FISHING / DAN STANTON : Calico Bass Catches Improve Despite the Rainy Weather

Despite recent rains, sportfishing in the South Bay has been excellent.

A lack of high seas has allowed sportfishing boats to better locate schools of calico bass, sculpin and sheepshead. And the lack of wind has also enabled overnight rock cod boats to fish shallow areas around outer islands.

Catches of calico bass have been especially plentiful.

Allen Olsen of San Pedro, aboard the Matt Walsh at Horseshoe Kelp, caught a 10-pound calico, only to lose the jackpot to El Segundo fisherman James Cook, who caught a 12-pound sheepshead.

Mike Wang of San Pedro, aboard the Redondo Special, caught a limit of calico bass.

Wang, who was among a group of anglers using extra sinkers to drop their lines to the bottom in search of white seabass, also tangled with a black seabass. He was using squid for bait when he got a strike. After battling the fish for 30 minutes, he was able to bring it to the surface. Deckhands estimated the fish to weigh more than 70 pounds.

The crew then removed the hook, deflated and released the fish.

South Bay fishermen returned last week from long-range trips to Clarion Island in Mexico.

Frank Matsuhara of Torrance, aboard the Qualifier 105, caught a 208-pound yellowfin tuna plus two tuna weighing more than 100 pounds.

Don Warren of San Pedro caught a 15-pound wahoo and three yellowfin tuna. One of his yellowfins missed the jackpot but weighed more than 200 pounds.

Gardena fisherman Pete Haynes was aboard the Royal Polaris off Clarion Island and won jackpots with 263- and 248-pound yellowfins.

Rich Rodgers of San Pedro, who is captain of the Shogun, fished Lake Baccu in Mexico. He was joined by Torrance fishermen Riz Shiekh and Randy Hafdale.

Rodgers reported that the group fished for three days and caught and released 80 bass that weighed an average of five pounds.

The annual migration of the gray whale from the Arctic Ocean to the waters of Baja California is under way.

Whale watching trips are available at all South Bay Sportfishing landings.

Boats depart on two trips daily and three trips on weekends.

Narration will be provided by trained volunteers and boat captains.

South Bay Catches: Toshi Ozawa of West Los Angeles, aboard the Spitfire off Santa Monica Bay, caught the whopper of the week--a 26 1/2-pound halibut.

Mike Gonzales of Torrance, aboard the Redondo Special, caught a 25-pound lingcod.

Tom Binton of Gardena, aboard the Sharpshooter off Catalina Island, caught a 21-pound golden eye.

Mike Martinez of El Segundo, aboard the Sportking off Catalina, caught a 15-pound cow cod.

Carol Campbell of Malibu, aboard the Aquarius, caught a 17-pound lingcod.