FISHING NOTES / DAN STANTON : Surface Fishing Continues to Sizzle as Water Temperatures Remain Warm

The best ocean fishing is yet to come.

With water temperatures remaining close to 70 degrees in all fishing areas, the exotics are giving surface fishermen the best action since the warm water years of El Nino. Yellowtail continue to bite off Catalina and San Clemente Islands.

Boat captains urge anglers to use 20- and 40-pound test line since a number of fish are being lost. Bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna continue to chase baits and some, estimated to weigh more than 50 pounds, have busted up tackle.

The 22nd Street Landing’s First String made a scouting trip to San Nicholas Island last week for a group that wanted to fish only for rock cod.

The trip produced more than 500 rock cod and cows up to 18 pounds.

When the surface action slows, out come the broomstick rods and big 9/0 reels to fish deep.

In the meantime, it is a surface fishing bonanza.

Three Torrance anglers returned over the weekend from a trip 70 miles out from Point Loma aboard the Conquest.

Phil Friedman caught a 36-pound yellowfin tuna.

Peter Hoffman and Leon Campazzio each caught 14- and 15-pound dorado.

Redondo Beach angler Aaron Wolf placed first among 96 contestants with a 26-pound halibut at the Redondo Police Department’s Randy Martins fourth annual summer-long pier fishing tournament.

Second spot went to Andas Bodo of Redondo Beach with a 13-pound, 7-ounce halibut. Third place went to Redondo Beach fisherman Leroy Nelson, who caught a 12-pound halibut.

A special award will be given to the oldest angler, 96-year-old Charlie Middleton. The veteran pier angler fishes every day.

Fishing by himself from an 11-foot raft off the slide area, Charlie Petre of Avalon hooked a marlin that moved his small skiff close to shore. The battle lasted three hours before Petre was able to bring the marlin into the Avalon scale, where it weighed 122 pounds.

South Bay Catches: Kim Suponi of West Los Angeles, fishing aboard the Happyman in the Santa Monica Bay shallow canyon, caught the whopper of the week, a 32-pound halibut.

Arnie Searingo of Long Beach, fishing at Catalina Island aboard the Toronado, caught a 26 1/2-pound yellowtail.

Anna Armstrong of Redondo Beach, fishing at horseshoe kelp aboard the Victory, caught a 21-pound yellowtail.

Danny Igustre of Wilmington, fishing off Catalina aboard the First String, caught a 21-pound yellowtail.

John Gomez of Venice, fishing aboard the Blackjack at San Clemente Island, caught a 16-pound yellowtail.

Dan Kituha of Carson, fishing off San Martin Island aboard the Vagabond, caught a 13-6 yellowfin tuna.

Becky Lang of Hermosa Beach, fishing aboard the Hitless Miss at horseshoe kelp, caught an 11-pound barracuda.

Fish Reports: There is a late summer run of barracuda with a strong showing of big bonito. At Catalina Island, steady catches of big yellowtail and marlin are being hooked.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Spitfire found a wide-open sculpin bite. Anglers caught 240, plus 35 calico bass and a yellowtail.

The Happyman, on a half-day trip, returned with 155 sculpin, three cabazon and a yellowtail.

The Betty O rock cod trip resulted in a catch of 400 rock cod and a halibut.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray worked rocky point for 120 sculpin, 68 calico bass, 62 bonito and a yellowtail.

The City of Redondo, on two half-day trips, returned with 167 calico bass, 120 bonito and five white sea bass.

The Redondo Special, on a half-day trip, returned with 116 bonito and two yellowtail.

The Blackjack fished San Clemente Island for 50 rockfish and two yellowtail.

The barge Isle of Redondo continues to find mackerel. Anglers fishing during the weekend caught 1,340 mackerel and 140 rockfish.

At 22nd Street Landing: The First String fished Catalina and returned with 196 bonito and 22 yellowtail.

The New Image worked the east end of Catalina for 42 bonito, 22 yellowtail, 14 calico bass and 11 barracuda.

The Monte Carlo’s half-day trip to the horseshoe resulted in 88 bonito, 10 calico bass and 11 yellowtail.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking worked the horseshoe kelp for 96 barracuda, 11 calico bass and seven yellowtail.

The Shogun’s San Clemente Island trip resulted in 201 calico bass, 15 yellowtail and nine sheephead.

The Matt Walsh, on a half-day trip, returned with 30 bonito, 21 calico bass and seven yellowtail.

The Annie B barge had a weekend count of 266 mackerel, 178 jacksmelt and five bonito.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: Anglers on the Victory trip to the rigs caught 136 barracuda, 41 calico bass and four yellowtail.

The Southern Cal, on a half-day trip, returned with 25 yellowtail.

The Toronado fished San Clemente Island for 28 yellowtail, 26 barracuda and 21 bonito.