FISHING : Lomita Shark Hunter Hooks 725-Pound Mako, Brings It in After 12-Hour Battle

Sam Bass of Lomita, a dedicated shark fisherman, launched his 20-foot boat at the Redondo Boat Hoist on Saturday morning for a day of fishing.

He fished inside the bay for mackerel, then headed out between Redondo and Catalina Island for shark, trolling a mackerel.

About noon a mako jumped, just missed the boat and grabbed the bait. Bass said he knew this was not the average 150-pound mako that he has caught on previous trips.

Bass had to use every angling trick he knew to reel in the shark on his 50-pound test line. After he got the shark alongside the boat it snapped two gaffs and nearly pulled the boat down.

He battled the shark’s efforts to break off for more than 12 hours. Bass managed to drag the fish across the channel all night to reach the boat hoist Sunday morning, where the giant weighed in at 725 pounds.

Robert Stephen of Manhattan Beach, fishing at Catalina aboard his boat C. Say Scion with his wife Marilyn as skipper, fought for 40 minutes to land a 130-pound marlin, which he weighed at the King Harbor Marlin Club.

South Bay Catches: Bud Andrew and grandson Phillip of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Hitless Miss at the oil rigs, tossed jigs into a kelp pattie. Both hooked up at the same time, following their fish around the boat several times before their lines crossed and Phillip’s broke.

Andrew continued to pump and reel when the fish surfaced: Both yellowtails, lashed together with line, were brought aboard. They weighed 25 and 24 pounds.

Mike Shanks of Redondo Beach, fishing at Rocky Point aboard the Redondo Special, caught a 22-pound yellowtail using an anchovy.

Robert Lewis of Long Beach, aboard the Southern Cal at Horseshoe Kelp using a sardine, caught an 18-pound yellowtail.

Ben Walker of San Pedro, fishing aboard the Victory, landed a 16-pound white sea bass.

Frank Matsuhara of Gardena, fishing Santa Monica Bay, caught an 11-pound, 2-ounce halibut using four-pound test line and a halibut rig.

Fish Reports: Anglers continue to score eight barracuda per rod at Horseshoe Kelp.

The oil rigs’ yellowtail bite has slowed, but catches remain steady at Catalina Island.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Happyman, fishing the bay on a half-day trip, returned with 165 sand bass, 12 bonito and 2 halibut.

The Spitfire fished Twin Roads and chalked up 110 sand bass, 32 bonito and a halibut.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Blackjack fished Catalina and returned with 51 barracuda, 32 calico bass, 17 sheepshead and a yellowtail.

The Sea Spray went on a morning trip to Rocky Point and anglers caught 100 bonito and 41 calico bass.

The Redondo Special had a wide-open bonito bite with 146 going into sacks, plus 54 calico bass.

The barge Isle of Redondo weekend count was 794 bonito, 1,200 mackerel, 195 Spanish mackerel, 65 sculpin and a halibut.

At 22nd Street Landing: The First String fished Catalina and chalked up 212 barracuda and 33 bonito.

The Monte Carlo worked Horseshoe Kelp on the morning trip and reeled in 230 calico bass, 116 barracuda, 15 sculpin and 3 sand bass.

The Freedom fished Catalina and anglers scored with 300 bonito, 21 sheepshead and 17 calico bass.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking fished the middle grounds and anglers reeled in 255 barracuda and 65 bonito.

The Matt Walsh on the afternoon trip chalked up 35 barracuda, 12 bonito, 8 sculpin and a yellowtail.

The Outerlimits worked Catalina and 78 barracuda and 165 calico bass went into the sacks.

At the barge Annie B, 1,525 mackerel, 1,400 herring and 1,651 croaker were caught over the weekend.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: Anglers on the Victory fishing the flats and oil rigs areas sacked 134 barracuda, 189 sand bass and 96 bonito.

The Southern Cal on a twilight trip returned with 285 sand bass, 15 barracuda and a yellowtail.

The Toronado, fishing the east side of Catalina, had a count of 102 bonito, 25 barracuda and 2 yellowtail.