Fishing Notebook / Dan Stanton : Sundown Trips to Help Anglers to Beat the Heat

It’s twilight time.

South Bay sportfishing landings have set their spring and summer sundown trips. Party boats will be departing at 5 and 6 p.m. Anglers can catch a variety of fish on these trips and also beat the summertime heat.

Last spring and summer, sand bass catches set records with anglers landing limits, and barracuda were also caught at both Huntington flats and the kelp.

Prospects for this year look good as sand bass have been caught daily.

To improve the night fishing, a new concept in lighting has been installed on the Queen of the Sea from 22nd Street Landing. Capt. John Dipley said the new lighting will duplicate natural daylight in the ocean fishing area, with enough light to equal more than 150 100-watt bulbs.

The first trip is set for 6 p.m. Friday.

The Southern Cal made the first twilight trip from Long Beach Sportfishing last weekend and on Saturday had limited success over a wide area as anglers returned with half limits of bass and one keeper halibut of 17 pounds.

South Bay Catches: Ray Costa of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Toronado at Catalina Island, caught the whopper of the week after having to follow his fish around the boat several times. He finally reeled in a 31-pound white sea bass.

Dave Gonzales of Wilmington, fishing aboard the Dancing Bear, waltzed off with the jackpot for a 28-pound white sea bass.

Mark Cohen of Manhattan Beach, fishing on the barge Isle of Redondo, caught a stray silver salmon that weighed in at 19 1/2 pounds.

Ron Billings of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Southern Cal, reeled in a 17-pound halibut.

Ray Tatlow of Long Beach, fishing at rocky point aboard the Victory, caught a 13 1/2-pound yellowtail.

Fish Report: With the recent storm front through, barracuda fishing remained constant in the twin roads area.

Catalina slowed for white sea bass but anglers continue to bag calico bass and bonito.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Spitfire, fishing the bay, returned with 12 barracuda, 37 calico bass and 21 sculpin.

The Happyman fished the Del Rey area and chalked up 100 sculpin, 16 barracuda and 12 halibut.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Redondo Special, fishing twin roads, had a wide-open barracuda bite and all anglers aboard had a limit--the boat totaled 410, plus 17 whitefish.

The Sharpshooter fished rocky point and anglers reeled in 69 barracuda, 32 bonito and 27 sculpin.

At 22nd Street Landing: The First String fished Santa Monica Bay and returned with 56 barracuda, 35 bonito, 36 sculpin and 12 sand bass.

The Freedom fished Catalina and had a good count of 69 bonito, 41 calico bass, 10 sheepshead and 2 halibut.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking fished the Marineland area and the catch consisted of 33 barracuda, 41 sculpin, 10 rockfish and 3 halibut to 10 pounds.

The Shogun headed to Catalina and bagged 34 calico bass to 6 pounds, 21 whitefish and 1 white sea bass.

The Barge Annie B at barge reef had a weekend total of 2,106 queenfish, 3,509 croaker and 9 sharks.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: The Victory headed to rocky point and anglers scored with 51 barracuda to 8 pounds plus 33 sand bass and 5 halibut.

The Aztec fished Catalina for 55 calico bass, 15 sheepshead and 30 rockfish.

The Toronado fished Catalina and anglers reeled in 47 calico bass, 37 bonito and 11 sheepshead to 11 pounds.

The Pacifica returned with 150 bonito and 20 calicos fishing the east end of Catalina.

The Southern Cal fished the Marineland area on a half-day trip and anglers scored with 27 barracuda, 21 sculpin and a big halibut.