FISHING : Marina del Rey Will Play Host to Tournament on Saturday
The third annual Santa Monica Top Rod Celebity Pro/Am tournament will be held Saturday at Marina del Rey.
Tournament director Tom Woods said the event is a benefit for Heal the Bay, a conservation group dedicated to stopping pollution and cleaning up Santa Monica Bay and surrounding waters.
Anglers will be allowed to catch seven species of fish: calico bass, sand bass, barracuda, white seabass, yellowtail, halibut and bluefin tuna.
Each angler can enter two fish from each species, but the fish must meet minimum size standards established by the state.
Several celebrities are expected to compete in the tournament.
Fishing will be restricted to five miles offshore from Point Vincente to Point Dume.
The tournament, open to all clubs and anglers, starts at 5 a.m. Weigh-in will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The awards ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Tournament fees are $30 for individuals and $10 for each team member.
Entry forms are available at South Bay tackle stores. Information and late entries: (213) 623-8964.
Rocky Point remains a hot spot for fishing and an abundance of squid has helped spark a run of yellowtail, seabass and calico bass at Redondo Canyon.
Last weekend, the Long Beach Sportfishing boat Aztec worked Catalina and San Clemente Islands using squid for bait. It returned with 41 seabass and limits of calico bass.
Jackpot winner Bob Ikuta caught a 25-pound seabass.
Several anglers caught limits of seabass including Scott Dekrails, Charles Hannah, Russ Reid and Scott Dekara.
The Toronado worked Catalina and returned with 97 seabass and yellowtail.
Long Beach fishermen Arnie Searing and James Tani caught limits of seabass.
Two black seabass were caught and released by anglers fishing aboard the First String off San Clemente Island.
Curt Reagers was using 60-pound test line and hooked a black seabass. It took over an hour to bring the fish to deck. Deckhands estimated the fish weighed more than 300 pounds. It was deflated, photographed and released.
An 80-pound black seabass was caught on light tackle by Mateo Gonzales, who thought he had hooked a halibut. After a 20-minute fight, the fish was brought to surface. The fish did not require deflating.
Only one marlin was weighed this past week at the Avalon scale. Mort Barkes, fishing aboard his boat Rojean at the 43 area, caught a 125 1/2-pounder. According to Rosie Cadman of Avalon, the season’s total marlin catch is 52. Last year at this time it was 181.
However, Ray Hawkes of the King Harbor Marlin Club said members fishing the Avalon Bank and the 181 area in recent days have caught, tagged and released four marlin.
The fish were caught by Bob McNary, Stan Eckland, Jerry Austin and Rowen Henry.
South Bay Catches: Don White of Redondo Beach, aboard the Grande off San Clemente Island, used a live squid and caught the whopper of the week, a 41-pound white seabass.
Mason Perkey of Redondo Beach, aboard the Redondo Special at rocky point, caught a 35-pound seabass.
David Ravez of Redondo Beach, fishing from the half-day boat City of Redondo, caught a 29-pound seabass.
Joe Lockmeyer of El Segundo, fishing at rocky point aboard the Hitless Miss, caught a 27 1/2-pound seabass.