FISHING : After 44 Years, Bait Supplier for Area Fleet Decides to Sell Business

Verna, 57, who became the dominant bait supplier for the South Bay fleet, decided to sell his business in order to go into semi-retirement.

Verna, who started as a deckhand on the sportfishing boat Sea Biscuit in 1948, will stay active as a partner with Jim Peterson, L.A. Harbor Sportfishing captain.

Verna learned the bait business in the 1950s and ‘60s while working on the San Pedro-based bait boats Orka and Billy Boy. He eventually got a job on the City of Long Beach, which was owned by Pierpoint Landing.

When Pierpoint closed in 1972, Verna purchased the City of Long Beach. He later purchased the Chovey Clipper and updated it to better locate schools of bait.

Through the years, Verna said locating bait has become more difficult. Because of an increase in ship traffic and dredge operations in the harbor, much of the bait has moved out of the area. Verna said on many occasions his four-man crew had to travel as far south as Oceanside to obtain an ample supply of bait.

Varna’s most memorable experience came two years ago, when he and his crew set their net over a school of anchovies only to catch a shark.

The shark towed the boat in circles for 30 minutes until the crew was finally able to gain control. They towed the fish back to the dock and untangled it from the net.

A party for Verna will be held Wednesday at the Long Beach Yacht Club.

A trip to Rancho Buena Vista in Mexico proved fruitful for Tom and Bernie Hinderman.

The Rancho Palos Verdes fishermen returned after catching 12 yellowfin tuna that weighed between 25-70 pounds.

Local update--Schools of barracuda, which had been appearing in large numbers near Horseshoe Kelp and Catalina Island, have moved north.

On Tuesday, the Redondo Sport Fishing boat Sea Spray returned from a trip off Point Dume with 178 barracuda. It was the largest one-day catch of barracuda by a South Bay boat this year.

Rocky Point continues to be a hot spot for white seabass, with several fish averaging more than 30 pounds.

South Bay catches--Peter Ananta of Redondo Beach, fishing off Rocky Point aboard the Redondo Special, used a sardine for bait and caught the whopper of the week--a 42-pound white seabass.

Arnold Miller of Wilmington, aboard the Hitless Miss at the Rock Pile, caught a 33 1/2-pound white seabass.

Simon Laranga of West Los Angeles, aboard the Happyman at the pipeline area, caught a 30-pound halibut.

Marc Spartacus of Long Beach, aboard the Pacifica off Catalina Island’s west end, caught a 15-pound halibut.