Fishing Notebook : Rain Doesn’t Dampen Ocean Anglers Success, Backside of Catalina Is Best

April showers failed to dampen ocean sportfishing last weekend.

The best action has taken place at the back side of Catalina Island.

From 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro, the First String and the Maverick provided anglers with tackle-busting action.

Captain Russ Izor of the First String said the 85 barracuda landed by his anglers indicates excellent spring fishing conditions.

Water temperatures on the back side of Catalina are maintaining 60 to 62 degrees.

The Maverick caught 28 white sea bass to 43 pounds, all on live squid.

The best ocean catches for the half-day boats have been in the Rocky Point area.

The water started to clear after the weekend storm and bonito, bass and barracuda have been showing signs of working the area.

South Bay Catches: Paul Nelson of Redondo Beach, fishing aboard the Blackjack, used a live squid to bring to gaff the whopper of the week, a 43-pound white sea bass.

John Holmes of Long Beach, aboard the Pacifica at Catalina used a jig, and landed a 42-pound white sea bass.

Pat Engleand of West Los Angeles, fishing aboard the Shogun at Catalina using a live squid, caught a 22-pound white sea bass.

Al Scolari of Redondo Beach, aboard the Redondo Special using a halibut jig, reeled in a 21 1/2-pound halibut.

Fish Report: At Marina del Rey Sportfishing, the Spitfire fished the bay and returned with 105 sand bass, 10 sculpin and an 11-pound halibut.

The Betty O, on a rock cod trip to the Deep Rock area, chalked up 344 reds plus a lingcod.

The Happyman on the morning trip caught 15 halibut, 35 sand bass and 5 calico bass.

At Redondo Sportfishing, the Sea Spray on its Tuesday morning run reeled in 56 calico bass, 47 bonito and 13 barracuda to 8 pounds.

The Sharpshooter fished Rocky Point and 38 calico bass, 13 sand bass and 11 bonito went into the sacks.

The Redondo Special afternoon trip resulted in 66 calico bass, 56 bonito and a barracuda at Rocky Point.

At 22nd Street Landing, the First String fished the back side of Catalina and returned with a good catch of 85 barracuda, 18 calico bass, 21 bonito and 4 halibut.

The Monte Carlo fished the Marineland area and Rocky Point and had a good sand bass bite of 119 plus 41 sculpin.

The Maverick fished the back side of Catalina and brought to gaff 28 white sea bass and 52 barracuda.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing, the Sportking fished the rigs and chalked up 126 sculpin, 45 sand bass and 5 rock cod.

The Grande fished Catalina with live squid and caught 22 barracuda, 30 bonito, 10 halibut and a white sea bass, with many lost to broken tackle.

The Shogun headed to Catalina with squid and took 25 calico bass, 12 bonito, 6 sheepshead and a white sea bass.

The Outerlimits fished Catalina with anchovies and caught 133 calico bass and 31 sheepshead.