FISHING NOTES : Anglers Finding Success at Night

Anglers have found some of the most productive fishing occurs after sundown.

Night fishing on two South Bay barges, Redondo’s Isle of Redondo and L.A. Harbor’s Annie B, offers anglers a variety of fish under the lights.

Last weekend on a night trip aboard the Annie B, Jim Winters of San Pedro was fishing for halibut. He had several hits using small bait on the bottom, but he was unable to set the hook quickly as he was using only 10-pound test line.

Winters said he set his rod down at the rail at midnight and started to place an order in the galley when his reel sang out and his rod fell to the deck. About 50 yards of line went out from the barge. Winters thought it was a big halibut.

When he finally pulled the fish near the barge, Winters discovered he had a bat ray. It weighed 40 pounds.

But not all was lost. Winters tried again--this time with 20-pound test line--to catch a halibut. After several strikes, he finally caught a flattie that weighed 7 1/4 pounds.

Bob Demesko of Carson, fishing off his boat Catchem at the 209 spot, had to battle for six hours before catching a 150-pound yellowfin tuna.

Bonito moved into the Marina del Rey Sportfishing dock over the weekend.

The total catch through Tuesday morning was more than 500, with most being landed on light tackle.

Captain Frenchy Magillan said it was a wide-open bite and it was easy for 75 anglers dockside to catch a limit of bonito weighing three to six pounds.

The eighth annual Marina del Rey Anglers vs. the King Harbor Marlin Club marlin catch-and-release tournament was held over the weekend with the King Harbor club declared the winner, 8-2.

The boat No-Biz had the top catch for the King Harbor club, a 131-pounder using 30-pound test line. The King Harbor club’s Stan Eckland had the top boat, the Hooker.

Rosie Cadman at Avalon weigh station reports 104 marlin have been weighed in since the run started.

Over the weekend, Bill Holekamp of Long Beach received entry into the club’s button award with his 153-pound marlin.

Danny Morris of Santa Monica weighed in a 143 1/2-pound marlin. Avalon resident Robert Faygot weighed in the largest dorado of the year at Avalon, at 37 1/2 pounds.

South Bay Catches: Frank Sardinia of San Pedro, fishing aboard the Grande at San Clemente Island, caught the whopper of the week, a 38-pound yellowtail out of the kelp.

Jon Schmid of Venice, fishing aboard the Equalizer at the 425 bank, caught a limit of skipjack. His top catch was a 22 1/4-pound yellowfin tuna.

Chris Williams of Torrance, fishing at the horseshoe kelp aboard the Sport King, caught a 21-pound yellowtail.

Moe Goldman of El Segundo, fishing at rocky point aboard the Hitless Miss, caught a 19-pound yellowtail.

Vicky Cheswicks of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Southern Cal, caught a 17-pound yellowtail.

Eddie Jenson of El Segundo, fishing aboard the Spitfire, caught a nine-pound sand bass.

Fish Reports: Local fishing remains steady for bonito and calico bass. Outer islands are yielding catches of yellowtail and skipjack.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Spitfire fished Venice reef and anglers caught 200 sculpin, 20 calico bass and two halibut.

The Happyman, on a half-day trip, returned with 30 sand bass, 10 bonito, five halibut and a yellowtail.

The Betty O rock cod trip resulted in a catch of 360 rock cod.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray fished rocky point and found a wide-open bonito bite. Anglers sacked 270 bonito.

The City of Redondo, on two half-day trips, returned with 301 bonito.

The Redondo Special, on two half-day trips, returned with 245 bonito.

The barge Isle of Redondo had a catch of 420 mackerel, 63 rockfish, 48 bonito and a yellowtail.

At 22nd Street Landing: The First String fished San Nicholas Island for rock cod and chalked up 498 rock cod, 24 sculpin and 18 sheephead.

The Monte Carlo, on a half-day trip, returned with 52 calico bass, 18 barracuda and 12 sculpin.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking worked the west end of Catalina Island for a variety catch--65 calico bass, 50 blue perch, 30 opaleye, 12 bonito, 10 rockfish and two barracuda.

The Shogun fished the rigs and returned with 60 bonito, 27 calico bass, five sheephead and five blue perch.

The Annie B barge had a weekend count of 850 mackerel, 311 jacksmelt, 160 kingfish, a halibut and a bat ray.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: The Victory’s trip to rocky point had limits of bonito with 193, plus 51 calico bass and 12 barracuda.

The Southern Cal half-day trip to horseshoe kelp returned with 36 calico bass, 27 bonito and a halibut.