FISHING / DAN STANTON : Yellowtail Fishing Is an Overnight Success

South Bay overnight boats have been chasing tuna, dorado and skipjack between Catalina and San Clemente islands the past week with mixed results.

Although no large numbers of tuna have been caught, yellowtail, skipjack and dorado have been plentiful.

The Long Beach Sportfishing boat Toronado fished kelp patties Wednesday and returned with 200 skipjack and 100 dorado. On Sunday, Paul Mauler of Redondo Beach caught a 25-pound yellowtail aboard the Toronado.

The Los Angeles Harbor boat Shogun fished kelp patties off the east end of San Clemente Island on Wednesday. The 20 anglers caught 94 skipjack and 10 yellowfin tuna weighing up to 25 pounds. Redondo Beach fisherman Brian Shibata won the jackpot with a 25-pound yellowfin and Steve Wareham of San Pedro caught three tuna between 18 and 23 pounds.

Last weekend, the Long Beach Sportfishing boat Phanthom returned with 20 tuna and 10 dorado. Brian Smith of Long Beach caught a 25-pound tuna.

The Reel Special worked the 14-mile bank on Monday and returned with 27 yellowtail and six dorado. The jackpot went to Gary Nusheta of Long Beach, who caught a 25 1/2-pound yellowtail.

The 22nd Street Landing boat Freedom worked kelp patties for 62 yellowtail and 10 dorado. Gordon Gardner of Venice caught an 18-pound yellowtail.

On a three-quarter day trip Monday, the L.A. Harbor boat First String worked kelp patties near the rigs in the morning and the flats in the afternoon. Anglers aboard the boat caught barracuda and sand bass. Tom Gaston of Gardena was the jackpot winner with a 13-pound dorado.

Anglers aboard the Annie B Barge have been catching barracuda, but only six legal-size fish were caught during the past week. The legal limit is 28 inches. The biggest barracuda was caught by David Lane of San Pedro, who used a blue jig to land a 6 1/2-pounder.

One hundred anglers participated in the Venice Anglers shark tournament Saturday and Sunday.

Only seven sharks were brought to the scale.

Venice fisherman Gary Wilson, fishing out from Malibu, won the tournament with a 131 1/2-pound thresher shark.

Second place went to Venice fisherman Bill Kittle, who caught a 77 1/2-pound thresher.

King Harbor Marlin Club member Laura Tanka, aboard the boat Legacy in Santa Monica Bay, used eight-pound test line to catch a 9-pound 8-ounce bonito. According to club spokesman Ray Hawkes, the fish could be an International Game and Fish class record for women.

Rosie Cadman reports that 15 marlin have been brought to the Avalon weigh station.

On Sunday, Ken Brookins and Hamilton Barnardo, fishing three miles out from Catalina Island’s slide area, hooked marlin using jigs.

Brookins’ fish was the largest--a 181-pounder. Barnardo’s marlin was tagged and released.

Local update: With local water temperatures above 70 degrees, anglers aboard half-day South Bay boats are reporting some outstanding catches.

Anglers aboard Redondo and Santa Monica Bay boats have been catching skipjack, barracuda and big sand bass on twilight trips.

The action at the rigs for barracuda and yellowtail is rated as good, but most of the yellowtail are small and anglers have been releasing nearly all of the them.

Anglers have been catching bonito at horseshoe kelp and rocky point with some of the fish weighing in excess of 10 pounds.

South Bay catches: Tom Reynolds of Torrance, fishing from his boat No Name off Torrance Beach, used a herring for bait to catch the whopper of the week, a 40-pound, 6-ounce halibut.

Chris Williams of Torrance, aboard the Shogun, pulled a 38-pound yellowtail from kelp patties off San Clemente Island.

Dennis Wendsaver of Torrance, aboard the American Angler eight miles off Point Loma, caught a 34 1/2-pound bluefin tuna.

Mike Murphy of Long Beach, aboard the First String at Catalina, caught a 27 1/2-pound yellowtail.

Peter Villanveva of San Pedro, aboard the Sportking at the 14-mile bank, landed an 18-pound bluefin tuna.