FISHING : His Training as a Captain Started at Redondo Pier

Ever since he was a youth, recreational fishing has been an important part of Pat Conklin’s life.

Conklin, 39, who grew up within walking distance of the Redondo Pier, said he never leaves home without fishing gear in hand.

As a youth, he started fishing along the pier and harbor breakwater rocks. When he was 8, his father took him aboard the Redondo Barge for his first ocean trip.

At age 12, he started scrubbing decks and cleaning fish for Redondo Sport Fishing every afternoon to satisfy his desire to be aboard a boat.

Conklin spent summer vacations as a deckhand. The first boat he worked on was Redondo Sport Fishing’s Sea Angler.

From 1967 through 1970, he became the top deckhand aboard Redondo Sport Fishing’s Pursuit. Besides learning about operating a boat, Conklin would discover several prime fishing areas.

When he was 18, Conklin joined the crew of the 22nd Street Landing boat Sharpshooter. He advanced his knowledge about sportfishing in the summer and gained insight to commercial fishing in the winter.

At 21, Conklin obtained his captain’s license and became relief skipper of the Redondo Special and a shore boat that went to the barge.

In 1974, he became captain of the 22nd Street Landing’s Grande.

His first trip aboard the Grande as a huge success. Anglers caught 70 halibut and limits of calico bass at a location that he likes to refer to as his “secret spot.”

But like most skippers, Conklin had a dream of owning his own boat. That dream was realized in 1985 when he purchased the 42-foot Reel Special.

Conklin ran charters out of Long Beach and Redondo from 1985 until 1988, when he sold the boat.

For the last two years, Conklin has been captain of the 93-foot First String.

Conklin’s most memorable trip occurred last year. Anglers aboard the boat were having a slow afternoon in local waters and he decided to head south. He took the passengers south to Dana Point, where he found a large school of barracuda. The group of anglers caught 600 barracuda, a one-day record for the First String.

Conklin also helps first-time anglers rig up lines and gives them instructions on how to reel in their fish.

With the annual whale migration under way, Conklin will be taking passengers on trips until March.

While searching for whales, he will give a narration about the history and migration process of the large mammals, which are traveling toward Baja.

Conklin remains optimistic regarding the future of recreation sportfishing. He says restrictions on the use of gill nets and the possible return of an El Nino could improve the success of one-day trips.

Redondo fishermen Jack Wright and Ron Rademacher returned with a good catch after fishing over the weekend off San Martin Island in Mexico.

Wright caught a 60-pound yellowtail, which he said was one of the largest he has ever caught, and Rademacher landed a 30-pound grouper.

With squid in short supply, calico bass fishing continues to be slow. But halibut fishing in Santa Monica Bay is improving.

Rock cod was in plentiful supply for boats fishing the islands over the weekend. Anglers easily caught their limits with cow cod and golden eye reaching over 20 pounds.

South Bay Catches: Kevin Gregory of San Pedro, fishing off Catalina Island aboard the Sportking, caught the whopper of the week--a 28-pound 4-ounce cow cod. He hooked the fish at a depth of 600 feet.

Tom Grogan of Redondo Beach, aboard the Pacifica at Cherry Bank, caught a 23-pound cow cod. Chris Avila of Redondo Beach, off Catalina aboard the Sportking, caught a 22-pound cow cod.

Cecil Thompson of West Los Angeles, aboard the Freedom off Santa Barbara Island, caught a 22-pound cow cod.

David Field of Venice, aboard the Spitfire off Santa Monica Bay, caught a 17-pound halibut.