FISHING / DAN STANTON : Fireworks Started a Week Early for Local Anglers Fishing Off Catalina

South Bay anglers had one of their best weekends of the year as they returned from trips with limits of barracuda, calico and sand bass.

The barracuda bite off Catalina Island has been particularly good. Catch counts reported by the area’s five sportfishing landings for the weekend exceeded 5,000.

Jim Chow of Carson, Don Warren of San Pedro and Bob Zimmer of Gardena each caught 10-pound barracuda. Long Beach’s Roy Jarret and Joel and Mike Cassara each caught nine-pounders.

Sand bass have been spawning and have been caught on day and twilight trips. Most of the fish, caught from Santa Monica Bay to the rigs, have been between three and six pounds.

Matt Shoals of San Pedro caught a 12-pound, 9-ounce calico bass aboard the 22nd Street Landing boat Betty G, which was off Catalina. Shoals decided to release the fish because it appeared ready to spawn.

El Nino update: Even with the presence of an El Nino effect, a run of yellowtail and tuna has yet to develop.

Capt. Cookie Cook, 74, who skippers the Los Angeles Harbor boat Sportking, noted that in past warm-water years, anglers caught yellowtail in the fall and early winter months.

The fourth annual Penny Lane Foundation trip aboard the Long Beach Sportfishing boat Southern Cal was a success.

The trip--for girls ages 10 to 17--was a learning experience for several of the 52 anglers. Many had never been ocean fishing, but they quickly learned how to bait hooks, cast a line and reel in fish with help from the crew.

Halibut, kingfish, mackerel and bonito were caught, although several of the 58 halibut that were caught had to be released because they failed to meet the 22-inch size minimum.

Another trip is being scheduled for boys in early August aboard the Southern Cal.

South Bay fishermen returned from trips to Mexico with quality catches.

Tom Reynolds of Torrance, aboard the Red Rooster III off Clarion Island, caught a 154-pound yellowfin tuna.

John Taylor of Hawthorne, aboard the Royal Star off Alijos Rocks, caught a 74 1/2-pound wahoo.

Frank Hall of San Pedro, aboard his skiff outside of the Bay of Los Angeles, caught a 40-pound grouper.

Manhattan Beach angler Andy Fox caught a 32-pound halibut off San Quintin.

South Bay catches: Doug Oudin of Two Harbors, aboard his skiff off the west end of Catalina, caught the whopper of the week--a 45-pound white seabass.

Casey Kajiyama of Redondo Beach, aboard the Amy Lynn near Venice Reef, caught a 42 1/2-pound white seabass.

Chris Kamon of San Pedro, aboard the New Hustler off Catalina, caught a 27-pound yellowtail.

Robert Johnson of Long Beach, aboard the Toronado off Catalina, caught a 16-pound yellowtail.

Albert Nelson of Gardena, aboard the Hitless Miss at the rigs, caught a 14-pound halibut.

Freshwater notes: Carson anglers Ewell Washington and Sam Atkins each caught their limit of catfish while fishing at Anaheim Lake.

Monty Mayner of Torrance also caught several catfish at Irvine Lake.