FISHING : Anglers Return With Their Full Limit of Cod

For anglers who enjoy the challenge of wrestling with one of the most powerful denizens of the deep and want an opportunity to catch their 15-fish limit, this is an excellent time to fish for rock cod.

Anglers have been catching cod in record numbers this winter. Last year, anglers were hard-pressed to catch their limit.

South Bay Sportfishing captains are urging anglers to use a five-hook rig when fishing for cod. With this rig, sportfishermen can often catch two or more fish during a sweep and reduce lag time needed to retrieve or cast their rig to depths of 500 feet or more.

There are more than 50 species of rockfish that anglers can catch at such depths. Among the most popular are cow cod, lingcod and the salmon grouper.

The Pacifica, a rock cod boat that runs out of L.A. Harbor Sportfishing, returned Monday from a 1 1/2-day trip off San Clemente Island. The 16 anglers aboard caught limits of red, cow cod and lingcod.

Captain Keith Brewer said most of the trips this winter have been 1 1/2-day runs to the outer islands and Cherry Bank.

With the outlook for bottom fishing off San Clemente Island looking good, more trips could be planned in the future.

Anglers who caught limits of red and lingcod during a recent trip were Howard Sasnon of Gardena and Jeff Price of Redondo Beach. Sasnon also caught a 22-pound cow cod and Price landed two lingcod that each weighed 18 pounds.

Four South Bay anglers returned from a weekend trip aboard the Long Beach Sportfishing boat Cod Special with limits on cow cod.

Pat Whittiker caught a 22-pounder and Randy Beaula, Matt Shoales and Dennis Luckenbach each caught 20-pounders.

South Bay Sportfishing landings that offer weekend deep water trips are Redondo’s Blackjack, 22nd Street Landing’s Freedom, L.A. Harbor’s Sportking and Long Beach Sportfishing’s Toronado.

One boat that goes on rock cod trips throughout the year is Marina del Rey’s Betty O, which fishes shallow and deep water rock reefs.

Brothers Larry and Lloyd Morris of Redondo Beach returned from a recent long-range trip to Clipperton Island aboard the Royal Polaris. Larry caught a 190-pound yellowfin tuna and Lloyd came away with a 159-pounder.

With the return of live squid for bait, local half-day boats are once again catching calico bass.

Rick Lyse of Long Beach, aboard the Victory at Horseshoe Kelp, caught an 8 1/2-pound calico bass.

Santa Monica Bay halibut fishing is rated good as evidenced by a 20-pounder that was caught off the Marina del Rey fishing dock by Marc Thompson.

South Bay Catches: Eric Mossman of Carson, aboard the Sportking off Catalina Island, caught the whopper of the week--a 27-pound cow cod.

Bill Miller of Long Beach, aboard the Toronado off Santa Barbara Island, caught a 26 1/2-pound cow cod.

Ralph Sobrian of Long Beach, aboard the Sportking off Catalina, also caught a 26 1/2-pound cow cod.

Ira Goldstein of Wilmington, aboard the Hitless Miss at Horseshoe Kelp, caught a 19-pound, 6-ounce sheephead.

Jeff Wang of Redondo Beach, aboard the Blackjack off Santa Barbara Island, caught a 14 1/2-pound lingcod.