FISHING / DAN STANTON : Area Fleet Reports Catches of Tuna

The expected run of tuna arrived Wednesday as the South Bay fleet, covering an area from Catalina to the 14-mile bank off Newport Beach, reported catches in 70-degree water.

Fishing kelp patties, anglers aboard the boats caught dorado, yellowtail and skipjack in addition to tuna.

Anglers aboard the 22nd Street Landing boat Freedom caught 31 skipjack, 11 yellowfin tuna, eight dorado and a bluefin tuna. Allison Ferguson of Long Beach won the jackpot with a 20-pound yellowfin.

The L.A. Harbor boat Sportking had a catch of 17 yellowfin between 20 and 25 pounds. The Los Angeles Harbor boat Shogun reported 14 dorado, several skipjack and a yellowfin. The Long Beach Sportfishing boat Toronado reported skipjack and 15 yellowfin, including a 35-pounder caught by Yosh Kamiya of Gardena.

For the 29 anglers aboard the Shogun, a recent six-day trip to Mexico was a success.

Stops were made at three islands--San Benito, Cedros and San Martin--where anglers caught limits of calico bass between five and eight pounds.

Anglers reported the water temperature was 69 or above off the islands.

Fishing kelp patties for yellowtail, the anglers caught 80 in two days. On their return trip, captain Danny Flores had anglers drop jigs to troll. Eight anglers caught yellowfin while trolling.

Rick Ozaki of Gardena won the jackpot on the trip with a 40-pound yellowtail. Don Koplow of West Los Angeles caught a 31-pound yellowtail. San Pedro fisherman Bob Seidler caught a 32-pound white seabass, and Harry White, also of San Pedro, caught a 25-pound yellowfin. Bob Hammett of Gardena caught a 20-pound yellowfin, and Jon Hayand of San Pedro landed an 18-pounder.

Rosie Cadman reported that the first marlin of the season were brought to the Avalon weigh station last weekend.

Cadman said five marlin were brought to the scale, the largest weighing 157 1/2-pounds.

Summer youth trips aboard the Annie B Barge are continuing.

A group of 60 anglers from the Palos Verdes YMCA recently used hand lines with a hook and sinker attached to a board to fish the ocean surface.

A variety of fish were caught during the four-hour trip.

Courtney Lincoln, 10, of San Pedro, caught the trip’s only barracuda. Palos Verdes anglers Tony Buititta, 9, Judy Doray, 16, and Steven August, 5, caught jack smelt and mackerel. Catching halibut were Cristina Cooper, 7, of Lomita, and Hillary Hanson, 7, of Torrance.

The Venice Anglers will hold the club’s annual shark derby on Saturday and Sunday.

Fishing begins at 12:01 a.m. Saturday and ends at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The first-place winner will earn $2,500 and the runner-up will get an expense-paid trip to Cabo San Lucas and entry to the club’s Cabo tournament.

Information: Jack Baily at (310) 392 6227).

Three South Bay anglers aboard the private boat Chovita worked the Santa Monica Bay last weekend with successful results.

Nick Curcione of Redondo Beach, using saltwater flies, caught a limit of barracuda.

Torrance fisherman Phil Friedman caught a limit of barracuda using light tackle and a jig. Included in his catch was a 9 1/4-pound bonito.

Bob Alvarez also of Torrance caught a limit of sand bass, the largest weighing 7 1/4 pounds.

Friedman said they released all sand bass that were ready to spawn.

Local update: Redondo Sport Fishing’s John Rudder reported that bonito are beginning to return to the area.

Sand bass and barracuda continue to be caught from sandy beaches and kelp areas.

In the interest of conservation, captains have anglers releasing sand bass that are ready to spawn.

Island update: Overnight boats fishing kelp patties off Catalina and Santa Barbara islands have been returning with catches of yellowtail.

With the current warm-water conditions, the outlook for consistent catches of yellowtail appear good.

South Bay catches: Martin McMullen of Redondo Beach, aboard the Blackjack off Santa Barbara Island, caught the whopper of the week, a 42-pound yellowtail. McMullen caught the fish in a kelp bed.

Bob Cote of Gardena, aboard the Shogun off Catalina, caught a 36-pound yellowtail.

Brian Beck of Long Beach, aboard the Toronado off Catalina, caught a 25-pound yellowtail.