FISHING NOTES / DAN STANTON : Angler Catches Prized Marlin on Australia Trip

Bobby Taft, who owns and operates the charter boat Top Gun out of L.A. Harbor Sportfishing, returned last week from a 14-day vacation and fishing trip to Australia.

Taft, 40, said he has caught about every species of game fish from local waters to Baja California.

Taft spent two weeks in Port Douglas, Australia. He was told before the trip that a black marlin run was on and that some were weighing more than 1,000 pounds.

Tackle consisted of 130-pound test line and a bait called skad; when trolling, this bait moves as fast through the water as a bullet tuna.

Taft had one day of fishing remaining before taking tours of Australia and returning to his San Pedro home.

After trolling two hours around Escape Reef, northeast of Port Douglas off the east coast, Taft hooked up with a fish and the boat’s skipper said, “You have a monster on the end of your line.”

The 145-pound Taft battled and kept reeling in the jumping black marlin. After 90 minutes, Taft accomplished what many big-game fishermen have never done.

The marlin weighed in at 1,186 pounds. The weighmaster said the world record on 130-pound test line is 1,465 pounds.

The King Harbor Marlin Club’s anglers who gain points for awards at the end of the year continue to catch a variety of species.

Tom Mulkey of Palos Verdes returned Sunday from fishing Buena Vista, Mexico. He caught marlin up to 180 pounds and released them.

His keeper fish was a 65-pound yellowfin tuna.

Tom Reynolds of Torrance gained points using 15-pound test line when he weighed in a 30-pound halibut.

South Bay Catches--Carl Brooks of Torrance, fishing at Tanner Bank aboard the Aztec, caught the whopper of the week, a 48-pound bluefin tuna.

Jason Moxley of West Los Angeles caught a 42-pound bluefin tuna aboard the Point Loma.

Vern Jensen of Gardena, fishing aboard the Explorer II off Santa Cruz Island, caught a 42-pound white sea bass.

Howard Hawkins of Gardena, fishing off Santa Barbara Island aboard the New Image, caught a 30-pound yellowtail.

Richard Cox of Torrance, fishing aboard the Sea Spray at rocky point, caught a 19-pound halibut.

Ahmed Khan of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Sportking at horseshoe kelp, caught an 11 1/2-pound bonito.

Fish Reports--Local yellowtail fishing is rated only fair. Nice catches of bonito and sculpin have also been reported. Island fishing offers a mixture of bonito and calico bass.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Del Mar trip to the bay resulted in a catch of 89 sculpin, 17 calico bass, three halibut and a sheephead.

The Happyman, on a half-day trip, returned with 70 sculpin, 28 calico bass and a sheephead.

Anglers on the Sumo’s rock cod run to the rockpile sacked 210 rock cod and a lingcod.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray fished rocky point for a catch of 256 sculpin, 36 bonito and three halibut.

The City of Redondo, on a half-day trip, returned with 250 sculpin and 16 bonito.

The Blackjack worked Santa Barbara Island for 75 bonito, 56 calico bass, 26 blue perch and two yellowtail.

The Isle of Redondo barge had a weekend count of 877 mackerel, 13 bonito, 10 rockfish and nine sculpin.

At 22nd Street Landing: The First String, on a rock cod trip to Santa Barbara Island, returned with 265 rock cod and 22 sheepphead.

The Monte Carlo, on a half-day trip, returned with 25 rockfish and two yellowtail.

The New Image worked Santa Barbara Island for 285 rock cod and two yellowtail.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking trip to horseshoe kelp resulted in a variety catch--128 bonito, 22 calico bass, 15 sculpin, five perch and two rock sole.

The Matt Walsh, on a half-day trip, returned with 33 rockfish, 16 whitefish and 11 bonito.

The Shogun fished Catalina Island and anglers sacked 83 calico bass, 30 blue perch, 18 sheephead and 14 whitefish.

The Annie B barge had weekend totals of 431 mackerel, 110 bonito and 11 sand sharks.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: The Victory fished the rigs area and returned with 82 calico bass, 20 rockfish and three sheephead.

The Southern Cal, on a half-day trip, had a catch of 51 calico bass, 18 bonito and 11 sculpin.