Veteran Angler Finds Success Using an Old Favorite for Bait
Don Christiansen of Wilmington, known as “Crabbie,” to his friends, still uses sand crabs for bait.
Sand crabs don’t seem to be in demand any more, although they were once popular among surf fishermen for catching halibut. Because live squid, anchovies and sardines are in plentiful supply, sand crabs have fallen from favor with all but veteran fishermen.
Christiansen, 62, insists anglers fishing from small boats could make excellent use of sand crabs.
The veteran fisherman catches his own bait, too, digging up sand crabs about the size of a half-dollar from South Bay beaches. In preparing the line, Christiansen said to run the hook through either side of the sand crab’s shell. This allows the crab to stay alive for a long time while it is dropped to the bottom in search of a hungry halibut. He has hooked halibut up to 25 pounds with this method.
“I have several South Bay spots with sandy bottoms and I try to stay out of the areas where I know the sand sharks and bat rays are,” he said.
Christiansen said he has never entered local halibut contests, but he is considering doing so next year, using a bucket of choice sand crabs for bait.
South Bay Catches--George Sandbal of West L.A., fishing aboard the Spitfire in Santa Monica Bay, snagged the whopper of the week, a 37-pound halibut caught with a squid-baited hook.
John Ito of Carson, fishing San Clemente Island aboard the Diawa, caught a 31 1/2-pound halibut.
Randy Long of Lomita, fishing Santa Monica Bay in his boat, Fishin’ Toy, caught a 20-pound halibut.
Laura Bethel of West L.A. was aboard the Happyman in Santa Monica Bay when she landed a 19 1/2-pound halibut.
Larry Hiser of Gardena, fishing aboard the Shogun at San Clemente Island, caught a 15-pound sheephead.
South Bay anglers scored again fishing for yellowtail at Catalina Island. Despite some adverse weather conditions, the water temperature averaged 64 degrees.
The Toronado, out of Long Beach Sportfishing, bagged 58 yellowtail on the backside of the island on Friday. Bill Bellman of Torrance won the jackpot with a 29-pounder. Floyd Linnen of Redondo Beach and Bill Haynes of Long Beach each caught six yellowtail. West Los Angeles-area anglers who caught four or more yellowtails include Tak Endo, Mark Gaslich and Bob Santo.
Fish reports--The local surface bite has slowed but halibut fishing is improving. At outer islands there is excellent fishing for bass and rockfish mixed with some yellowtail.
At Marina del Rey Sportfishing, the Spitfire fished the bay with success, catching 105 sand bass, 20 calico bass, seven trigger fish and three halibut. The Happyman, on a half-day trip, returned with 25 sand bass and two halibut.
The Sea Spray of Redondo Sportfishing fished Redondo Canyon and anglers sacked 100 rockfish, 30 bonito, three halibut and a sole. The Blackjack worked San Clemente Island for 200 calico bass, 101 blue perch, 60 sheephead and 50 rockfish. The Redondo Special, on a half-day trip, returned with 132 rockfish.
At 22nd St. Landing, the First String fished Catalina Island and found a good perch bite. Anglers caught 181, plus 27 sheephead and 21 calico bass. The New Image went on a rock cod trip to Santa Barbara Island and returned with a catch of 375.
The Shogun out of L.A. Harbor Sportfishing fished San Clemente Island and returned with 230 calico bass, 190 rockfish and 150 blue perch. The Matt Walsh, on a half-day trip, returned with 33 calico bass, 26 blue perch and 17 whitefish.
At Long Beach Sportfishing, the Victory fished Rocky Point and anglers caught 157 calico bass, 26 rockfish, 22 bonito and 10 sheephead. The Southern Cal returned from a half-day trip with 60 calico bass, 13 bonito and four halibut.
Freshwater Notes--Fishing at Pyramid Lake, Bob Hanley of Westchester caught two stripers, both about 21 pounds. Eleven-year-old Joe Unibe of Long Beach, using 12-pound test line, caught a 29-pound catfish.
