FISHING / DAN STANTON : Anglers Report Catches of Rockfish, Sheephead and Yellowtail

Anglers aboard the Los Angeles Harbor boats Sportking and Shogun started the New Year with catches of rockfish and sheephead.

The Shogun worked San Nicholas Island and returned with 360 rock cod and 130 sheephead.

The 29 anglers aboard the Shogun caught limits of rock cod.

With squid available for bait, catches of yellowtail were reported by the Wicked Wahine. The three anglers aboard the boat reported catching 13 yellowtail offshore of Catalina.

Toshi Ozawa of West Los Angeles caught the largest yellowtail, a 17 1/2-pounder.

The 11 anglers aboard the Redondo Sport Fishing’s Sea Spray worked a rocky area close to shore and returned with limits of rock cod and lingcod.

There are only a few species of marine turtles remaining.

Among those, the black turtle is on the endangered species list.

Larry Fukuhara of the Cabrillo Marine Museum in San Pedro was a guest of a turtle recovery project sponsored by a Mexican university. Fukuhara traveled to Mexico to work on the project.

For six nights, Fukuhara watched turtles make their nests, lay their eggs and return to sea.

Staff members would then retrieve the eggs and bury them in a fenced area, where they are monitored.

When the eggs hatch in 50 days, the turtles are released during the night, when there are fewer predators.

There were several turtles reported this past summer at Catalina and San Clemente islands and the Cortez Bank.

In November, the Shogun had two black turtles tangle in anglers’ lines as they were bringing in a fish.

The turtles were brought aboard and released unharmed. The turtles were estimated to weigh 30 pounds.

South Bay catches: Dennis Thys of Long Beach, aboard the Pacifica offshore of Catalina, used live squid and caught the whopper of the week, a 28-pound yellowtail.

Jeff Price of Long Beach, aboard the Grande at the Cortez Bank, caught a 20-pound lingcod.

Jim Ferguson of Venice caught an 18 1/2-pound halibut aboard the Spitfire out from the Santa Monica Bay reef.

Andy Watkins of Lawndale, aboard the Hitless Miss at the Rock Pile, caught a 16 3/4-pound lingcod.

Redondo Sport Fishing is offering two daily departures for whale watching through April 4. The Pacific gray whale can been seen on its annual migration to Mexico.

All trips are fully narrated and passengers are guaranteed a free weekday pass if no whales are spotted.

Departures are at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. weekdays, and 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on weekends. Tickets are $8 on weekdays and $11 on weekends for adults. Group and children’s rates are also available.

Information: (310) 372-2111 or (213) 772-2064.