Tuna Bite Is Good as Marlin Arrive

Still no end in sight to the tuna bite south of San Diego. Schools of yellowfin tuna remain scattered from an area 40-70 miles southwest of Point Loma. Surprisingly, the commercial seiners have been absent, which is good news to sportfisherman.

“There has been a pretty good bluefin bite at the Cortez Bank [off the Southland coast] so that might be a little closer for the guys in San Pedro,” said Bob Fletcher, president of the Sportfishing Assn. of California.

Meanwhile, boats from L.A. Harbor and 22nd Street Landing have been running 1 1/2-day trips to the 60-mile bank and scoring anywhere from a few tuna to 100 or so. L.A. Harbor’s First String even returned the other day with a few albacore.

Rose Cadman at Avalon Seafoods said swordfish boats have reported sighting blue marlin in local waters, and Jeff Stiles phoned The Times on Monday and left a message, saying that he and his brother Brad had caught and released a blue marlin estimated at 350-400 pounds after a four-hour fight at the 60-mile bank. Stiles did not leave his hometown or a phone number.

Catch of the week: a 292-pound yellowfin tuna by Arizona’s Doug Fowler off Cabo San Lucas aboard Gaviota Vi.

IN BRIEF

Surfing: The timing couldn’t have been better for this weekend’s World Surfing Games at Huntington Beach Pier. The first of a series of large southerly swells arrived late Monday and the surf-forecasting service Surfline/Wavetrak is predicting another swell to arrive Thursday and yet another on Saturday. Surfline, which monitors storms and swells around the world via satellite, said the waves should be four to eight feet on Saturday. The World Surfing Games will showcase the top amateur surfers in the world. More than 600 surfers from 40 nations will compete. Details: (714) 375-2188.

Day Trip: The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary is offering a cruise to “explore the submerged and cultural resources of the Sanctuary” Sunday. Featured will be an on-board touch-tank and a diver-conducted video tour of the submerged wreck, the Winfield Scott, a 225-foot side-wheel gold rush paddle steamer that slammed into Anacapa Island on a foggy night in 1835 while on a voyage from San Francisco to Panama. Departure is 8 a.m. Cost is $65 for adults, $35 for children. Details: (805) 963-3564.

FISH REPORT

The truck arrived Tuesday, a few weeks earlier than usual, but nobody was complaining at Ventura County’s Lake Piru.

That’s because the truck, from the nearby Department of Fish and Game’s Fillmore hatchery, was full of rainbow trout.

And when the trout were dumped into the lake--marking the first local trout plant since April--it gave the dozens of anglers lining the lake’s shores something other than catfish to fish for.

Nearby Lake Casitas is also on this week’s stocking list, and Los Angeles County reservoirs are scheduled to receive their first trout plants later this month.

LAKE PERRIS--Largemouth bass fishing fair to good. Bill Johnson, Chino Hills, 13-pound 4-ounce bass, on cinammon-blue plastic worm. Moses Vang, Moreno Valley, 10-4 bass, on crawdad at marina. Bob Lutz, Chino, 4-2 bass, on brown plastic worm at Sail Cove. Some bluegills taken.

IRVINE LAKE--Jeff Kuehl, Garden Grove, 48-pound catfish, on mackerel from shore. Lots of smaller catfish. Some bass, most biting on spinnerbaits and plastic worms. Crappie action fair on pearl-colored mini-jigs tipped with mealworms.

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--How steady is the catfish bite? Ron Priest, Costa Mesa, caught 74 in four hours. Most in the two-pound range with a few closer to 10. Largemouth bass fishing fair with crankbaits and plastic worms.

SILVERWOOD LAKE--Catfish best bet. Buford Dodson, Hesperia, 10-8 catfish, on chicken livers at Big Mama. David Wray, Victorville, 10-8 catfish, on mackerel at spillway. Occasional striped bass. Christie Davis, Barstow, 11-pound striper, on night crawler in channel.

GREEN VALLEY LAKE--Alpers trout plant last Friday resulted in many in three-pound range being caught. Some still in the lake. Fishing fair for near-limits of small rainbows.

LAKE CACHUMA--Largemouth bass action fair in mornings with deep-diving crankbaits and spinnerbaits. West Coast Bass Saturday tournament results: 144 fish totaling 257 pounds. Some trout biting in deep water at dam. Needlefish working best.

LAKE CASITAS--Largemouth bass fishing fair, but few big fish. Plastic worms, night crawlers and crawdads fished in shallows getting most. Sven Vanderhei, Ventura, eight- and seven-pound bass, on black plastic worm. Catfish very active. Fred Dixon, Ventura, 20-pound and two 10-pound catfish, on mackerel at Station Canyon. Frank Williamson, Oxnard, catfish of 27, 23, 18, and 12 pounds.

PYRAMID LAKE--Striped bass action picking up. Fish are boiling on surface in mornings at dam and Bear Trap, biting on top-water lures. Largemouth and smallmouth bass taking plastics along shore. Bluegills biting on mealworms at dam and marina. Catfish biting on mackerel at marina. Cornelius Smith, Los Angeles, 20 catfish, largest 15-pounds.

LAKE PIRU--Largemouth bass action fair with plastic worms and crawdads. Some trout biting in deep water at dam. Catfish bite fair.

CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass fishing fair. Mike Woernley, Canyon Country, several bass, largest 9-8, on plastic worms and crawdads. Craig Augenstein, Mission Hills, 11-8 bass, on GS Trout lure on lower lake. Emilio Villatoro, Hollywood, 9-4 bass, on night crawler.

LAKE SKINNER--Some striped bass biting at inlet--the largest was a 10-pounder caught on an anchovy--but action is fairly slow. Largemouth bass best bet, biting on plastic worms at north shore, averaging one-three pounds. Catfish fair at dam and middle of lake.

EASTERN SIERRA--Bishop: Lake Sabrina best bet for big fish, with Alpers trout biting on standard baits and lures. Limits common there and at North and South lakes. Bishop Creek yield fair on worms, matukas and woolly-buggers. Owens River slow. Mammoth Lakes area: Lots of limits or near limits in all areas. Few big fish. Small browns biting at Convict Lake inlet. June Lake loop: Power Bait and night crawlers producing near limits of pan-sized trout at all lakes. Rush Creek fair on salmon eggs. Bridgeport area: East Walker River “red hot,” according to local reports, with browns, including two at 9-8, caught all day Monday and Tuesday. Entire river fishable and wadeable. Bridgeport Reservoir almost as good, with float-tubers using matuka flies doing well in front of blue house, and bait fishermen using inflated night crawlers and chartreuse Power Bait doing well at East Walker channel. West Walker River producing on small muddler-minnows, bead-head prince nymphs and yellow humpies, as well as small spinners. Kirman Lake good for brook trout to 22 inches. Scuds and olive leech-pattern flies getting most.

Saltwater

SAN SIMEON--18 anglers (1 boat): 9 lingcod, 21 red snapper, 87 red rock cod, 40 rock cod, 86 assorted rockfish.

MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--17 anglers (1 boat): 1 lingcod, 60 red rock cod, 86 rock cod. Albacore boat--12 anglers 40 albacore.

SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--7 anglers (1 boat): 43 calico bass, 14 sand bass, 5 sculpin, 8 rockfish. (Hornet Landing)--9 anglers (1 boat): 35 calico bass, 7 sand bass, 1 sculpin, 8 barracuda, 2 rockfish, 1 sheephead, 150 mackerel.

VENTURA--22 anglers (2 boats): 106 calico bass, 29 sand bass, 15 rockfish, 5 sculpin. (Harbor Village)--11 anglers (1 boat): 46 calico bass, 10 rockfish.

OXNARD (Cisco’s)--36 anglers (3 boats): 20 barracuda, 125 blue perch, 34 calico bass, 1 halibut, 70 rockfish, 12 sand bass, 5 sculpin, 23 sheephead, 62 whitefish.

PORT HUENEME--11 anglers (1 boat): 2 halibut, 16 calico bass, 10 rockfish, 2 sand bass, 1 sculpin, 4 whitefish.

MARINA DEL REY--39 anglers (3 boats): 1 halibut, 41 sand bass, 112 sculpin.

REDONDO--69 anglers (5 boats): 10 yellowtail, 36 bonito, 44 calico bass, 36 sand bass, 10 barracuda, 11 sculpin, 6 whitefish, 16 sheephead, 32 rockfish.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--29 anglers (2 boats): 13 yellowtail, 120 barracuda, 5 bonito, 3 calico bass, 3 sculpin, 2 rockfish, 1 sheephead. (22nd St. Landing)--117 anglers (4 boats): 49 yellowtail, 14 calico bass, 13 barracuda, 3 sand bass, 275 bonito, 6 sculpin, 25 whitefish, 1 sheephead, 6 rockfish.

LONG BEACH--82 anglers (4 boats): 8 yellowtail, 25 barracuda, 15 whitefish, 70 bonito, 16 rockfish.

SEAL BEACH--57 anglers (3 boats): 7 yellowtail, 3 barracuda, 3 calico bass, 1 sand bass, 2 whitefish, 86 bonito, 2 sculpin.

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--34 anglers (2 boats): 5 yellowtail, 1 barracuda, 2 sculpin, 5 rockfish, 2 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 6 whitefish, 12 white croaker, 55 mackerel. (Davey’s Locker)--74 anglers (6 boats): 62 yellowfin tuna, 20 yellowtail, 10 Dorado, 12 skipjack, 100 bonito, 15 barracuda, 17 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 7 sculpin, 63 rockfish, 28 mackerel, 52 whitefish.

DANA WHARF--108 anglers (6 boats): 40 yellowfin tuna, 1 white sea bass, 4 yellowtail, 124 calico bass, 14 sand bass, 2 blue perch, 5 bonito, 37 rockfish, 18 sculpin, 3 skipjack, 6 white croaker, 67 mackerel, 3 cabezon, 2 halibut.

OCEANSIDE--10 anglers (1 boat): 39 rockfish, 3 sand bass, 3 sheephead, 1 whitefish, 1 croaker.

SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--257 anglers (11 boats): 804 yellowfin tuna, 24 yellowtail, 58 Dorado, 1 pilot fish. (Seaforth)--144 anglers (6 boats): 252 yellowfin tuna, 96 skipjack, 4 dorado, 1 sand bass, 149 rockfish, 58 mackerel, 1 sheephead, 23 sculpin, 1 halibut. (Islandia)--36 anglers (3 boats): 30 skipjack, 27 yellowfin tuna, 2 sand bass, 1 lingcod, 1 sheephead, 5 sculpin, 81 rockfish, 90 mackerel.

Trout Plants

LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Castaic Lagoon, Elizabeth Lake, San Gabriel River (East and West forks). SAN BERNARDINO--Mojave Narrows Park Lake. INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Middle Fork, South Fork, Intake II and lower section), Diaz Lake, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, North Lake, Lone Pine Creek, Owens River (Laws Bridge downstream to Steward Lane), Pine Creek, Rock Creek Lake, South Lake, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek. MONO--Deadman Creek, George Lake, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Mamie Lake, Owens River (Benton Crossing), Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Toms Place), Silver Lake, Topaz Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport, Twin Lakes Mammoth, Walker River (Chris Flat Campground to town of Walker, Leavitt Meadows Campground to Sonora Bridge. VENTURA--Lake Casitas, Lake Piru. SAN LUIS OBISPO--Lopez Lake, Santa Margarita Lake. KERN--Brite Valley Reservoir. MADERA--San Joaquin River (middle fork), Starkweather Lake.