FISHING Notes : Big Shark, Even a Dead One, Can Cause Huge Problem

It’s the tale of the shark’s tail that didn’t get away:

Bill Varner’s Chovey Clipper, which supplies bait to the sportfishing fleet in the South Bay, was making a set for anchovies Friday night in 140 fathoms off White’s Point near San Pedro. The net was stretched out in a half-mile circle.

Deckhand Joe Dumong, in a skiff, boarded the Chovey Clipper and started the drum turning to reel in the bait when he shouted: “Put the boat in neutral.”

It was out of gear but was being towed in a 2-mile circle--for 20 minutes. The crew kept bringing in the net until it tore and the bait escaped. At this point they saw, in disbelief, half a basking shark tangled in the net. The head to midsection was missing. The shark had apparently been cut in half by the net.

The only way to bring it aboard was by winding a chain four times around the tail section and using the boat’s boom. The remaining section was estimated to weigh more than a ton.

Varner says he has been fishing for bait for three decades and “I have never had such an experience, trying to stop a boat that was being towed in a circle, without knowing whether it was a shark or submarine. It left me very shaken.”

Pictures are being turned in to the state Department of Fish and Game to try to determine the shark’s full weight or measurements.

South Bay Catches: Mike Conroy of Palos Verdes, fishing at Catalina Island aboard the Toronado, lost several yellowtail that busted tackle until he set the hook on one that he reeled in. It awarded him the whopper of the week at 27 1/2 pounds.

James Cimmrusti of Torrance, fishing aboard the Sharpshooter at Rocky Point, brought to gaff a 24-pound white sea bass on a squid.

Scot Taylor of Long Beach, aboard the Toronado at Catalina, was caught off guard when he set his rod down and the reel sounded off. He straightened out his bent rod and pumped in a 24-pound white sea bass.

William Powell of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Victory for sand bass, caught an 18 1/2-pound yellowtail.

Danny Walters of Long Beach, bottoming for sand bass on the Southern Cal on a twilight trip, caught a 15 1/2-pound halibut.

Fish Reports: With the absent run of barracuda and bonito in local waters, the migratory sand bass continues to be caught in limits on all trips.

Catalina barracuda fishing slowed over the Fourth of July, with bass and yellowtail making up most of the catches.

Fishermen are eagerly awaiting the first albacore reports. The fish can be expected within a week if they head south to feed.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Spitfire, fishing Twin Roads, had a count of 207 calico bass and a halibut.

The Happyman fished the bay on a half-day trip and chalked up 195 sand bass and 4 halibut.

The Betty O rock cod special fished the shallow rocks and returned with 420 reds.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray, fishing Rocky Point on the afternoon trip, returned with 63 sand bass, 37 sculpin, 22 rockfish and a halibut.

The Sharpshooter fished the El Segundo area and anglers caught 246 sand bass, 5 halibut and 3 bonito.

The Redondo Special morning trip resulted in a catch of 110 rockfish and 68 sand bass.

The Blackjack fished Catalina and returned with 60 bonito, 22 barracuda and 15 sand bass.

The barge Isle of Redondo had a count of 2,661 mackerel, 7 barracuda, 15 sculpin, 12 sole, 3 bonito and 3 sand bass.

At 22nd Street Landing: The First String fished Catalina and chalked up 47 barracuda, 133 calico bass and 2 halibut.

The Monte Carlo worked the flats and 151 sand bass, 20 barracuda and 2 halibut went into the sacks.

The Queen of the Sea on the twilight trip tried the flats and returned with 520 sand bass and 28 barracuda.

The Freedom fished the east end of Catalina and returned with 101 barracuda and 68 calico bass.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking fished the flats and rigs and 400 sand bass, 53 barracuda, 2 calico bass and 1 white sea bass went into the sacks.

The Matt Walsh morning trip resulted in a catch of 120 sand bass, 36 calico bass and 2 barracuda.

The barge Annie B reported 1,700 croaker, 1,725 herring, 450 jack smelt, 4 bonito and 3 halibut.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: The Victory, fishing the flats, returned with a limit for all anglers--593 sand bass, 16 barracuda, 5 calico bass, 6 halibut and a 10-pound white sea bass.

The Pacifica fished Catalina for sand bass and returned with 320, plus 45 barracuda, a sheepshead and 4 bonito.

The Aztec, on a three-day trip to San Clemente Island and Santa Barbara, had limits of rock cod plus 100 bull bass.

The Southern Cal twilight trip produced 220 sand bass.