Fishing Notes / Dan Stanton : Lots of Black Sea Bass Hitting Hook but Anglers Can’t Hold Onto Them

Thanks to an abundance of forage bait, South Bay anglers have been hooking up with an average of 20 black sea bass a day.

But fishermen can’t keep them.

They must throw them back.

Heavy fishing pressure resulted in the Fish and Game Department imposing a moratorium in 1982, declaring them an endangered species.

Eleven anglers fishing at the oil rigs aboard the Victory from Long Beach Sportfishing hooked and released 17 black sea bass. The colorful fish weighed 30 to 40 pounds.

On a recent trip to the Cortez aboard the Outerlimits from L.A. Harbor Sportfishing, Ed Ingles of San Pedro was fishing on the bottom with live squid using 30-pound test line when he hooked a black sea bass that refused to move off the bottom.

For two hours he tried to raise the fish. Capt. Gary Norbe moved the boat slowly, dragging the fish until the tired catch surfaced. A deckhand reached over the rail and removed the hook and the fish slowly went back down. Estimated weight: 300 pounds.

Bill Welsh of Redondo Sportfishing said anglers at the breakwater wall in recent weeks have brought buckets with water to the pier office to identify their catches.

Welsh explained to the fishermen that they caught sea bass that must be returned unharmed. Possession could result in heavy fines. Fish and Game biologist Maria Vojkouich said that 20 black sea bass were recently tagged at Anacapa Island and fishermen returned eight to the department. The returned tags provide Fish and Game with important data on the fishery.

South Bay Catches: Dino Saavedra of Carson, fishing aboard the Outerlimits at San Clemente Island, caught the whopper of the week using 12-pound test line and a live squid. He brought up a 42-pound halibut from the bottom. The catch was 3 pounds short of the record for 12-pound line.

Larry Heinz of West Los Angeles, aboard the Happyman at Santa Monica Bay, won the jackpot with his 30-pound halibut.

Roger Tanka of Torrance, fishing aboard the Sharpshooter at Twin Roads, caught a limit of halibut including the 22 1/2-pound jackpot fish.

Tom May of Carson on the Reel Special at Catalina using live squid caught a 20-pound yellowtail.

Lino Gomez of Lomita, fishing on the Annie B barge, caught the largest sand bass of the year off the barge, an 8 1/4-pound sand bass.

Fish Reports--The first winter storm failed to detour good fishing as weekend sunshine and calm seas provided anglers with a variety of fish.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Happyman on a morning half-day trip fished the bay and returned with 27 sand bass, 25 sculpin and 14 halibut.

The Betty O rock cod trip resulted in a catch of 100 reds.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray fished Twin Roads area and anglers sacked 39 whitefish, 28 calico bass, 11 rock fish, 7 sculpin and 1 sheepshead.

The Redondo Special, fishing Rocky Point on an afternoon trip, chalked up 36 calico bass, 25 whitefish and 5 sheepshead.

The Sharpshooter at El Segundo Beach caught 54 sculpin, 11 calico bass, 11 halibut and 2 sheepshead.

The barge Isle of Redondo had a weekend catch of 250 mackerel, 43 rockfish, 20 sheepshead and 6 sculpin.

At 22nd Street Landing: The Monte Carlo fished the oil rigs and returned with 141 sculpin, 24 whitefish, 18 calico bass and 8 sheepshead.

The Freedom at Catalina Island chalked up 40 bonito, 33 calico bass, 25 blue perch and 1 sheepshead.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking worked Catalina and anglers sacked 140 blue perch, 33 calico bass, 15 rockfish and 6 sheepshead.

The Outerlimits returned from San Clemente Island with 87 bull bass, 53 rockfish, 23 large sheepshead and 1 halibut.

The Top Gun fished Catalina’s west end and chalked up 108 rockfish, 58 calico bass and 3 lingcod.

The Matt Walsh worked the Horseshoe on a morning trip and caught 77 sculpin, 14 sole, 14 rockfish and 2 calico bass.

The Annie B barge had a variety on its weekend catch: 1,107 queenfish, 141 kingfish, 14 sand bass and 9 sculpin.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: The Victory fished Catalina’s east end and anglers caught 88 blue perch, 73 whitefish, 18 calico bass, 10 sand bass and 1 barracuda.

The Southern Cal fishing the drop-off area for rock cod returned with 220 groupers.

The Aztec fished San Nicholas Island and on the 2-day trip anglers sacked 175 reds and 85 sheepshead.