FISHING / DAN STANTON : Yellowtail Biting at Cortez Bank

The fish were biting at Cortez Bank last weekend as the South Bay Sportfishing Fleet returned with catches of yellowtail.

Wind and heavy seas Friday did not affect the Cortez area, 90 miles offshore.

The fish averaged between 25 and 40 pounds, and boat captains report that several of the fish were stripping reels and breaking heavy lines.

L.A. Harbor Sportfishing had two boats in the area, and the total catch was 102 yellowtail.

The Pacifica was on an extended two-day trip, and Gary Moraschi of Redondo Beach won the jackpot with a 34-pound yellowtail. Torrance fishermen Skip Owens and Ken Youngchilds each caught 25-pounders.

The Outer Limit’s jackpot winner was Torrance angler Mike Doyle, who caught a 44 1/2-pound yellowtail.

The Long Beach Sportfishing boat Toronado fished the area, and anglers caught 44 yellows. The jackpot winner was Long Beach fisherman Jung Park, who caught a 42-pounder.

Second place went to Culver City fisherman Bob Nyda, who had a 39-pounder.

Anglers aboard the Redondo Sportfishing’s Blackjack returned with 32 yellows. Chad Visessing of Redondo Beach caught the jackpot winner with a 42-pounder.

Anglers aboard the 22nd St. Landing’s Islander failed to have any large fish or a jackpot winner, but the group returned with 83 yellowtail.

Locally, fishing improved after the winds tapered off last weekend.

Anglers aboard the Redondo Sportfishing’s Sea Spray have been catching near-limits of calico bass, sculpin, sheepshead and halibut.

Jason Abbott of Redondo Beach won the jackpot with a 17-pound sheepshead.

Marina del Rey Sportfishing reports that day boats Del Mar and Spitfire found the halibut bite improving in Santa Monica Bay. The fish are starting to feed on anchovies and cut squid.

Tony Skarrich of Santa Monica caught a 26-pound halibut.

With Catalina Island’s abalone population nearly extinct, a support group formed by the Catalina Conservancy will be attempting to refurbish the island’s fishery.

Southern California Edison has donated 500 abalone to start the project.

The abalone will be placed in specially constructed tubes, which will house 100 of the fish.

A team of divers, headed by Catalina Conservancy diver Harry Pecorell, will place the fish in the protected area of Lover’s Cove near Avalon.

The divers will continue to monitor the progress of the fish. Long-range plans are to place 200,000 more fish around the island’s coves.

South Bay catches: Fred Lux of Long Beach, aboard the Pacifica off San Clemente Island, caught the whopper of the week--a 45-pound white seabass.

Joe Christianson of Malibu, fishing at the flats aboard the Aquarius, caught a 34-pound halibut.

Dan Fouts of Torrance, fishing aboard the Grande off San Clemente Island, caught a 30-pound yellowtail.

Gregory Shiozaki of Palos Verdes, fishing off San Clemente Island aboard the Shogun, caught a 25-pound ling cod.

Freshwater notes: Rico Curtis of Gardena, fishing Irvine Lake, caught a five-fish limit of trout weighing an average of four pounds.

Torrance fishermen Mel Shima and Ron Smith fished Irvine Lake and caught catfish up to 14 pounds.

Greg Owens of Hawthorne, fishing Walker Lake, landed a 21 1/2-pound catfish.