FISHING NOTES : It’s June in January: Rock Cod Anglers Hook Scrappy Bonito at Unusual Depth

Could it be June in January?

Rock cod anglers this winter have been hooking scrappy bonito that are running unusually deep.

Almost everywhere a line is dropped at rock cod areas, anglers are assured of catching them along with bonito.

On the Monte Carlo from 22nd Street Landing, fishing at the 150 Rocks, anglers were hauling in rock cod when big bonito averaging six pounds struck.

Bonito normally are surface feeders more prevalent later in the year. And even in the spring and summer they have been known to be hook-shy. What has sparked a winter run could be warmer water currents or perhaps the boneheads are in some kind of feeding cycle.

Jess Logan of Harbor City caught an 11 1/2-pound bonito on his three-hook ganion and had two red snappers on the bottom hooks.

At 23, Alex Gonzales of Long Beach continues to pursue his dream of winning a Kona, Hawaii, fishing tournament.

Competing against 50 boats, Gonzales returned last week from the New Year’s $10,000 Kona Marlin Tournament.

He was fishing aboard the Island Girl in the classic and caught a 298-pound marlin, well short of the winning catch of 615 pounds.

Last year Gonzales landed a 598-pound blue marlin the day before the Kona Gold Tournament, which would have been big enough to win. But on tournament day he caught a small one.

Gonzales said he enters five tourneys a year and added, “No one gets skunked fishing Hawaii.”

On this trip, he said he caught tuna up to 100 pounds and dorado up to 30 pounds. He is tuning up for the Kona Gold Tournament in May.

Looking ahead, Gonzales said, “I have the patience and experience now to give me the competitive edge in future fishing tourneys I enter.”