FISHING NOTES : Black Sea Bass Action Surging

Hopes for black sea bass are rebounding.

Juvenile giant black sea bass are making appearances again.

The fish were in danger of extinction until the state Department of Fish and Game put them on the prohibited keeper list in 1982.

Not a day passes but that someone on a party boat catches a bass and releases it.

When these fish come to the surface in a bloated condition and are unable to submerge, there is a safe method to deflate them. The fish suffer from bloating of the gas bladder. Fish and Game personnel have deflated bloated rockfish successfully during tag and release programs.

Anglers on private boats who hook black sea bass can penetrate the skin just behind the pectoral fin with a thin blade. The gas will be removed and the fish can submerge unharmed.

These fish can grow to 500 pounds and live 70 years if they can evade a hook.

There could be a full return to fishing these giants if the small ones are returned to sea.

Paul Gregory of Fish and Game said fishermen should remember the survival of the sea bass or any undersized fish is an important factor to the fishing of the future.

The King Harbor Marlin Club held its 16th annual awards banquet Saturday night. A club record was set in 1989 when club anglers caught 40 marlin, releasing and tagging 28.

Trophy winners were Jerry Austin for largest marlin, Ray Hawkes for first albacore and Stan Austin for junior-member award.

A special award went to Syd Whitaker for catching a 6-pound, 4-ounce halibut using two-pound test line.

Gary Klein, 31, the 1989 bass angler of the year, has won $300,000 fishing for bass.

Klein, from Montgomery, Tex., has been called the “Fishing Professor” because of his analytical approach to the sport.

While most anglers have a special technique--spinner baits, flippin, etc.--Klein has adapted a number of techniques into his game plan. He has gained a reputation as a proponent of flippin. He has proven he can catch bass on deep, clear lakes as well using plastic worms and grubs as part of his arsenal.

He has been a “bassmaster” finalist seven times.

Klein will be sharing techniques with participants in a bass institute at El Camino College on Saturday and Sunday. For reservations and information call (213) 715-3116.

South Bay Catches: Bob Walford of Torrance, fishing aboard the Blackjack at Cherry Bank, caught the whopper of the week, a 28-pound cow cod.

Mike Burke of Long Beach, fishing at Catalina Island aboard the Southern Cal, caught a 19 1/2-pound lingcod.

Mike Lewis of West Los Angeles, aboard the Freedom, won the jackpot with a 15-pound sheepshead.

Rick Ladoman of West Los Angeles, fishing on the Monte Carlo for calico bass, landed a 12 1/2-pound silver salmon.

Fish Reports: Only a few bass and bonito have been caught locally as most boats are concentrating on shallow rock cod fishing.

Two-day trips to Cherry Bank have resulted in limit catches of rock cod and big cows.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Spitfire worked the Venice reef area and returned with 180 sculpin, 18 sand bass and one halibut.

The Betty O rock cod special chalked up 160 rock cod and four lingcod.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray fished Redondo Canyon and anglers sacked 360 rock cod and five halibut.

The Blackjack tried Cherry Bank and returned with 285 rock cod and 10 cows.

The Redondo Special on a half-day trip scored with 160 rock cod.

At 22nd Street Landing: The Monte Carlo headed to Catalina Island and anglers sacked 51 rockfish, 28 sheepshead and 25 calico bass.

The Diawa rock cod trip to San Clemente Island produced 300 rock cod and 11 sheepshead.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Shogun fished San Clemente Island and anglers caught a variety, sacking 386 calico bass, 101 perch, 94 rockfish, 71 sheepshead and 35 whitefish.

The Annie B barge had a weekend count of 620 croaker, 325 jacksmelt, four sharks and one halibut.