FISHING NOTES : A Happy Ending to ’89 for Anglers: San Clemente Yellowtail Got Hungry for Squid
It had taken nearly all of 1989 for the San Clemente Island yellowtail to be caught in substantial numbers.
But 19 South Bay anglers had something to cheer about as the New Year approached.
When they boarded Capt. Gary Norby’s Outerlimits before departing L.A. Harbor Sportfishing, he told them he had observed perfect conditions on his last trip and now, with a good supply of squid in bait tanks, the yellows should be ready to come out of the kelp and feed.
On the first stop at the island with squid-baited hooks all anglers had fish on their lines.
Big bull bass and sheepshead came aboard, then the yellowtail moved in, slashing at the bait and breaking tackle.
Not fewer than 10 hookups were going at the same time as the crew kept the gaffs working.
Seven-year-old Scott Watts and his 11-year-old brother Sean each brought to the gaff three that weighed up to 18 pounds. Another youngster, 11-year-old Mark Arve, also caught three and said he outfished his father.
Charles Osaki and David Okada caught five each that were weighed in as jackpot contenders.
Chuck Graham had a pair of 20-pounders, and as he was having his catch cleaned the San Pedro fishermen said he has made several trips for yellowtail this past year and this was the best he had in ’89.
The jackpot went to Frank Crowin with a 25 1/4-pound yellowtail. The total catch was 41 yellowtail, one of the best yellowtail counts for a one-day trip by a South Bay sportfishing boat in 1989.
The lobster season is improving, as evidenced by Randy Beaver of San Pedro aboard the Wild Wave at San Nicholas Island diving in 80 feet of water.
Beaver located a cave and discovered two lobsters. He tried not to scare them off as he backed into the cave slowly and managed to capture the larger one. The other got away.
Beaver surfaced, brought it aboard and kept it alive. Returning to 22nd Street, he weighed it at 9 1/2 pounds.
South Bay Catches: Bob Tyler of Long Beach, fishing in 600 feet of water at Catalina aboard the Southern Cal, caught the whopper of the week, a 30-pound lingcod.
Owen Snead of Culver City, fishing aboard the Spitfire off Venice Beach, won the jackpot with a 28-pound halibut.
Bill Warne of Torrance, on the Condor at San Miguel Island, caught a 19-pound lingcod.
