FISHING / DAN STANTON : Rough Seas Keep Fleet in Waters Near Shore

A storm front off the coast of Northern California brought large swells that restricted South Bay party boats to local waters last weekend.

The overnight boats that fished off San Clemente Island had to stop at Catalina first to avoid a rough crossing.

Good-size barracuda and calico bass were caught on cut squid. Most of the fleet ran out of bait by early morning and anglers had to resort to using jigs.

Anglers aboard the Long Beach Sportfishing boat Aztec returned with catches of barracuda and calico bass.

Long Beach fisherman Mike Smith used a piece of squid to land a 47-pound mako shark. Smith, who was using 20-pound test line, had to battle the fish for 10 minutes before bringing it aboard.

Charles Harwood of Wilmington was aboard the Wave Hopper on Monday. He was trolling for bonito off of Horseshoe Kelp when a mako shark took his jig. After several jumps out of the water, the fish snapped his 20-pound test line.

Harwood went to heavy tackle and started trolling again. After getting another strike, he stopped the boat. He was able to bring the mako to the boat before releasing it. He estimated the fish weighed 30 pounds.

Local update: By Tuesday morning, the wind and swells had subsided and half-day boats were able to locate barracuda and calico bass.

Anglers aboard the City of Redondo, which was fishing off Rocky Point, returned with several good-size fish, including a 14-pound white seabass.

Anglers aboard the Matt Walsh caught calico bass at Horseshoe Kelp, with the average fish weighing five pounds.

Santa Monica fisherman Mory Gold, Sidney Kronberg and Glen Gavit each returned with six calico bass.

Two Long Beach fishermen returned last weekend from five days of fishing off Cabo San Lucas and Loreto.

Ralph Lopez caught a 120-pound marlin. Make Marino caught an 88-pound marlin and several dorado, the biggest weighing 30 pounds.

Don Warren of San Pedro, returning from 12-day trip to Clarion Island aboard the Qualifier, caught several yellowfin tuna, the biggest weighing 300 pounds. He also had catches of dorado and wahoo.

Torrance fisherman Wolfgang Nachsel caught and released a 160-pound marlin on a trip to Loreto.

Steven Alexander, who was snorkeling from his skiff, speared a 25-pound bluefin tuna on Tuesday off Catalina, according to Rosie Cadman of the Avalon weigh station.

Cadman said it is the first bluefin tuna brought to the Avalon scales this year.

South Bay catches: Steve Kishista of Torrance, aboard the Aquarius off of the big rock area, caught the whopper of the week, a 36-pound white seabass.

David Sidras of Avalon, aboard the Team Work off the east end of Catalina, caught a 25 1/2-pound yellowtail.

Floyd Eldridge of Long Beach, aboard the Victory at Horseshoe Kelp, caught a 23-pound yellowtail.

Brian Warner of Long Beach, aboard the First String off Catalina, caught a 22-pound white seabass.

Mel Brown of Carson, aboard the Hitless Miss at Horseshoe Kelp, caught a 21 1/2-pound halibut.

Freshwater notes: Steve Fong of Gardena, fishing at Irvine Lake, caught a 10 1/2-pound trout.

Larry Strand of Long Beach, fishing at Irvine Lake, caught a 10-pound 7-ounce catfish.

Brad Kouno of Torrance, fishing at Crowley Lake, caught a 20-inch rainbow trout.

Don White of Torrance, fishing from his float tube at Twin Lakes, caught a 14-inch trout.