Captain Phil Havlicek (left), owner of Reel Time Charters, LLC, offers nearshore and offshore fishing trips out of Sausalito.
close contact. Some stores that sell gear have relationships with charter boat captains. “We tell customers who are looking for charter boats about a few captains or boats that we know. We don’t usually sell charter boats bait, though,” says Matt Cronin, owner of Fish Story in Novato. Another issue that arises when there is a limited or closed salmon season is that anglers and recreational fishing boat captains come to focus on other species. For example, during the two-year recent recreational ocean salmon fishery closure, recreational fishing boat captains tended to target California halibut. “This puts pressure on the “second and third choice” fish species. Then CDFW considers reducing the take limit for those fish, which means even more people are unhappy,” says Havlicek. Effects of a ‘boom or bust’ cycle Since North Bay businesses recently had two limited open fisheries, they are still assessing what it means to deal with a “boom or bust” cycle. As soon as the dates for the summer and fall fisheries were announced, Havlicek’s phone was ringing off the hook. He was quickly booked up for all the open days, with a wait list in case there were more. Fish Story sold 60 cases of bait in the four days of the fall salmon fishery, more than it had in months. FishingBooker, a Belgrade, Serbia-based business to book charter fishing boats, saw a 30% increase in completed trips in the past year. This occurred in coastal locations in northern California where it runs trips. The list of spots included Bodega Bay, Sausalito and San Francisco. “The three previous years [between 2021 and 2024] saw slight drops or stagnation in terms of booking counts,” says Joris Zantvoort, head of content and public relations for FishingBooker. The past fisheries closures and current federal tariffs have led to some unusual circumstances regarding inventory. “In 2023, a lot of the fishing stores weren’t informed about the salmon fishery closure until it was too late. As a result, they were
stuck with tens of thousands of items they had to sit on for two years. Fortunately, items like that don’t expire,” says Troy Maggy, a sales rep for Tackle Technology, a Sacramento-based fishing gear business. The upshot was a loss of funds for the wait period. Gear and tackle shops did not have the opportunity to turn over and multiply the money through sales. “This year’s fisheries were a welcome shot in the arm. They could move that inventory. Plus, several years ago, when the dollar was worth more and there weren’t tariffs, they’d bought those items at a lower price. But I’m sure they would rather have had the money, especially during these past two years,” says Maggy. The view from bigger suppliers The North Bay is not alone in having fish-related businesses that are struggling. This phenomenon is occurring across northern California, north to the Oregon border and east to Sacramento. “I supply over 700 stores, including many in the North Bay, with bait and tackle in California,” says Glenn Chadaris, owner of Left Coast Bait Company. Left Coast does business as Big Red Worm Company and is based in Elverta, a small city near Sacramento. Chadaris is now starting a new venture to sell bait online in a broader region east of California. “That’s because California no longer pays the bills,” says Chadaris. “Historically, for decades, salmon was a resource that was just there. Businesses grew up around it. People were enthusiastic about everything to do with salmon fishing. Recreational fishermen from throughout California and beyond would travel to coastal areas just to get a chance to fish out on the ocean,” says Vance Staplin, executive director of Golden State Salmon Association (GSSA). The Santa Rosa-based nonprofit advocates for salmon protection and salmon habitat restoration. Staplin also represents multiple lines of fishing and outdoor gear. In addition, he has worked as a fishing guide, especially for Chinook salmon, on the upper Sacramento River.
January 2026
NorthBaybiz 49
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