FISHING : Area Fleet Continues to Report Favorable Conditions, Catches of Tuna

In a normal year, the water temperature drops and surface action begins to slow during September.

It is a time when the area’s sportfishing fleet begins to search for bass and rockfish.

But with the ongoing El Nino ocean water conditions, the surface temperature has remained at about 70 degrees, and tuna--some in excess of 50 pounds--continue to be caught on one- and two-day trips to the Tanner and Cortez banks.

Last weekend, anglers aboard area sportfishing boats returned with excellent catches of tuna, skipjack and yellowfin tuna.

Toronado, a Long Beach Sportfishing boat on a one-day trip, worked Tanner Bank and returned with 56 bluefin tuna. Jim Walsh of Long Beach landed a 53-pounder.

Elsewhere, Reel Special, a boat from the landing, was fishing offshore of Catalina Island for yellowtail when a marlin was spotted. Corby Jackson of Long Beach hooked the marlin and brought it to gaff in 20 minutes. It weighed 135 pounds.

Los Angeles Harbor’s First String and Shogun found tuna during a recent trip. Catches of note included George Tabhta of West Los Angeles with a 50-pound bluefin, Randy Scott of Redondo Beach with a 40 1/2-pound bluefin and Matt Linser of Hermosa Beach with a 39 1/2-pound bluefin.

Trina Pena of Torrance also caught her first-ever tuna, a 36-pounder.

San Pedro anglers who caught tuna included Pam Lorenz with a 53-pounder, Walt Weit with a 52-pounder and Anthony Popv with a 35-pounder.

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The 11th annual King Harbor Marlin Club vs. the Marina del Rey Anglers tag-and-release tournament was won by the King Harbor club.

A total of 19 marlin were tagged and released, including 13 by the King Harbor Marlin Club.

The first-place boat was the Sea Hawk. The top angler, with three marlin, was Steve Magdurer.

Rosie Cadman, the weighmaster at the Avalon scale, reports that the season total of marlin has reached 156.

Last weekend, the largest marlin was caught by Marilyn Stevens of Manhattan Beach. It weighed 208 pounds.

Also brought to the scale last weekend was a 201 1/2-pound broadbill caught by Long Beach’s Allen Schlanger, who was aboard the Tight Line.

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Local update: Barracuda have returned and are biting again at Horseshoe Kelp.

An increase in the number of yellowtail and calico bass being caught in the Rocky Point area was reported by Redondo Sport Fishing boats.

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South Bay catches: Alec Taylor of Long Beach, aboard the Toronado at Tanner Bank, caught the whopper of the week--a 55-pound bluefin.

Jim Dafley of Venice, aboard the Sumo at Tanner Bank, caught a 40-pound bluefin.

Randy Majors of Long Beach, aboard the Reel Special at Tanner Bank, caught a 35-pound yellowtail.

Mike Pavely of Redondo Beach, aboard the City of Redondo at Rocky Point, caught a 25-pound yellowtail.