FISHING / DAN STANTON : Sand Bass May Be Seeking Cooler and Deeper Water

The annual migration of sand bass along South Bay beaches has slowed in the past week.

Sand bass runs start in early June when the fish move into sandy areas to spawn. Normally the fish leave the areas at the end of summer.

The sandies were being caught at a record pace this summer. It was not uncommon for anglers to return with a 10-fish limit of sandies weighing up to six pounds.

Boat captains on twilight trips believe that water temperatures hovering around 70 degrees have caused the fish to leave the area early to seek cooler, deeper water.

Capt. Russ Izor, who has been helping the Department of Fish and Game tag the bass for the past four years, said the program has been discontinued for the summer. A total of 516 sandies were tagged.

It is not uncommon for sand bass to be caught during the fall and winter months, but not in significant numbers.

The warm waters have not only helped bring tuna, dorado and skipjack to Southern California waters, but also fish common to the eastern Pacific and Chile.

Last weekend anglers aboard the First String, which was offshore from San Clemente Island, had an unusual discovery. A fish, black in color with dark eyes, a long body and tiger-like teeth, was brought aboard the vessel. Cabrillo Marine Museum biologist Jeff Landesman was notified and greeted the boat to pick up the five-foot fish.

Landesman identified the fish as a snake mackerel, which is found in depths of 3,000 feet. The museum plans to display the snake mackerel in its rare fish collection.

King Harbor Marlin Club members have been kept busy in the last week.

Lucie Naschel won the Tate Memorial women’s tournament with a 130-pound marlin. She used 30-pound test line to catch the fish, which she released after bringing it to scale.

Stan Eckland, aboard his boat Hooker, tagged and released three marlin.

Junior club member Eric Benzie, aboard the Legacy, caught a 20-pound yellowtail and an 11 1/2-pound skipjack.

Anglers fishing kelp beds offshore from the outer islands last weekend were rewarded with several good-sized fish.

The 22nd Street Landing boat Indian returned with 51 yellowtail and three bluefin tuna.

Two San Pedro fishermen earned jackpots. Bob Schwing caught a 23-pound yellowtail and George King hooked a 20-pounder.

The Los Angeles Harbor boat Sportking was on a three-quarter day trip offshore from Catalina and returned with 56 yellowtail between 10 to 30 pounds.

Ernie Marin of Redondo Beach and Glen Solmon of Long Beach each caught a 30-pound yellowtail.

Rosie Cadman said 88 marlin have been brought to the Avalon scale, surpassing the 1991 total of 57.

Bob Hufnager of Redondo Beach caught the largest marlin of the week, a 155-pounder.

Local update: Half-day boats have been returning with catches of calico bass, and Santa Monica Bay remains a good area for barracuda and small yellowtail.

Island update: Catches of yellowtail offshore from Catalina have been improving, with some of the fish weighing more than 30 pounds.

The best bait has been small mackerel.

South Bay catches: Juan Marandanda of Redondo Beach, aboard the Blackjack at Osborne Bank, caught the whopper of the week--a 34-pound yellowfin tuna.

Matt Espinoza of Long Beach, aboard the Toronado offshore from Catalina, used a jig to catch a 32 1/2-pound yellowtail.

Lee Weisemar of Venice, aboard the Sumo at Osborne Bank, caught a 28-pound yellowfin.

Monty Pardow of San Pedro, aboard the Shogun, caught a 28-pound yellowfin.

Mark Keller of San Pedro, aboard the Defiant at Osborne Bank, caught a 20-pound yellowfin.

Ted Hale, aboard the Southern Cal, caught a 20-pound yellowtail at the rigs.