FISHING / DAN STANTON : West L.A. Angler Wins Halibut Derby

The 19th annual Marina del Rey halibut derby last weekend was rated a success.

The event attracted 772 anglers and 159 two-man teams. The top three finishers won trips to Australia or Mexico.

Kirk Smith of West Los Angeles was the first-place winner with a 30-pound, 2-ounce halibut.

Harold Cabera of Beverly Hills was second with a 28-pounder caught offshore of Redondo Beach.

James Goodwing of Santa Monica finished third with a 26-pound, 6-ounce halibut caught at Twin Roads.

The first-place team event was won by James Goodwin and Fred Hollander of Santa Monica. Their catch totaled 60 pounds, 3 ounces.

An awards banquet is scheduled for Sunday at the Pacifica Hotel in Culver City.

Mike Walsh of the King Harbor Marlin Club was aboard the Happyman when he hooked a halibut on four-pound test line.

Walsh battled the halibut for 10 minutes.

The halibut weighed 20 pounds, 9.6 ounces, only ounces less than the world record for four-pound test line.

White seabass have been caught in the Rocky Point area and off Catalina Island in recent days.

Three Long Beach fishermen landed seabass using squid for bait. Steve Bell caught a 35-pounder, Keith Brewer a 30-pounder and James Bagley a 25-pounder.

The Los Angeles Harbor boat Top Gun returned with limits of calico bass and three white seabass during a trip off Catalina.

Bob Taft of San Pedro landed the largest seabass. It weighed 30 pounds.

Local half-day boats had good catches of calico bass and sheephead last weekend. Bill Powell of Long Beach caught a 13-pound sheephead.

South Bay catches: Bill Bagley of Long Beach, aboard the Reel Special off Catalina, used squid for bait to catch a 50 1/2-pound seabass. Bagley battled the fish for 20 minutes.

Marvin Ribera of Gardena, aboard the Grande at Catalina, caught a 33-pound yellowtail.

Bill Robson of West Los Angeles, fishing from the Blackjack at Catalina, pulled a 32-pound yellowtail from the kelp.

Bob Hall of Long Beach caught a 25-pound yellowtail aboard the Victory at Horseshoe Kelp.