Morro Bay

Fishing towns are fishing towns. You expect the detritus from generations of fishing to be scattered on the shore, adding legitimacy, not dishevelment. You expect fishing boats and tough bearded men walking the streets as a contrast to the tourists.And you expect seafood.Annabelle’s Keg and Chowderhouse in Ketchikan, Alaska advertises fresh clam chowder. So does The Hanger in Juneau. So does Ivars in Seattle, Washington, so does The Flying Dutchman in Morro Bay, California. The thing that makes these fishing towns great though, is not the chowder. What makes a fishing town great is everything else. I’d never been to Morro Bay until the Outdoor Writers Association of California spring conference here.I walked down the docks, checked out the boats and took in the sweet smell of ocean industry. Yep, Morro Bay is a fishing town, and a good one at that. What makes it a great fishing town is the location. The protected harbor provides fantastic kayaking, paddle boarding and other calm water activities. Plus it isn’t a long run out to good fishing. Two close sharp turns and you’re into salmon as the two guys with a cooler of king salmon showed me earlier today.And yes, the clam chowder is good.