FISHING : Anglers Try to Get a Grip on Annual Grunion Run

The annual grunion season goes into full swing Saturday night along South Bay beaches.

From March through August, the grunion will be coming ashore as part of their mating ritual.

Grunion are among the few species of fish that come ashore to lay their eggs upon sandy beaches.

When the tides are at their highest level, the beach may be covered with the glistening, wriggly fish.

The females, which are the first to swim ashore, burrow into the wet sand and can lay as many as 3,000 eggs at a time.

The males follow and fertilize the eggs. Then the males and females attempt to catch the next wave and head back to sea.

It usually takes 10 days for the eggs to incubate and, with the next high tide, the newborn grunion will get washed out to sea.

Once again, the Cabrillo Marine Museum in San Pedro will conduct observation tours along South Bay beaches. Information and reservations: (310) 548-7562.

There is no limit on grunion catches although the Department of Fish and Game suggests that participants take only what they can use.

A fishing license is required for everyone 16 years and older.

Grunion must be caught by hand and no holes may be dug to trap them.

With a recent rise of water temperature from about 56 to 62 degrees, bonito are appearing in large numbers at Horseshoe Kelp and off Santa Catalina Island.

On a half-day trip to Horseshoe Kelp, Long Beach Sportfishing’s Southern Cal not only reported a good bonito catch, but a sizable number of barracuda were also landed.

Anglers aboard L.A. Harbor’s Sportking, which was off Catalina Island, caught their limit of bonito last weekend. Although the barracuda bite was good, most of the fish were not legal size and were released.

Santa Monica Bay has been excellent for catching halibut.

Aboard Redondo’s Sea Spray at Twin Roads, Greg Bryan of Redondo Beach caught a 26 1/2-pound halibut.

Yuda Cohen of Santa Monica, in the bay aboard the Spitfire, caught a 19 1/2-pound halibut.

Anglers Ray and Barbara Hawkes returned Monday from a surf-fishing trip to Point Sal Torrance. They caught their 10-fish limit of perch within two hours.

Hawkes said they were using anchovies for bait and the fish averaged more than two pounds each.

The first of two spring halibut derbies has been set for Saturday and Sunday in Marina del Rey.

Proceeds from the 18th annual Marina del Rey Derby will benefit the Boy Scouts of America.

There will be $25,000 in prizes offered by sponsors and Marina del Rey anglers.

Information: (213) 822-7090.

South Bay Catches: Tony Villanueva of Hermosa Beach, aboard the Predator outside the bay, caught the whopper of the week--a 34-pound halibut.

Jim Hargrave of San Pedro, aboard the Sleestack I at Horseshoe Kelp, caught a 23-pound white seabass.

Howard Tanaka of West Los Angeles, aboard the Happyman in the bay, caught a 20-pound halibut.

Jim Cutter of San Pedro, aboard the Shogun off San Clemente Island, caught a 18-pound halibut.

Grunion Runs

Date Spawning Run OPEN SEASON March 21 10:45 p.m.-12:45 a.m.* March 6 10:10 p.m.-12:10 a.m.* March 7 10:40 p.m.-12:40 a.m.* March 8 11:10 p.m.-1:10 a.m.* March 9 11:55 p.m.-1:55 p.m.* March 20 10:10 p.m.-12:10 a.m.* March 21 10:45 p.m.-12:45 a.m.* March 22 11:25 p.m.-1:25 a.m.* March 23 12:15 a.m.-2:15 a.m.* CLOSED SEASON April 4 9:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m. April 5 11:05 p.m.-1:05 a.m.* April 6 11:40 p.m.-1:40 a.m.* April 7 12:30 a.m.-2:30 a.m.* April 18 10:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m.* April 19 11:10 p.m.-1:10 a.m.* April 20 11:45 p.m.-1:45 a.m.* April 21 12:30 a.m.-2:30 a.m.* May 4 10:45 p.m.-12:45 a.m.* May 5 11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.* May 6 12:20 a.m.-2:20 a.m.* May 7 1:30 a.m.-3:30 a.m.* May 18 10:40 p.m.-12:40 a.m.* May 19 11:20 p.m.-1:20 a.m.* May 20 11:55 p.m.-1:55 a.m.* May 21 12:45 a.m.-2:45 a.m.* OPEN SEASON June 2 10:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m.* June 3 11:25 p.m.-1:25 a.m.* June 4 12:20 a.m.-2:20 a.m.* June 5 1:20 a.m.-3:20 a.m.* June 16 10:20 a.m.-12:20 a.m.* June 17 11 p.m.-1 a.m.* June 18 11:35 p.m.-1:35 a.m.* June 19 12:15 a.m.-2:15 a.m.* July 2 11:20 p.m.-1:20 a.m.* July 3 12:10 a.m.-2:10 a.m.* July 4 1:15 a.m.-3:15 a.m.* July 5 2:25 a.m.-4:25 a.m.* July 16 10:40 p.m.-12:40 a.m.* July 17 11:15 p.m.-1:15 a.m.* July 18 11:50 p.m.-1:50 a.m.* July 19 12:25 a.m.-2:25 a.m.* July 31 11:10 p.m.-1:10 a.m.* Aug. 1 Midnight-2 a.m.* Aug. 2 1 a.m.-3 a.m.* Aug. 3 2:15 a.m.-4:15 a.m.* Aug. 15 10:55 p.m.-12:55 a.m.* Aug. 16 11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.* Aug. 17 12:10 a.m.-2:10 a.m.* Aug. 18 12:55 a.m.-2:55 a.m.*

*-Where the time of the expected run is after midnight, the date of the previous evening is shown.