Monterey Bay Fishing Report | May 8, 2026
The report at a glance
Depth
The fish came at 180 feet on the downrigger.
Presentation
Downrigger at 180 feet, running about 2.5 mph. Started with a big chartreuse flasher, but pulled it off after no action. The natural shine and shimmer of the bare spoon was the winning ticket.
Lures and baits
Optimizer 4 trolling spoon, modified from a treble to a single barbless hook for the salt. No flasher, no bait.
Water temperature
Warm
Water clarity
Clear, not the usual brown, algae-filled salmon water.
Advice for this week
When the water is clear and bait is scarce, strip the flasher and let the spoon's own flash trigger the bite. A single barbless hook keeps you legal and clean.
What is changing
Water warm and clear instead of the usual brown, algae-filled salmon water. Almost no bait, no anchovies, and very little showing on the sonar.
Next week
This is where the salmon season starts, and the fish should push in closer as it develops. Expect the early-season Optimizer bite to build from here.
Notable catch
Jeff put one Chinook in the box when nearly everyone around him had zero.
King salmon are biting the west edge of the SoCal hole on Monterey Bay in early May. The winning setup was a single Optimizer Size 4 spoon run at 180 feet on the downrigger, trolled about 2.5 mph. The flasher came off and the bare spoon did the work. Water was warm and clear with no anchovy bait, so a bright natural spoon shined.
What is biting in Monterey Bay right now?
King (Chinook) salmon are the target on the west edge of the SoCal hole. It is early in the season and the bite is slow, with hundreds of boats going empty. Jeff P. still boxed a Chinook on his first troll of the year using the Optimizer Size 4.
How deep were the salmon in Monterey Bay?
The fish came at 180 feet on the downrigger wire, right at the tip of the SoCal hole. Jeff sent the spoon down 180 feet and hooked up not long after crossing into the hole. Bait was scarce, so covering that deep zone was key.
What lure caught the Monterey Bay Chinook?
A Catch America Optimizer Size 4 spoon with a single barbless hook. Jeff started behind a chartreuse flasher with no action, then removed the flasher. The bare spoon, described as blinding bright, drew the strike in warm clear water with no anchovies around.
What trolling speed worked for Monterey Bay salmon?
About 2.5 miles per hour on the downrigger at 180 feet. This is a fast-troll spoon presentation. Jeff let the natural shine and shimmer of the Optimizer do the job rather than relying on an attractor flasher.
What was the guide's outlook for Monterey Bay?
Jeff expects the salmon to move closer to shore as the season builds and plans to keep running the Optimizer for the rest of the year. This was his first salmon trip, first troll, and first Chinook of the season. Exact water temperature was not specified in this report.
Watch the full report
Monterey Bay May 8, 2026 FAQ
At 180 feet on the downrigger, right at the tip of the SoCal hole.
The Optimizer Size 4 with a single barbless hook, run bare without a flasher.
Not on this trip. Jeff removed the chartreuse flasher and the bare Optimizer spoon triggered the bite in clear water.
About 2.5 miles per hour, a fast-troll spoon presentation.
It was early season with warm, clear water and no anchovy bait, so most of the fleet was not catching. Jeff still landed one.
Jeff P. of Linksup Boards, fishing with Catch America gear.
