FISHING / DAN STANTON : Anglers Use Squid to Lure Sizable Catches of Yellowtail

With a plentiful supply of squid for bait, anglers were able to catch a variety of species the past week.

At Rocky Point and Santa Catalina Island, the yellowtail bite has started. Anglers also caught bass and rock cod.

Bob Nemeck of Redondo Sport Fishing reports half-day boats on Sunday and Monday returned with 20 yellowtail. The average weight of the fish was 10 pounds.

The Los Angeles Harbor boat Shogun returned Tuesday from a trip offshore of Catalina. The 28 anglers caught 104 yellowtail, 231 barracuda and three white seabass. The yellowtail weighed up to 25 pounds.

The landing’s Top Gun, Pacifica and Shogun had a count of 118 yellowtail and 120 barracuda on Wednesday. Justin Hayano of San Pedro caught a 25 1/2-pound yellowtail on the Shogun.

The landing’s Sportking, with 13 anglers aboard, returned with 85 rock cod, 11 lingcod and eight cow cod.

Three Palos Verdes fishermen caught cow cod: Dan Kinsley with a 20 1/2-pounder; Stephen Seay with a 20-pounder and Don Kent with a 19-pounder.

The 22nd Street Landing boat Monte Carlo had a one-day count of 142 sand bass. It was the largest one-day catch of sand bass since the summer.

Normally sand bass are not caught this time of year, but for the past several days anglers aboard the local half-day boats have been reporting catches of the fish.

A spokesperson at the Department of Fish and Game said an abundance of red crabs, a favorite food of the sand bass, is a possible reason for the fish being in the area.

The Sportking, which was working the west end of Catalina, returned with an unusual catch last week.

An angler aboard the vessel was fishing in 700 feet of water with a jig when he hooked the fish. Larry Fukhara of the Cabrillo Marine Museum was called to meet the boat and identify the fish.

Fukhara ruled that the catch was a basket starfish, which has branched arms that form an intricate basket that act as a feeding apparatus.

They are known to hide under rocks during the day and collect food at night. The fish extend as far as the North Atlantic in depths to 1,500 feet.

Fukhara said the fish is the second one brought to the museum in recent years. No date has been set as to when the fish will be put on display.

Three South Bay anglers returned from long-range tuna trips with notable catches.

Ron Watanabe of Carson caught a 286-pound yellowfin and Pete Haynes of Malibu used 100-pound test line and caught a 282-pound yellowfin.

A free rock cod clinic that will feature instruction on using jigs for bottom fishing has been scheduled for Feb. 13.

The clinic will last from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Art’s Tackle, 1451 Artesia Blvd., Gardena.

South Bay catches: Chung Lee of West Los Angeles, aboard the Happyman at Ocean Park reef, caught the whopper of the week--a 32-pound halibut.

Cho Wanil of San Pedro, aboard the Sportking at Catalina, caught a 28-pound cow cod.

Roy Stone of Malibu, aboard the Gentleman at Harrison reef, caught a 25-pound lingcod.

Ken Riggs of Palos Verdes, aboard the Pacifica at the Cherry Bank, caught a 23-pound lingcod.

Jerome Farace of Hermosa Beach, aboard the Sportking at Catalina, caught an 18-pound lingcod.