Fishing Notebook : New DFG Booklet Shows Anglers What They’ve Caught

South Bay anglers can obtain a new guide to sportfish caught off the Southern California coast.

The 164-page booklet contains color photos and information on 81 marine species. The waterproof book is designed to help anglers identify catches.

The guide was produced by the state Department of Fish and Game in cooperation with Sea Grant and National Marine Fisheries service.

The booklet may be purchased for $4 by mail or at the fish and game office, 245 W. Broadway, Suite 350, Long Beach, Calif. 90803.

South Bay Catches: Ron Mason of San Pedro, on a two-day trip at Cortez aboard the Grande, landed the whopper of the week, a 29-pound lingcod.

Jackpot Catches: Mark Lampson of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Axtec at Cherry Bank, caught a 25-pound lingcod on cut squid.

T. K. Larson of Torrance, fishing aboard the Challenger for deep-water rock cod using live squid, caught an 18-pound sheepshead.

Tom Saisho of Wilmington, aboard the Shogun at Cherry, brought to gaff a 15-pound lingcod.

Roy Walker of West Los Angeles, on the half-day boat Redondo Special at the shallow rock-cod spot, caught a 15-pound halibut.

George Namuri fished on the Matt Walsh half-day trip at Horseshoe Kelp and landed a 16 1/2-pound halibut.

Kevin Pfeif of Long Beach, fishing at San Clemente Island aboard the Outerlimits, caught a 12-pound sheepshead on squid.

Freshwater Notes: Bob Jackson of Long Beach caught a 5 1/2-pound sturgeon at Irvine Lake.

Charles Harwood of Wilmington caught a 6-pound rainbow trout using a night crawler at Irvine.

Private Boat Catches: Jim Lowere of Torrance Tod and Gun Club fished Santa Monica Bay in his whaler and caught a limit of bass to 6 1/2 pounds. Lowere pulled his anchor and drifted and caught two halibut. One checked in at 12 1/2 pounds.

Rick Smith of Santa Monica, fishing on the Hitless Miss, landed a stray 8-pound barracuda at the rock pile.

Victor Mundoz of San Pedro, fishing on the Calico Ed, caught a 20-pound yellowtail at Catalina. He also took a limit of bass.

Fish Reports: Fishing continued to improve as barracuda made a showing at Horseshoe Kelp last weekend and continued through Tuesday.

The oil rigs anglers have been cranking in a variety of rock cod and big sheepshead.

Party boats on two-day rock cod trips continue to return with limits.

The Santa Monica Bay halibut bite has slowed, but a few legal 22-inch fish have been caught in the afternoon.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing, the Spitfire on the 3/4-day trip to shallow rock chalked up 60 sand bass, 52 sculpin, 9 halibut, 1 sole and 15 rock cod.

The Happy Man on the half-day trip to Santa Monica Bay in the afternoon took 12 halibut, 15 bonito and 12 sand bass.

The rock cod special Betty O caught 95 cod plus 25 sculpin.

At Redondo Sportfishing the Blackjack fished Cherry Bank and anglers returned with limits of 540 reds and 6 cows to 15 pounds.