FISHING NOTES : Lucky Anglers to Be Rewarded in Halibut Derby

Fishing trips to Australia, Costa Rica and Alaska will be among the prizes awarded at the 17th annual Marina del Rey Halibut Derby, scheduled for April 27-28.

This year’s tournament will feature individual and two-person team prizes. The individual who catches the heaviest stringer, which is limited to a total of four fish during the two-day event, will win a fishing trip for two to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

The individual runner-up will win a fishing trip for two to Alaska. In Alaska, giant halibut can weigh 250 pounds.

The prize for the two-person team that catches the heaviest stringer will be a fishing trip for two to Costa Rica.

Other prizes will include fishing tackle and long-range fishing trips. Door prizes will be awarded at the derby banquet on May 4.

Bill Roscoe, president of the Marina del Rey Anglers, is encouraging anglers to use only single hooks and carefully release all halibut under 22 inches. Only halibut caught in Santa Monica Bay between Point Dume and Point Vicente will be eligible for entry.

Tournament headquarters is at Pardee Scout Base in Marina del Rey.

Fishing will begin at 5 a.m. on April 27 and continue until 5 p.m. on April 28. The entry fee is $35 for the derby and $60 for the derby and banquet. This year, in addition to the $35 entry fee, there is also a $15 fee for each member of a two-person team. For each member of a two-person team also wishing to attend the banquet, the cost would be $75.

Proceeds from the tournament will be split between the Boy Scouts of America West Los Angeles Council and the Heal the Bay conservation group.

Information: (213) 822-7090.

South Bay anglers fishing the surf over the past weekend have been catching good size perch.

Jim Gong of Gardena and Ray Hawkes of Torrance fished the surf at Malibu Beach and each caught a limit of perch.

The fish averaged two pounds with Gong catching one that weighed 3 pounds, 8 ounces.

On Sunday, the boat First String will be moved from 22nd Street Landing to L.A. Harbor Sportfishing.

Captain Jim Peterson purchased the 93-foot sportfisher from Russ Izor, who built and operated the boat for six years.

South Bay Catches--Jeff Johnson of Gardena, fishing off Santa Clemente Island aboard the Shogun, used a squid-baited jig to catch the whopper of the week, a 40-pound white seabass.

Rick Brown of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Shogun off San Clemente Island, caught a 34-pound halibut.

John Gomez of Venice, fishing at Osborne Bank aboard the Blackjack, caught a 20-pound cow cod.

Tom Murphy of Long Beach, fishing off Santa Barbara Island aboard the Sharpshooter, caught a 17-pound cow cod.

Freshwater Notes--Skeryl Taylor of Long Beach, trolling on Irvine Lake, landed a 10-pound rainbow trout.