FISHING NOTES : Early Results of Sand Bass Tagging Project Encouraging to Fish & Game

The results of the year’s first migrating sand bass tag-and-release program are encouraging.

The two-year scientific study was launched on Capt. Russ Izor’s boat, the First String, during five trips from June to August.

Mac Oliphant, sportfishing biologist with the State Department of Fish and Game who heads the tagging project, said important information is being gathered.

Oliphant said 730 bass were tagged and released. Twenty-three tags have been recovered. The fish traveled 10 miles in about 60 days.

Some of the returned tags had marine growth, which he plans to study further.

The question still to be answered is where the fish disappear after spawning along sandy beaches from Huntington Beach to Santa Monica Bay.

Izor is planning to organize teams of 10 next year to board boats from Oceanside to Santa Monica to expand the tagging operation, with Oliphant keeping the data from each trip.

Izor said the First String will be available for the South Bay portion of the project.

Anglers catching any species of fish with a tag are urged to tell Fish and Game in Long Beach when and where the fish were caught.

Veteran Redondo Beach fisherman Clyde Rainwater just returned from Loreto, Baja California, where he said he had one of the best fishing trips of his life.

He caught a sailfish that weighed 120 pounds and a dorado that weighed 38 pounds. In addition, he landed yellowtail and cabrillo.

Three San Pedro anglers on a one-day albacore trip aboard the Producer returned early Tuesday with an excellent catch: Don Hansen decked a 30-pound bluefin, and Guy Calafeno and Larry Betencourt caught 28- and 29-pound tuna.

South Bay Catches:

Greg Luehmann of Torrance, on a two-day tuna trip aboard the Sharpshooter, caught the whopper of the week when he brought to gaff a 50-pound yellowfin tuna. Louis Robinson of Rolling Hills, fishing aboard the Daiwa, hit the jackpot with a 31-pound white sea bass.

Jim Davis of West Los Angeles, fishing aboard the China Clipper, caught a 28-pound white sea bass.

Matt Porter of Torrance has won the jackpot two weeks straight aboard the Redondo Special. Last weekend he caught a 22-pound yellowtail and the previous week a big white sea bass.

Bob Luna of Long Beach, on the Pacifica at San Clemente Island, caught a 22-pound yellowtail.

Tina Wang, on a half-day trip aboard the Happyman, caught a 21 1/2-pound halibut.

Brian Kinkel of West Los Angeles, aboard the Spitfire, caught a 16 1/2-pound halibut.