Fishing / Dan Stanton : Bait Fisherman Has to Search Farther : Anchovies and Squid Are Harder to Find

Supplying live bait plays an important role in the success of ocean sportfishing.

For more than 40 years, Bill Verna of San Pedro has been fishing for anchovies and squid with his two net boats, the Chovey Clipper and the Scout.

Verna, who started hauling bait in 1953 for the sportfishing fleet and private boats, said he is now concerned for the future of recreational sportfishing.

He said since last September no schools of bait have been netted in Los Angeles Harbor or outside Point Fermin.

Verna said since the cannery discharge from San Pedro and Terminal Island was halted, the fish have no natural food in the harbor and have moved outside South Bay fishing grounds.

Talking with marine biologists about the decline in anchovies gets him “10 different answers. And I can’t talk to the fish and get answers.”

He said the average workday locating the bait is 12 to 14 hours.

In past years there were seven bait haulers, but since the 1970s they have quit, one by one, to pursue commercial fishing.

A big boat today can’t be converted to a bait hauler for less than $800,000. The cost of a bait net averages $14,000.

Verna has to travel as much as 30 miles to locate bait. What has helped is sophisticated electronic equipment. He also watches for diving sea birds. Weekend party boats and private boats have to wait when he has to go far for bait.

The Pacifica out of Long Beach Sportfishing was at the right place at the right time on a two-day trip to San Clemente Island. The boat returned with the year’s first significant catch of white sea bass, 61.

All weighed from 28 to 45 pounds.

Ron Nottingham of Gardena caught the whopper of the week, a 45-pounder, after a 23-minute fight.

The first Santa Monica Bay Top Rod Fishing Tournament will be held Sunday. Tom Woods of Marina del Rey, the organizer, said 100% of the money from the tournament will go to the Heal the Bay Project. Prizes will be donated by tackle companies.

For information, call (213) 399-1146.

Phil and Carrie Friedman of Torrance returned Tuesday from a honeymoon fishing trip to Australia. Carrie caught a 55-pound narrow-barred mackerel. Phil, fishing in two feet of water, brought ashore a 50-pound trev-ally.

Eight-year-old Christopher Powell of Gardena, on his first fishing trip aboard the Annie B barge, caught a 8 1/2-pound sand bass, one of the largest landed on the barge this year.

Grunion become legal to grab again June 5-8. It is a guessing game as to the time of night and on which South Bay beach the squirming silvers will come ashore.

South Bay Catches: Robin Wu of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Pacifica, caught a 28-pound white sea bass.

Alan McFretridge of Marina del Rey won the jackpot aboard the Blackjack with his 23-pound white sea bass.

Mary Lou Campozano of Gardena, fishing aboard the First String, caught a 22-pound halibut.

Bill Warne of Torrance won the jackpot aboard the Condor with his 20-pound lingcod.

Todd Busiolia of Manhattan Beach won the jackpot aboard the Victory with an 18 1/2-pound yellowtail.

Fish Reports:

Sand bass dominate the local scene. Barracuda fishing has slowed this past week. Anglers at Catalina have scored with sea bass and yellowtail, with squid the choice bait.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Spitfire fished the bay and anglers caught 150 sculpin, 25 sand bass, 24 calico bass and six halibut.

The Happyman on a half-day trip returned with 30 sculpin, 15 sand bass, five halibut and two barracuda.

The Betty O rock cod special fished shallow rocks and connected for 145 rock cod.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray worked Rocky Point and anglers sacked 109 sculpin and 91 sand bass to six pounds.

The Redondo Special on a half-day trip to Twin Roads chalked up 105 sand bass and 18 sculpin.

The Blackjack worked Catalina for 111 calico bass, 120 bonito and five sheepshead.

The barge Isle of Redondo had a weekend count of 490 mackerel, 91 rockfish and 27 sand bass.

At 22nd Street Landing: The First String fished Catalina and found sheepshead, hooking 80 up to 12 pounds, plus 70 calico bass, 50 whitefish and one halibut.

The Monte Carlo on a twilight trip to the flats caught 110 sand bass.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking fished the rigs and connected for 130 sand bass, 52 barracuda, 20 sculpin and one halibut.

The Matt Walsh tried the Rock Pile and anglers caught 19 barracuda, 15 sculpin and one 55-pound soup fin shark.

The Outerlimits fished San Clemente Island and anglers sacked 79 calico bass, eight sheepshead, five bonito, four sculpin and one yellowtail.

The Annie B barge weekend total was 771 kingfish, 654 queenfish, four sand bass and three halibut.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: The Victory worked the oil rigs and Horseshoe Kelp and anglers returned with 274 sand bass, 15 barracuda and one halibut.

The Aztec headed to Catalina with a tank of squid and anglers caught 150 calico bass, 50 bonito, 20 barracuda and 10 sheepshead.

The Southern Cal twilight trip resulted in a catch of 119 sand bass, one barracuda and a halibut.