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Santa Cruz Salmon Fishing Report, Recipes, and Fresh Fish

Get access to salmon season 2026 updates

Discover what's going on and when the season will open back up for the fattiest salmon on the west coast.

Santa Cruz Salmon Merch

We created some artwork in the Santa Cruz style to represent the most awesome fish in town. Every purchase goes toward getting the boat out fishing after three years of no season. Let’s go fishing in 2026  

local salmon recipes

How to cook Salmon

Salmon is the beacon of the sea. It is one of the fattiest fish in the ocean and contains some of the highest Levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains some of the lowest mercury levels among predatory fish, making it not only delicious but also highly nutritious. 

To honor this amazing fish, our goal is to teach you how to cook it to perfection. 

Getting ready for 2026

After three years of waiting and a bunch of paperwork, we are getting the engines humming for a 2026 salmon season. This isn’t just about our ability to fish; it is about the survival and coexistence of two species that depend on each other.  Without fresh, tasty fish in the mouths of the local population, Central California Chinook Salmon will fade into obscurity. 

The Monterey Bay has historically been home to some of the fattest salmon on the West Coast because of the nutrient-rich upwelling from one of the world’s deepest trenches. Brining in massive schools of anchovy and herring for the salmon to feed on. 

small commercial salmon fishing boat

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& dock sales

Get the latest on the 2026 Salmon Season Regulations, Dock Sale Notices, Salmon Sales from the docks, and fishing reports.