San Francisco Bay reopened to fishing over the weekend, according to the California Department of Fish and Game.

Fishing and crabbing in the region had been suspended after an oil spill last month. On Nov. 7, a container ship struck the base of the Bay Bridge and lost 58,000 gallons of oil.

The spill hit close to home for me because I had just kayak fished that section of San Francisco Bay for the first time during Major League Baseball's All-Star Game festivities in early July. A picture from the trip is posted at the right. For those who have never fished the bay, it is home to some great fly fishing, particularly for striped bass.

According to a state-issued press release, fish and crabs in the area are no longer unsafe to eat. State officials, however, caution it may not be safe to harvest muscles or oysters in certain parts of the bay. See the DFG news release for specifics.

Anglers are encouraged to avoid fishing in areas that are still polluted and to avoid keeping fish that have an oily feel or smell. For more information on the tests done in the bay, go to www.oehha.ca.gov.

Photo by Brian Milne.