FISHING NOTES / DAN STANTON : Topgun Skipper Finds Yellowtail Up to 20 Pounds Near Catalina
Yellowtail action off Catalina Island has improved this week.
The Topgun from L.A. Harbor Sportfishing was searching for white sea bass and captain Bob Taft moved into a shallow kelp area where calico bass were being caught.
After the anglers caught several calicoes, Taft moved to an area where he found yellowtail last winter.
It proved to be a rewarding spot for the anglers, who were using squid-baited hooks and jigs. They kept deckhands busy gaffing yellowtails up to 20 pounds for more than two hours.
Kim Sang, a 76-year-old angler from West Los Angeles, caught 10 yellowtails and even bounced one onto the deck himself.
Bill and Dawn Duckett of Gardena caught eight. Yung Lee of West Los Angeles caught eight, as did Torrance fisherman Bill Lyons.
Louis Milton of West Los Angeles caught five. Ron Morton of Lomita and Torrance fisherman John Flaherty caught four apiece.
The total catch was 86, the largest winter yellowtail dock total at a South Bay landing this year.
Kevin Nonoguchi of Redondo Beach returned from a long-range trip with a 148-pound yellow fin tuna. Pete Wilkowski of Torrance returned from a trip to Mexico’s Rocca Tartida with a 127-pound yellow fin tuna.
South Bay Catches: Local fishing has shown improvement the past week with white sea bass being caught at Rocky Point. Catalina Island remains steady for bass, rockfish and yellowtail.
Greg Dahle of Torrance, fishing at Rocky Point aboard the Midshipment, caught the whopper of the week, a 54-pound yellowtail.
Larry Petrie of Redondo Beach, fishing at Rocky Point aboard the Redondo Special, caught a 35-pound white sea bass using live squid for bait.
Duane McCutchen of Redondo Beach, fishing at Osborne Bank aboard the Blackjack, caught a 29-pound lingcod.
Bill Beaver of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Southern Cal, caught a 27-pound lingcod.
Debbie Muller of San Pedro, fishing aboard the Topgun off Catalina Island, used live squid and caught a 20-pound yellowtail.
Arnold Washington of Long Beach, fishing off Santa Barbara Island aboard the Toronado, caught a 20-pound cow cod.
