Fishing Notes / Dan Stanton : Anglers Take a Big Bite Out of Local Halibut Population

A Santa Monica Bay halibut bite exploded Sunday.

The Sea Spray from Redondo Sportfishing caught 31 flatties. Capt. John Ridder said during every drift move he made, anglers using live squid and cut squid had hook-ups.

All the legal fish weighed from 6 to 27 pounds, and several larger fish came unbuttoned from the hooks and parted lines.

On the local shallow rock fish front, anglers are scoring on good-size sculpin that have invaded in near-record numbers.

Angler Earl Larson of San Pedro was catching two sculpin at a time aboard the Matt Walsh out of L.A. Harbor Sportfishing and brought up an albino spotted sculpin, an unusual catch in California waters.

The fish was put into a bait receiver at the landing for safe keeping to be delivered to the Cabrillo Marine Museum. Unfortunately for the museum, the rare fish flipped out of the tank and escaped into L.A. Harbor.

The rock cod outer islands boats on two-day trips have been consistently hauling in limits of reds and lings.

The King Harbor Marlin Club’s 17th annual awards banquet for its 1988 tournament was held Saturday night in Torrance.

The award for largest broad bill went to Jerry Austin of Torrance, who landed a 240-pound, 8-ounce fish.

The award for largest marlin went to Stan Eckland of Torrance, who caught a 187-pounder.

In the women’s division, Jenny Austin of Torrance caught a 107-pound, 8-ounce marlin.

Junior angler award went to Kyle Shorene of Hermosa Beach for most fish and weight caught.

Ray Hawks of Torrance received the albacore award for his 25-pounder.

An open house will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday to inspect the new 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro.

Tackle manufacturers will display 1989 products.

Admission is free.

South Bay Catches:

Javier Gonzales of Gardena, on a two-day trip at San Nicholas Island aboard the Aztec, coaxed a rock cod out of the rocks. The cow awarded him the whopper of the week when it weighed in at 27 1/2 pounds.

Edward Asatourian of Torrance won the jackpot on the Sea Spray with his 27-pound halibut.

Doug Blalock of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Pacifica at Tanner Bank, caught a 22-pound ling cod.

Ken Lindstrom of Redondo Beach, fishing aboard the Blackjack at Hidden Reef, won the jackpot with his 19-pound ling cod.

Dick Richards of Hermosa Beach, fishing aboard the Sharpshooter in Santa Monica Bay, caught a 13-pound halibut.

Fish Reports:

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Spitfire fished Twin Roads and anglers caught 60 sculpin, 11 halibut and seven sand bass.

The Happyman on a half-day trip fished the bay and returned with 56 sculpin, 45 sand bass and 10 halibut.

The Betty O shallow rock cod trip accounted for 295 rock cod and one cow cod.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray fished the Sunset Beach area for 53 sculpin, 31 halibut and 11 rockfish.

Freshwater Notes:

Pat Higgins of Lawndale used plastic worms to catch an 11 1/2-pound bass at Castaic Lake.

Bena Nishinuro of Hawthorne used a marshmallow and caught a limit of trout at Anaheim Lake.