Fishing Notes : Licenses to Go Up for ‘89; Application Has More Questions

Don’t forget to renew fishing licenses for the 1989 season.

The new license has a new format and anglers may find it more time-consuming to get than in the past.

Anglers must fill out a form in triplicate, entering driver’s license, Social Security number and other pertinent information that the Department of Fish and Game will enter into its data base for future communication with fishermen if needed.

The fee has been raised to $11.75 to fish the ocean.

This year anglers can apply for a lifetime license. For those over 40 the cost is $450. For under 40, the charge is $600.

The lifetime price offers a hedge against inflation and immunity to price increases.

Unfortunately, a shiny new license doesn’t guarantee anglers will set a line or weight record as did Bob Schwenk of Long Beach, who was notified by Fish and Game that his 13-pound, 12-ounce whitefish has been entered into the California record book as a state record.

The previous record catch weighed 4 pounds less.

Marine biologists from Fish and Game estimated the fish to be at least 24 years old.

Schwenk has applied to the International Game Fish Assn. for a possible world record whitefish.

South Bay Catches: Drifting outside Marineland watching for whales, Charles Harwood of Long Beach had a line out with live squid and had a strike. He grabbed the rod as it was about to be pulled overboard and reeled in the whopper of the week, a 21 1/2-pound white sea bass.

Sokee Park of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Southern Cal at 14-Mile Bank, won the jackpot with a 21-pound cow cod.

Del Ingram of Hermosa Beach, aboard the Sea Spray at Twin Roads, won the jackpot with a 12 1/2-pound halibut.

Fish Reports: The fishing fleet returned to action Monday after Christmas and found action fair to good after the storm.

Redondo boats fished the El Segundo area and anglers caught near-limits.

San Pedro and Long Beach boats had mixed bags at the Horseshoe and Catalina Island.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Happyman worked Santa Monica Bay on a half-day trip and returned with 70 sand bass, 25 sculpin and 7 halibut.

Betty O anglers sacked 90 reds and 1 sole while shallow-rock cod fishing.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray fished Rocky Point and 68 sculpin, 32 whitefish, 13 rockfish and 8 blue perch went into the sacks.

The Sharpshooter fished Twin Roads and chalked up a count of 61 sculpin, 30 whitefish, 13 rockfish and 8 blue perch.

The Blackjack worked Santa Barbara for rock cod and anglers caught near limits with 196 groupers and reds plus 7 lingcod.

At 22nd Street Landing: The Deluxe headed to San Nicholas Island and anglers caught near limits of deep water rock cod with 404, plus 7 sheepshead and 3 lingcod.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Matt Walsh on a half-day trip to the Horseshoe and Rockpile returned with 41 whitefish, 16 sheepshead, 15 rockfish, 11 sand bass, 7 sculpin and 11 blue perch.

The Annie B barge had a wide-open bite by jacksmelt as 556 were caught, plus 776 queenfish and 6 sculpin.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: The Southern Cal fished Catalina in 600 feet of water and anglers scored with a limit of 148 groupers, 11 lingcod and 1 cow.

Freshwater Notes: Ed Byrne of El Segundo was using a power bait at Irvine Lake and caught a 10-pound, 10-ounce trout.

Fishing at Castaic Lake despite showers, Venice anglers Paul Shepherd and Brian Berger used worms in 35 feet of water and caught 33 pounds of bass.

Torrance anglers Gary Woodman and Scot Blitsch, fishing Castaic with worms, caught bass from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds.