FISHING NOTES : Halibut Derby Hooks 1,132 Anglers, 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.
