FISHING / Dan Stanton : Smooth Sailing, Adequate Squid Add Up to Record Angling for Fall
A number of interesting happenings this past week have taken place on the ocean fishing scene, with the fall angling just getting started.
Excellent water conditions and a good supply of squid are good indications that record catches could be made.
At Redondo Sportfishing, half-day boats fishing Rocky Point have been scoring on white sea bass, with anglers catching the three-fish limit on most trips.
The total caught in a 6-day period reached 225, with Torrance angler Brad Bouvec weighing in the largest, a 31-pounder, on Monday.
On a trip to Cortez, Capt. Gary Nordbye’s Outerlimits found a big concentration of yellowtail and his anglers landed 63. All weighed from 30 to 43 pounds.
David Diaz of San Pedro caught a 43-pounder that awarded him the jackpot. Jerry Cantec of Long Beach sacked a 41-pound bass.
Catalina Island has been the hot spot for white sea bass. Catalina overnighters have been loading up with squid.
The El Dorado and the Pacifica returned over the weekend with 87 sea bass. Most weighed 12 to 28 pounds.
The jackpot fish was caught by Long Beach angler Randy Kinney. It weighed in at 28 1/2 pounds.
Jack Ward at Virg’s in Morro Bay said the albacore are less than 100 miles out. Catches have been building up each trip. His albacore special boats on a 2-day trip returned Sunday with 292 longfins, with most fish going from 18 pounds up. Anglers have been averaging three to five fish per rod.
Two West Los Angeles anglers won jackpots. Paul Battaw brought to gaff a 48-pounder and Jeff Sulberg had a 41-pounder.
South Bay Catches: Keith Brewer of San Pedro caught the whopper of the week at Catalina aboard the Freedom when he brought to gaff a 40-pound yellowtail.
Garrett Naher of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Aztec at Santa Barbara Island, caught a limit of rock fish and a 30-pound squid-baited lingcod.
Loren Hera of Torrance, working Rocky Point aboard the Sea Spray, caught a 28-pound white sea bass.
Randy Kinney of Long Beach, at Catalina aboard the El Dorado, hooked and bounced to the deck a 22-pound white sea bass.
Verona Chavez of Long Beach, at the oil rigs aboard the Victory, caught a 14-pound yellowtail.
Fish Reports
At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Happyman on two half-day trips returned with 285 sand bass, 113 sculpin and 1 halibut.
The Spitfire fished the bay and chalked up 285 calico bass and 220 sculpin.
The rock cod special Betty O, fishing the outer rock banks, returned with 480 reds.
At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sharpshooter fished Rocky Point with squid and chalked up 29 white sea bass, 3 sculpin and 39 rockfish.
At 22nd Street Landing: The First String fished Catalina and anglers scored with 250 bonito, 62 calico bass, 25 sheepshead and 10 halibut.
The Monte Carlo fished the Horseshoe and returned from a half-day trip with 67 calico bass, 63 bonito, 10 sand bass and 3 sheepshead to 11 pounds.
The Queen of the Sea tried Catalina and took 125 calico bass, 116 bonito and 1 sole.
At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Grande headed to Catalina with squid and wound up with 157 calico bass, 105 bonito, 27 sheepshead and 17 rockfish.
The Sportking fished the rigs and Horseshoe and anglers sacked 97 Spanish jack, 41 sand bass, 33 bonito and 7 yellowtail. The Matt Walsh, on a morning trip to the Rock Pile, returned with 51 calico bass, 16 sand bass, 12 bonito and 4 whitefish.
The Annie B barge had a weekend total of 1,111 queenfish, 950 mackerel, 15 sculpin and a halibut.
At Long Beach Sportfishing: The Aztec returned Tuesday with 22 yellowtail going to 40 pounds plus 3 bluefin tuna.
The Victory worked the rigs and middle grounds and had a count of 225 sand bass, 161 Spanish jack and 19 barracuda.