FISHING NOTES : ’89 Highlights: Halibut, Sea Bass, Sand Bass Abundant

Reflecting on last year’s sportfishing season for South Bay anglers:

The spring run of halibut in Santa Monica Bay was good.

White sea bass at the Deep Hole provided tackle-busting action.

The reliable migratory sand bass returned to sandy beaches and limits on day and sundown trips were reported.

Barracuda roamed a wide area and anglers had to be at the right spot at the right time. One day it was a wide-open bite at Rocky Point, the next it was Catalina Island action only.

After a slow summer start, exotics made a strong showing in late July. Albacore were located 100 miles from Point Loma, averaging six to 10 pounds. South Bay boats chased the long fins on three-day trips.

This changed in early August as bluefin and yellowfin tuna moved to within a one- or two-day trip for South Bay sportfishers.

The Shogun from L.A. Harbor Sportfishing returned Aug. 19 with 581 tuna up to 100 pounds, a possible record catch for a South Bay sportfisher.

At Avalon, 1989 was the best year ever for marlin. Those weighed in shattered all previous records.

The fishing outlook for this year is optimistic. The water is warmer and has sparked game-fish action.

Bonito and yellowtail have been interested in baited hooks at Rocky Point and San Clemente Island.

An armada of shark fishermen in small boats has been covering an area from Santa Monica Beach to Malibu seeking great whites.

It started with West Los Angeles shark fisherman Bill Barlow landing a 170-pound white shark two weeks ago. Three have been caught since.

South Bay Catches: Steve Shimahara of Gardena, fishing aboard the Topgun at San Clemente Island, pulled a yellowtail out of a kelp pattie and caught the whopper of the week at 26 pounds.

Tom Murphy of Long Beach, on the Southern Cal at Catalina Island, won the jackpot with a 25-pound lingcod.

Henry Minks of West Los Angeles, aboard the Betty O, caught a 19-pound lingcod.

Mark Larson of San Pedro, fishing aboard the Matt Walsh, caught an 11-pound bonito.

Fish Reports: On the local fishing scene, bonito and sculpin remain steady and San Clemente Island remains the best for bull bass and yellowtail catches.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Spitfire located a wide-open sculpin bite and anglers sacked 400, plus 30 sand bass and three halibut.

The Happyman on a half-day trip to the bay returned with 30 sculpin and 11 halibut.

The Betty O rock cod special worked the rock piles and chalked up 181 rock cod and four lingcod.