FISHING / DAN STANTON : It Was a Very Good Year for Anglers

Warm water conditions helped bring an abundant supply of bait and a variety of game fish into the area in 1992.

Anglers consistently caught tuna from the outer islands to Cortez and Tanner Banks.

Yellowtail were caught under kelp paddies, and barracuda were plentiful from Horseshoe Kelp to Santa Monica Bay. The run of barracuda was so strong that catches of sand bass on sundown trips were diminished. Anglers hoping to catch sand bass often caught barracuda instead.

After a slow 1991 season, marlin were plentiful. Rosie Cadman at the Avalon weigh station said 221 marlin were brought to scale compared to only 64 in 1991.

The King Harbor Marlin Club catch-and-release program was a success. Fifty-one marlin were caught and 44 were released. Marylin Stephenes, aboard the Extra Sea, caught the club’s largest marlin: a 208-pounder. Stan Ecklund caught and released the most marlin: 18.

The club’s largest halibut was a 41 1/2-pounder caught by Tom Reynolds.

Although the Department of Fish and Game has yet to tabulate data on party boats catches, it appears that 1992 was a record season.

Local update: Schools of squid arrived last weekend at the Rocky Point area. Sunday and Monday island boats returned with small catches of yellowtail but no seabass.

Rock cod fishing continues to be good, with anglers aboard boats returning with limits.

The DFG wants to remind anglers to buy a 1993 fishing license.

Anglers who do not have a license could be fined up to $500.

South Bay catches: Jeff Shapiro of Palos Verdes, aboard the China Clipper at the Santa Rosa flats, caught a 31-pound lingcod.

Don Johnston of Redondo Beach, aboard the Pacifica offshore of Catalina, used live squid for bait and caught a 29 1/2-pound yellowtail from the kelp.

Pattie Cody of Carson, aboard the Sportking offshore of Catalina, caught a 22-pound lingcod.

Allen Olson of San Pedro, aboard the Matt Walsh, caught a 16-pound lingcod.

Sal Garcia of Wilmington, aboard the Hitless Miss at the rigs, caught a 16-pound lingcod.