FISHING NOTES / DAN STANTON : Deckhand Skips the Boat When He Becomes Angler

What does a sportfishing boat deckhand do on his day off? He goes fishing, of course, but not from a boat.

When Scott Hart of Torrance heads out to fish, he takes a water ski jacket, fins, a freshwater rod and reel, some jigs and a few feathers attached to his belt.

Recently, Hart got some unexpected action after he entered the surf at Cabrillo Beach. Using 10-pound test line with a two-ounce sinker and a feather, he hooked a small herring and started to paddle back to shore.

About 100 yards out, he had a heavy strike. He set his hook and most all the line peeled from the small reel.

With a fish in tow, Hart headed for the beach, hand-lining his catch, which turned out to be a halibut just under the legal 22-inch limit. He released it unharmed.

Hart tries to get out into the water early in the morning, but heavy swells, jet skiers and windsurfers can be hazards to a ski jacket fisherman.

Hart has tried tube float fishing before, but prefers the ski jacket method. The biggest drawback, he said, is there is only the jacket to hold his bait and gear.

King Harbor Marlin Club members have been scoring some good catches that count toward individual points for yearly awards.

Bob Stephens and Jack Terry caught a 10-pound bonito off Catalina Island. The two Torrance fishermen also caught barracuda and calico bass.

Club member Carl Hanni, fishing from the Striker, reeled in an eight-pound barracuda.

Member Ray Hawkins, who spent last week surf fishing at Jal Ama Beach in Central California, landed a starry flounder in five feet of water.

Starry flounders are natives of Alaska and the Sea of Japan. Their average length is three feet and they can weigh up to 20 pounds.

The Third Annual Catalina Mako Shark Tournament is open to all private boats. Cash prizes will be determined by the number of entries. The tournament begins tomorrow and ends Sunday.

South Bay Catches: Greg Redding of West Los Angeles, fishing off Catalina Island aboard the Top Gun, hooked a yellowtail that ran into bull kelp. After a 25-minute battle, Redding came away with the whopper of the week, a 44-pounder.

Susan Coates of Long Beach, fishing at Rocky Point aboard the Southern Cal, won the jackpot with a 41-pound white sea bass.

Mike Hile of Santa Monica, fishing aboard the Outerlimits off Catalina Island, caught a 31-pound white sea bass.

Walter Tawi of Torrance caught a 30-pound white sea bass aboard the Aztec.

Fran Eskita of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Victory, caught a 26-pound yellowtail at Rocky Point.

Bill Garcia of Long Beach caught an 18-pound yellowtail, and Betty Cohen of Harbor City reeled in a 16-pound yellowtail.

Fish Reports: Barracuda and sand bass dominate the local fishing. White sea bass and yellowtail action off Catalina Island rated excellent.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Del Mar returned with 110 calico bass, 54 sand bass, six bonito and a halibut on a half-day trip.

The Spitfire fished the bay and caught 230 sand bass and 22 barracuda.

Anglers on the Betty O sacked 175 rock cod and a lingcod.

The Sumo fished in the Venice area and returned with 120 rock fish and a barracuda.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray on a sand bass trip to Rocky Point returned with 170 fish.

L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking fished Catalina Island with success, returning with 170 barracuda and a yellowtail.

The Top Gun fished Catalina Island and anglers came away with 32 yellowtail, 21 white sea bass, and 20 barracuda.

The Outerlimits worked Catalina for 156 calico bass, 33 yellowtail, and 20 white sea bass and a black sea bass.

The Shogun Catalina Trip netted 145 barracuda, eight white sea bass, and four yellowtail.

The Annie B Barge weekend total: 610 mackerel, 322 kingfish, 422 jacksmelt, nine halibut and four sand bass.

At 22nd Street Landing: The First String fished Catalina Island and anglers took 165 barracuda, nine yellowtail and seven halibut.

The Monte Carlo fished the rigs on a half-day trip and returned with 57 barracuda, 41 sand bass and 23 calico bass.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: The Victory fished Rocky Point and took in 276 barracuda, 53 calico bass and a white sea bass.

The Southern Cal on a half-day trip to Horseshoe Kelp returned with 133 barracuda, 82 sand bass and a white sea bass.

The Aztec trip to Catalina Island resulted in a catch of 120 barracuda, 56 calico bass and two yellowtail.

The Toronado worked Catalina for 107 barracuda, 44 calico bass, a yellowtail, and a white sea bass.