Weather Poor, but Angler Sets Halibut Derby Mark With 45-Pounder
Freakish weather plagued the Santa Monica Halibut Derby on Saturday and Sunday.
It was breezy, and swells curtailed full-day angling for most of the 1,800 who participated in the charity event.
Mike Rogalla of Buena Park, fishing with his brother Wayne from their 22-foot boat, caught a halibut that shattered all derby records.
Drifting close to shore off Torrance Beach, Rogalla, using a live anchovy for bait, hooked the derby winner that weighed in at 45 pounds, 1 ounce. The catch was good for a $1,200 prize.
Jim Goodwin of West Los Angeles finished second with his 29-pound, 8-ounce catch.
At the Marina del Rey weight station, 415 of the fish caught in the derby were big enough to qualify for the drawing of prizes at an April 15 banquet.
Anglers on Redondo Sportfishing’s Sea Spray who qualified with catches longer than 23 inches and weighing up to 10 pounds: Mike Baker of Torrance, Rick Hawley of Redondo Beach, Hector Banuelos of Culver City, Tom Hopper of Venice and Melody Franks of Hermosa Beach.
John Bourget, chairman of the derby, said proceeds will again be donated to the Boys’ Club of Santa Monica. Proceeds will also benefit the halibut hatchery.
Bourget said 250,000 halibut will soon be released from the King Harbor hatchery.
Fishing in his sea skiff, Rick Beirold of Avalon was using 20-pound test line with a live anchovy at the east end of Catalina Island near the kelp when he hooked a white sea bass. Unable to boat the fighting fish, he called on companion Bob Lee, who gaffed the 37-pound bass.
South Bay Catches:
Mo Mo Pac of West Los Angeles, fishing Santa Monica Bay aboard the Happyman, caught the whopper of the week when he reeled in a 34-pound halibut. Pac was not competing in the Santa Monica Halibut Derby.
Ron Bowman of Santa Monica, at Catalina Island aboard the Pronto, won the jackpot with a 25-pound ling cod.
Sonney Mumy of Torrance won the jackpot on the Sea Spray with a 21-pound halibut.
Sung Yu Lee of Torrance, fishing at Twin Roads aboard the Redondo Special, caught a 20-pound halibut.
Fish Reports:
Fishing slowed over the weekend for party boats.
Catches improved Tuesday with bass and sculpin at local areas. Bonito at Catalina rebounded, with anglers averaging three per rod.
At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Happyman fished Santa Monica Bay and anglers caught 33 sculpin, 22 sand bass and five halibut.
The Spitfire fished the derby and the two-day count for the flatties was 25.
The Del Mar worked the derby and the count was 20 halibut.
The Betty O’s crowd in the derby landed 20 halibut.
Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray tried Rocky Point, and anglers chalked up 125 sculpin, 18 sand bass and 12 halibut.
The Redondo Special on a half-day trip to Twin Roads chalked up 24 halibut, eight sand bass and seven barracuda.
The Blackjack worked Hidden Reef and scored with 160 rock cod and one ling cod.
22nd Street Landing: The Monte Carlo headed to Horseshoe Kelp on a half-day trip and anglers sacked 42 calico bass, five sand bass and four sculpin.
The Freedom, fishing Catalina, returned with 250 bonito, 10 rockfish and five calico bass.
L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Matt Walsh fished the Rockpile and found sculpin, with 67 going into the sacks plus one sole.
Freshwater Notes:
Bob Marlin of San Pedro, fishing Lake Casitas, landed a 13 1/2-pound bass.
Duane Swann of Long Beach tried Santa Ana Lakes and landed a 11 3/4-pound rainbow trout.
