FISHING NOTES : Barracuda Tops the Action With Sea Bass on the Rebound

A big barracuda bite has led most Southern California sportfishing boats to reach their limits on day trips.

The run started last week at Rocky Point but soon moved to deeper water as the hungry fish searched for more anchovies. Catches as large as 10 pounds have been reported in water as deep as 150 feet.

White sea bass fishing at Catalina Island has also rebounded with some large fish being hooked. The Top Gun from L.A. Harbor Sportfishing, carrying a posse of lady anglers, reported that 14 women caught their limits of barracuda and each also hooked a single white sea bass, the maximum allowed by the Department of Fish and Game. Jane Griffin of Lomita won the jackpot, landing a 42-pound sea bass. She had help from a deckhand, who gaffed the fish. Apparently, it had slipped the hook and was about to go free.

Also aboard the Top Gun, Edith Braida of Harbor City caught a 33-pound sea bass.

Two San Pedro fishermen, Brian Dull and Robert Singer, were fishing in a skiff at Sieners Reef, a sunken ship near Terminal Island, when their search for small mackerel turned into a guessing game with a 10 1/4-pound halibut.

Using a line of small feathers to snag bait, the men watched the halibut nibble, then return to the bottom unhooked. They changed to halibut rigs, but the fish were too smart to take the live bait and disappeared.

Finally, Dull reeled his line in slowly, checking the bait, and noticed the halibut trolling along with it. Dull raised his line with a jerking motion and the flattie went for it. He reeled it in but Singer attempted to pull it out of the water with a net that was too small. It also had a hole in it.

They struggled with the fish and eventually knocked it into the skiff with the net.

South Bay Catches: Eric Hodges of San Pedro, fishing aboard the Outerlimits at Catalina Island, used 20-pound test line to battle a 45-pound yellowtail. Hodges landed the fish in one hour and 10 minutes. He wins the Whopper of the Week Award.

Hide Nakaguchi of West Los Angeles was on the Top Gun at Catalina Island when he landed a 40-pound white sea bass.

Alice Gramer of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Hitless Miss at Catalina Island, caught a 33 1/4-pound white sea bass.

Art Melin of San Pedro was on the Diawa at Catalina Island and caught a 28-pound yellowtail.

Bill Wade of Torrance, on the Condor at San Miguel Island, caught a 22-pound lingcod.

Andy Theime, fishing at Catalina Island aboard the Sharpshooter, caught a 23-pound sea bass.

Bill Powell, fishing aboard the Victory, caught a pair of 20-pound yellowtail.

Fish Reports: Santa Monica Bay halibut fishing has been slow. Surface action is the best bet to catch limits of barracuda and bonito.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing:

The Happyman fished the bay on a half-day trip and returned with 113 sculpin and one halibut.

The Betty O rock cod special fished the Rock Pile and anglers cranked up 350 rock cod.

At Redondo Sportsfishing:

The Sea Spray fished out from Rocky Point and anglers sacked 203 barracuda.

The Redondo Special half-day barracuda run snatched 172 of the fish. The Reel Special got 85 barracuda.

At 22nd St. Landing:

The First String headed to the 150-foot spot and recorded a catch of 271 barracuda. The Monte, on a half-day trip for barracuda, scored 94 of the fish, plus a solo halibut.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing:

The Sportking’s barracuda run maxed out on its limit with 405 fish caught at the 150-foot spot.

The Outerlimits worked San Clemente Island and landed 200 calico bass, eight white sea bass and a lone yellowtail.

The Top Gun fished Catalina Island and hooked 95 barracuda and 14 white sea bass.

The Annie B Barge count last week was 925 kingfish and six halibut.

At Long Beach Sportfishing:

The Victory also sacked its limit of 405 barracuda at the 150-spot, with some weighing up to nine pounds.

The Southern Cal took a half-day trip and returned with 60 barracuda and a halibut.

The Aztec found a wide open run on white sea bass at Catalina Island. Anglers landed 23 sea bass, 13 barracuda and three halibut.