FISHING : Anglers Must Be Cautious in Rough Conditions

Not even the most unfavorable weather conditions seem to stop small-boat and skiff anglers from fishing close to shore kelp and shallow rocky areas.

Anglers such as Jim Hargrove of Lomita take currents and wind conditions into consideration when selecting an area to fish. But even the most careful planning cannot ensure a safe and successful outing.

On a recent trip, Hargrove was drifting off White’s Point in his skiff, Little Mister, when he hooked a fish. The wind started to gust and pushed his skiff toward the shore.

By putting his reel in free spool to let the fish run, Hargrove was able to free himself and move his skiff away from the beach. He then grabbed his rod and pulled in his fish--a 29-pound halibut.

The winter white seabass run has started and anglers have been using 7/0 hooks with 20- to 40-pound test line. Live or cut squid has been the bait most frequently used.

Redondo Beach angler Terry Spooner was fishing off Rocky Point last weekend using cut squid for bait. He hooked a white seabass that weighed 48 pounds.

Six San Pedro fishermen caught their three-fish limit last weekend aboard the 22nd Street Landing’s New Longfin at Horseshoe Kelp.

It was a wide-open bite and limits were reached within an hour.

Herb Curley was the jackpot winner with a 15-pound white seabass. Jackpot contenders with 14-pounders were Chuck Graham, Frank Hall and Dave Spangler.

Jim Iteo and Ron Magesky caught white seabass weighing 13 pounds.

Fleets in outer island waters last weekend found rock cod fishing excellent, and cow cod and lingcod were particularly plentiful.

Eighteen anglers on an L.A. Harbor Sportfishing trip to Catalina Island on Sunday caught their limits of salmon grouper, cow cod and lingcod.

The trip’s jackpot went to San Pedro fisherman Anthony Funiciello, who caught a lingcod in 500 feet of water that weighed 24 pounds.

Redondo Sportfishing’s Blackjack fished Cherry Bank. The nine anglers aboard caught 12 cow cod that weighed 15 pounds or more.

Torrance fisherman Jerry Valentine won the jackpot by catching an 18-pound lingcod.

Long Beach Sportfishing’s Sharpshooter worked Kidney Bank with 10 anglers aboard. Included in their catch were 25 good-sized cow cod.

Brian Greene of Long Beach caught a golden-eye that weighed 25 pounds.

Hans Bozler of Rancho Palos Verdes returned Monday from Cabo San Lucas, where he caught five dorado and two marlin.

South Bay Catches: Larry Pietrie of Redondo Beach, aboard the Redondo Special at Rocky Point, caught the whopper of the week--a 27 1/2-pound white seabass.

Doren Dorannian of Santa Monica, in the bay aboard the Happyman, caught a 27-pound halibut.

Frank Gasperov Jr. of San Pedro, aboard the Shogun off San Clemente Island, caught a 22-pound sheephead.

Leon Davidson of Wilmington, aboard the Hitless Miss at Horseshoe Kelp, caught a 19 1/4-pound white seabass.

John Sadant of Long Beach, aboard the Phantom at Horseshoe Kelp, caught a 16-pound white seabass.

Freshwater Notes: South Bay anglers have been catching large trout at Irvine Lake.

Greg Abarrea of Long Beach caught an 8-pound 2-ounce rainbow trout and Harry Maedo of Torrance caught an 8-pounder.