FISHING / DAN STANTON : Catches of Bonito, Skipjack on the Rise

Despite a fluctuating water temperature, catches of bonito and skipjack improved last weekend at the rigs and Horseshoe Kelp.

From Horseshoe Kelp to Santa Monica Bay, streaks of warm currents were noted. The water temperature ranged between 67 and 70 degrees.

Fishing in an area outside the rigs, Long Beach Sportfishing’s Victory returned with 150 skipjack--one of the area’s largest one-day catches of skipjack this year. Mike Blue of Long Beach caught a 12-pounder.

Catches of bluefin tuna have declined, but overnight boats have been finding yellowfin tuna at Cortez and Tanner banks.

Tuna have been found from Catalina Island’s east end to an area off San Clemente Island.

Anglers have been catching tuna near the bottom in shallow water. Anglers on tuna trips have also been catching rockfish.

Long Beach Sportfishing’s Aztec returned Tuesday morning from a two-day trip to the banks and anglers caught 70 yellowfin, 100 skipjack, a bluefin, 200 rockfish and numerous cow cod, including one up to 20 pounds.

Albert Sanchez of Long Beach caught a 25-pound yellowfin.

The Los Angeles Harbor boat First String made a trip to Tanner Bank and returned with 72 yellowfin and 150 whitefish.

The landing’s Shogun and Pacifica also worked Tanner Bank and returned with yellowfin and rockfish.

Larry Burke of West Los Angeles caught a 35-pound tuna and San Pedro fisherman Don Hart caught a 25-pounder.

Private boats have been snagging squid under the lights at Redondo Canyon for use as bait.

Squid is an excellent bait for white sea bass and yellowtail, which are caught at Rocky Point and the outer islands during the winter months.

Steve and Nancy Walker of Harbor City were trolling with jigs Monday from their skiff near Horseshoe Kelp when they had a double strike.

Nancy reeled in a bonito that was too small to keep, but Steve watched as his 20-pound test line was spooled. Moments later, he saw that a seal had grabbed his catch.

The seal finally released the line and Walker was able to bring what was left of his catch--a yellowtail--to the boat.

The Walkers later fished off Point Fermin and caught six calico bass and a sheephead.

Rosie Cadman of Avalon reports that 213 marlin have been brought to the weigh station. Cadman said most of the fish have been caught at Osborne Bank.

South Bay catches: David Harney of Long Beach, who was on an 11-day trip aboard the Royal Polaris, caught the trip’s largest fish--a 100-pound yellowfin.

Jeff Kane of San Pedro, aboard the Pacifica at Tanner Bank, caught the whopper of the week--a 54-pound yellowfin.

Larry Burke of Long Beach, aboard the First String, caught a 32-pound yellowfin while trolling at Tanner Bank.

Glen Hinman of West Los Angeles, aboard the Shogun off San Clemente Island, caught a 25-pound yellowtail.

Eric Landesfriend, aboard the El Dorado at the rigs, caught a 25-pound ling cod.

Margret King of Wilmington, aboard the Hitless Miss at Rocky Point, caught a 21 1/2-pound yellowtail.