F ishing-related businesses across the North Bay are navigating changes in salmon fishing seasons as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is engaging in a massive effort to increase the number of salmon in California’s rivers and off its coast. Through this period, businesses from charter fishing boats to bait and tackle shops are indicating they could use more federal emergency funds. This will help them stay in business through limited seasons and remain ready to serve customers purchasing everything from chartered trips to lures. In 2025, CDFW allowed just two brief recreational salmon fishing seasons, in June and September, totaling four legal salmon-fishing days. Commercial ocean salmon fishing hasn’t been allowed since 2023. “Charter boat captains, fishing gear, and bait and tackle shops aren’t the only ones who are hit when commercial and recreational fisheries [salmon fishing seasons] are barely even there or closed. It’s also boat dealers, gas stations, supermarkets and convenience stores that sell ice, hotels, restaurants and all the other businesses that meet the needs of people who come to coastal areas in Marin and Sonoma counties to fish,” says Captain Phil Havlicek, owner of Reel Time Charters, LLC in Sausalito. Open fisheries have a positive ripple effect out from coastal fishing hotspots, like Stinson Beach and Duxbury Reef, as far east as Sacramento. This is because there are a number of bait and gear wholesalers based in the Delta. Avid fishers driving in from counties to the east also pick up items from their favorite stores on their way out to the coast. Open fisheries even boost activity and profits for software apps related to boating reservations. More users log in to the apps when salmon fishing is allowed. “There are other types of fishing in northern California, including lingcod, rockfish and halibut. But salmon drives all
On his days off, longtime angler and owner of Fish Story in Novato, Matt Cronin (left) coaches Little League.
North Bay fishing. Small businesses need opportunities to serve customers to thrive,” says James Stone, founder of Elite Sportsmen fish guide service in Sutter, north of Sacramento. A return to fishing In 2025, California had its first summer and fall recreational ocean salmon fisheries in two years. Commercial ocean salmon fishing has been closed since 2023. Both the recreational salmon fisheries led to some overfishing. The summer fishery, held June 7 and 8, was open from the California-Oregon border down to the U.S.-Mexico border. It had a harvest guideline of 7,000 Chinook salmon. Anglers caught close to 9,165 salmon. Since the guideline was exceeded, Fish & Wildlife closed the remaining days for summer. The fall fishery lasted from Sept. 4 through 7. It was open between Pt. Reyes and Pt. Sur. It had a harvest guideline of 7,500 Chinook salmon. Anglers caught approximately 12,000 Chinook salmon. This resulted in Fish & Wildlife closing the other planned dates for fall. “The little bit of salmon seasons this year helped. I saw inventory move off the shelves which had been there for a while. But in the two years that the salmon fisheries were closed, I had to apply for loans to keep the business open,” says Kenneth Brown, owner of Bodega Tackle in Petaluma. Brown says in the past few years, many “mom and pop” fishing-related stores in the North Bay have closed. This is partly due to the fact that federal funds were not distributed to these stores in 2023 and 2024. “They did offer the funds in 2008 and 2009, when the recreational ocean salmon fisheries closed in those years. That’s how we got through. Now, only charter fishing boats and commercial fishermen get assistance,” says Brown. The issue of who receives assistance has frustrated the fishing business community. Many fish-related business owners are in
48 NorthBaybiz
January 2026
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