FISHING NOTES : Rewards to Be Offered as Part of Halibut Tagging Program

Cast a line, catch a tagged halibut, get a reward.

“A halibut tagging research project is under way,” said Ray Ally, marine biologist at the Department of Fish and Game in Long Beach.

Fish and Game is offering $5 for a returned tag.

Ally, who is in charge of the tagging program, said that, with the cooperation of the South Bay sportfishing fleet and those fishing as far north as Santa Barbara, scientific aides will accompany boats on halibut trips through May.

When an angler catches a halibut under the 22-inch legal size, the aide places a marked tag in the fish and notes the date and location. He can compare the information if the halibut is caught again.

Ally emphasized that statistics are important to the Fish and Game tagging management program.

If an undersized tagged fish is caught, the tag should be cut off and the fish returned to the water. If a legal fish is caught, anglers should remove the tag before the fish is sacked or cleaned.

The first tagging was done last week on Long Beach Sportfishing’s Southern Cal. Several fish were tagged and released.

Tags with all information should be sent with name, address and tag number to the Department of Fish and Game, 330 Golden Shores, Suite 50, Long Beach 90802. For information, call 590-5118.

“What a find,” exclaimed Cabrillo Marine Museum biologists Mike Schaadt and Jeff Landesman as they displayed their newest specimen: a rare anglerfish found by fisherman Greg Boy of Palos Verdes 20 miles from San Clemente Island.

Schaadt said anglerfish live in waters thousands of feet deep in total darkness, beyond the range of sunlight. They got their name from an appendage above the head that glows and acts as a lure. When other fish of the deep come to investigate, they become a quick meal.

The fish is on display at the Cabrillo Museum aquarium from Tuesdays to Sundays.

The King Harbor Marlin Club’s 17th annual banquet will be held Jan. 27 at Charlie Brown’s in Torrance.

A silent auction, open to the public, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. to support the gill net initiative. Items ranging from fishing tackle to trips will be auctioned.

South Bay Catches: Mario Montenegro of West Los Angeles, fishing aboard the Sea Spray at Hermosa Flats, caught the whopper of the week, a 36-pound halibut.

Mary Ann Goldsmith of Harbor City, on the Hitless Miss at Catalina Island, caught a 22-pound cow cod.

Tosh Okamoto of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Victory at Rocky Point, won the jackpot with a 16-pound halibut.

Larry Watkins of San Pedro, on the Top Gun at the rigs, caught a 10 1/2-pound bonito.

John Polmino of Rancho Palos Verdes, on aboard the Matt Walsh, caught a 10-pound bonito.

Fish Reports: Showers failed to dampen local fishing. Catches of sculpin and bonito averaged 10 per rod. San Clemente Island yellowtail catches slumped. Rock cod and bass made up most of the catches.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Spitfire fished the rock piles and anglers caught 125 sculpin and three halibut.

The Happyman half-day trip to the bay produced 25 sculpin, eight halibut and five bonito.

The Betty O rock cod special fished shallow rocks and anglers sacked 200 rock cod.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray found a wide-open sculpin bite as anglers caught 150, plus 14 whitefish and three halibut.

The City of Redondo on a half-day trip to Rocky Point returned with 35 bonito, 10 rockfish and two halibut.

At 22nd Street Landing: The Monte Carlo on a local shallow rock cod trip garnered 135 rock cod and one lingcod.

The Diawa fished San Clemente Island and anglers caught 300 rock cod and one lingcod.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Shogun worked San Clemente Island for 162 calico bass, 30 sheepshead, 40 rockfish and seven lingcod.

The Matt Walsh half-day trip to the rigs returned with 42 bonito, 21 calico bass and one sheepshead.

The Annie B barge had a weekend score of 202 jacksmelt, 116 croaker and 11 bass.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: Anglers on the Southern Cal half-day run to Horseshoe Kelp chalked up 50 calico bass, 39 whitefish and four sheepshead.