FISHING : Sheepshead and Blue Perch Arrive in Area

Blue perch and sheepshead have invaded South Bay waters during the past week.

Both species have always been known to reside in waters around Catalina, and anglers have often caught perch while fishing for sheepshead. The perch often are attracted to bait used to catch sheepshead.

Consequently, many anglers view perch as somewhat of a nuisance. They have released the fish as they continued to try and catch limits of other species.

Tom Murphy of Long Beach, who has fished South Bay waters for 64 years, said that when he is out on a trip, he will keep the larger perch only when fishing is slow for other species. But Murphy, 74, can’t remember seeing as many perch in the area as he has recently.

As a method of evading perch, Murphy said he casts his line far away from the boat in order to get the bait as close to the ocean floor as possible.

John Polmino of San Pedro, aboard his skiff outside the rock pile, was using cut squid for bait and 15-pound-test line when he caught a small female sheepshead that he released.

Polmino then sent his line back to the rocky bottom and he was rewarded when he reeled in a sheepshead that weighed 24 pounds.

He said it was one of the largest sheepshead that he had caught in local waters. The sheepshead he has landed have weighed an average of 10 pounds.

Harbor City fishermen Bruce and Richard Root were drifting off Point Firmin on Monday and caught their limit of calico bass.

Richard caught a sheepshead that weighed 20 pounds.

Don Reynolds of Torrance, aboard the No Name off the Hermosa Flats, caught a 16- and a 22-pound halibut.

South Bay Sportfishing fleets have been returning from Catalina and Santa Barbara islands with limits of rock cod.

With squid in short supply, calico bass have been caught by anglers using anchovies.

Four South Bay fishermen returned from a recent trip aboard the Searcher to waters off Central Baja.

The nine-day trip was hosted by Torrance’s Phil Friedman, who is the voice of the 976-TUNA.

Bill Blake of Manhattan Beach caught a 76-pound wahoo, Chris Minick of Redondo Beach landed a 61-pound dorado, Bob Alvarez of Torrance hooked a 41-pound wahoo and Friedman reeled in a 35-pound dorado.

The King Harbor Marlin Club held its 22nd annual awards banquet Saturday night and Wolfgang Nachsel was presented with the club’s International Trophy for the biggest fish caught in 1991, a 359-pound yellowfin tuna.

He caught the fish off Mexico’s Socorro Island.

South Bay Catches: Bob Valentine of Long Beach, fishing off Catalina aboard the Sportking, used an anchovy for bait and caught the whopper of the week--a 26-pound cow cod.

Ken Lee Yang of Gardena, fishing at Horseshoe Kelp aboard the Hitless Miss, caught a 22-pound sheepshead.