Marina Halibut Derby Hooks 1,132 Anglers and 300 Fish
The Marina del Rey Halibut Derby was declared a success with more than 300 brought to the scales.
The 16th annual derby attracted 1,132 anglers. Sponsored by the Marina del Rey Anglers, the event allowed catches from either private or chartered boats.
A total of 17 fish tagged by the Department of Fish and Game were hooked. The department paid $5 for each tagged catch.
Top winner was Robert Loll of La Habra, who landed a 29-pound, 4-ounce specimen. He received a trip for two to fish the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Second place went to Steve John of Westminster who hooked a 25-pound, 3-ounce halibut. He won a fishing trip to Alaska.
Gary Rozsa of West Los Angeles finished third and was awarded fishing tackle for his catch of 24 pounds, 3 ounces.
The derby banquet will be held April 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Doubletree Marina Beach Hotel.
Gear up for shallow rock cod fishing at San Nicolas Island.
The fourth annual “Fishing For the Homeless” charity event is set for April 7 aboard Capt. Russ Izor’s boat, First String. According to organizer Tony Salas, last year’s trip paid for more than 8,000 meals at the Los Angeles Rescue Mission. The cost for the event, which includes more than $1,000 in prizes and drawings, is $75 per angler. Call Salas at (818) 244-5348.
Three Avalon siblings dropped their lines at Little Harbor while aboard their boat, May Time, and found plenty of action.
Ryan Kerr got a bite from a 40-pound sand shark just as his sister, Justine, hooked a 14-pound halibut. Meanwhile, brother Phil tossed a line baited with squid overboard and got an immediate tug from a 16-pound white sea bass. All three catches were landed.
Ron Hardcastle of San Pedro, fishing from a skiff outside the kelp beds near Pt. Fermin, caught a 10-pound halibut, then moved out to deeper water, tossing baited jigs in search of small calico bass. The fish refused to bite, so he removed the jig and inserted a hook with live squid. He reeled in a white sea bass that weighed just under 12 pounds.
South Bay Catches: Tom Honaker of Long Beach, fishing aboard the City of Seal Beach at the Oil Rigs, caught the whopper of the week, a 36-pound lingcod.
The cows were out of the barn again last week. Sandy Bross of Redondo Beach, fishing aboard the Blackjack at the Cherry Bank, won the jackpot with a 25-pound cow cod.
John Nance of West Los Angeles, fishing aboard the Toronado, caught a 19-pound cow cod at San Nicolas Island.
And James Tani of San Pedro, fishing aboard the Southern Cal at Catalina Island, won the jackpot with a 19-pound cow.
Fish reports: Local fishing is improving because anchovies are more available. Island boats using squid for bait report some barracudas have showed up. But most are refusing to take the bait. Anglers are making the maximum on cod fishing on most trips.
At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Spitfire fished the bay during the halibut derby and had a count of 16 halibut, seven sole and 30 sand bass.
The Happyman took a half-day trip and anglers returned with 30 sand bass, 20 sculpin and eight halibut. Two black sea bass were hooked and released.
The Betty O Special derby trip returned with 18 halibut. One black sea bass was hooked and released.
At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray fished the shallow rock cod reefs and chalked up 166 rock cod, 53 sculpin and a pair of lingcod.
The Blackjack worked the Cherry Bank for 445 rock cod and 17 cow cod.
At 22nd St. Landing: The Freedom fished Catalina Island and sacked 230 whitefish and 87 calico bass.
The Diawa rock cod trip to San Nicolas Island resulted in a catch of 336 rock cod and four cow cod.
At L.A. Harbor Sportsfishing: The Shogun fished San Clemente Island and used live squid. The result was 160 whitefish, 135 sheep head, 34 calico bass and six lingcod.
The Outerlimits worked Catalina Island and chalked up 83 calico bass, 45 rock fish, 24 sheephead and six lingcod.
Out on the Annie B. Barge the weekend total was 1,201 mackerel, 954 kingfish and four halibut.
At Long Beach Sportsfishing: The Victory checked out Huntington Flats and anglers sacked 1101 rock fish, 56 sand bass, 23 sculpin and three halibut.
The Toronado took anglers to San Nicolas Island and garnered 335 rock cod, 2 cow cod and a single lingcod.
