FISHING NOTES / DAN STANTON : Catch From 5-Day Baja Trip Takes 2 Hours to Unload

The Shogun returned to L.A. Harbor Sportfishing from a successful five-day, 250-mile trip off Baja’s Geronimo Island and needed two hours to unload and line up the catch along the Ports O’ Call dock.

Norm Kagaw, captain of the Shogun, said the big concentration of fish was west of the island.

Kagaw said the weather and sea conditions were perfect. The 20 anglers caught tuna, dorado and yellowtail.

Topping the catch were 618 yellowfin tuna, 178 dorado, 44 yellowtail, 15 skipjack and eight bluefin tuna, all weighing more than 40 pounds.

The jackpot winners were Mel Komatsu of Gardena with a 49 1/2-pound bluefin tuna, Louie Loya of West Los Angeles with a 48 1/2-pound tuna and Kent Iwata of Gardena with a 45-pound tuna.

Jackpot contenders with 40-pound-plus tuna were Craig Shiozaki of Palos Verdes, Paul Mahabin of Culver City and Sam Soler of Inglewood.

Another L.A. Harbor-based sportfisher, the Pacifica, was 150 miles off San Diego on a three-day trip for albacore. Only one albacore was caught, but it was a whopper.

Ron Holloway of Hawthorne was trolling when the fish hit. After a 20-minute battle with what he thought was bluefin tuna, Holloway brought the albacore to the surface.

It weighed 66 pounds, the largest albacore reported by a sportfishing boat this season.

On the same trip, Randy Campbell of Hawthorne caught a 41-pound dorado. He also caught a limit of yellowfin tuna and skipjack.

Jim Manmer of Palos Verdes, fishing at the 209 area, caught a 131 1/2-pound marlin off Avalon. Bill Ball of West Los Angeles, fishing on his boat the Vandy-K, weighed in a 153-pound marlin at Avalon.

Two fishing tournaments are scheduled for this weekend:

--The first Venice Marina Rotary Club’s sportfishing tournament will be held Saturday. This contest is different than most competitive tournaments because fishing will be divided into several categories: smallest bonito, longest barracuda, heaviest halibut and mako sharks.

Cash and prizes will be awarded based on the number of entries. Weigh-in will be at the Marina del Rey Union 76 station until 5 p.m.

Information: Ron Warrington at (213) 823-2444.

--The seventh annual marlin tag and release tournament will be held Friday and Saturday with proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.

Fishing will be from private boats 26 feet and longer. A point system will be used for awards and cash prizes.

Fishing is restricted to within 90 miles of Catalina Island.

Information: Wanda Kipper at (714) 645-5570.

South Bay Catches: Corey Marriott of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Qualifier, caught the whopper of the week, a 35-pound bluefin tuna.

Greg Watson, fishing aboard the First String, caught a 26-pound yellowtail from a floating kelp pattie.

Mike Segio of Carson, fishing aboard the Hitless Miss at the rigs, caught a 25-pound yellowtail.

Josetta Evans of West Los Angeles, fishing at rocky point aboard the Redondo Special, caught a 20-pound halibut.

Monica Woodward of Long Beach, fishing off Catalina Island aboard the Toronado, caught a 20-pound yellowtail.

Ron Myers of Hawthorne, fishing aboard the Monte Carlo, caught a 15-pound halibut.

Fish Reports: Bonito and sand bass supplied the week’s best action and dorado and yellowtail fishing at the outer islands remained steady.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Spitfire fished the bay and returned with 55 calico bass, two bonito and two sheepshead.

The Happyman, on a half-day trip, had a catch of 40 bonito and 15 barracuda.

The Betty O, fishing shallow rock reefs, caught 280 rock cod and three lingcod.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Blackjack, on a half-day trip, chalked up 72 giant squid, 36 yellowtail, 15 calico bass and five bonito.

The Sea Spray’s trip to rocky point resulted in a catch of 116 barracuda, 45 bonito and two yellowtail.

The Redondo Special, on a half-day trip, returned with 345 sand bass.

The City of Redondo fished rocky point on a half-day trip and returned with 52 bonito, 25 calico bass and three yellowtail.

At 22nd Street Landing: The First String, on a two-day trip, worked San Clemente and Catalina islands for 117 calico bass, 33 bonito, 14 barracuda, 12 skipjack, 11 yellowtail and eight dorado.

The Monte Carlo, on a half-day trip, returned with 248 sand bass.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking fished the rigs and anglers sacked 196 sand bass, 84 barracuda, 11 calico bass and three yellowtail.

The Matt Walsh, on a half-day trip, returned with 53 sand bass, 44 barracuda and 11 bonito.

The Outerlimits fished off San Clemente Island for 200 calico and bull bass, 12 yellowtail, 12 skipjack and five dorado.

The Annie B barge had a weekend catch of 1,250 mackerel, 751 kingfish and 18 perch.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: The Victory fished the flats and horseshoe kelp for 540 sand bass, 161 barracuda and two white sea bass.

The Toronado worked Catalina for 54 calico bass, 46 barracuda, 51 bonito and a yellowtail.

The Southern Cal, on a twilight trip, chalked up 107 barracuda and 30 sand bass.