Fishing / Dan Stanton : Boys, Girls Learn Joy, Sorrow of Fishing

It was kids day on the Annie B barge.

The San Pedro YMCA’s 11-week summer youth camp includes one day each year to introduce boys and girls to ocean sportfishing.

And 150 youngsters boarded the Billy V and were shuttled to the calm waters of L.A. Harbor for a morning of fishing aboard the Annie B.

Tiffany Russo and Jerry Lister, directors of the group said most of the 6-to-12-year-olds had never been ocean fishing.

Each young angler brought an empty soft drink can and was instructed to spool line on the can with one hook and a split sinker attached.

Eight-year-old Patrick McCaveley of San Pedro caught the first fish, a 2-pound mackerel. His yells of joy could be heard across the boat.

Deckhands and adult barge anglers showed the youngsters how to bait hooks and remove fish. Tim Halstead caught a halibut and protested when he had to return it to the water. After he wiped away his tears, he agreed the fish was too small and said he would wait until it “grows up.”

Fishing was rated good, a variety being caught. The directors said the trips have been successful, as most children graduate to rods and reels.

Actor Hunter Von Leer, who appears in the television show “Dallas,” won the Venice Anglers Shark Derby with his 128-pound mako. He caught the fish 5 miles out from Rocky Point on the boat Dead Mac. The prize was $2,500.

Second place went to Santa Monica angler Rich Gadna who reeled in a 124-pound mako to win a week at Cabo San Lucas in Baja California.

South Bay catches:

George McNamera of Torrance, fishing aboard the Redondo Special, was bringing the whopper of the week to gaff when another halibut followed the hooked fish to the surface. The deckhand tried to free-gaff both, but only the hooked halibut came aboard, weighing 26 1/2 pounds.

Jhon Azaetth of San Pedro, aboard the Outerlimits on a two-day trip, landed a kelp pattie yellowtail that weighed 23 pounds.

Donald Campbell of Carson, fishing aboard the Saber at Catalina, reeled in a 20-pound white sea bass on cut squid.

Floyd Eldred of Long Beach, on the Victory at Oil Rigs, used a jig to catch a 15-pound yellowtail, which carried another jig the fish had survived by breaking the line.

Fish reports:

Barracuda fishing has shifted from Catalina to Horseshoe Kelp. The island anglers continue to catch bass and yellowtail.

Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Happyman caught 55 bonito and 75 sculpin on the morning trip.

The Spitfire fished the bay and returned with 110 sand bass, 11 halibut, 12 bonito and 5 barracuda.

The Betty O rock cod special fished the shallow rocks and returned with 228 rock cod and 2 cow cod weighing up to 10 pounds.

Redondo Sportfishing: The Redondo Special, fishing Rocky Point, caught 41 bonito, 35 calico bass and two white sea bass. The bonito averaged 5 to 6 pounds.

The Sea Spray, on the morning trip Tuesday, chalked up 53 bonito and 44 calico bass.

The Sharpshooter, fishing Twin Roads, returned with 140 calico bass, 9 bonito, 11 sculpin and 1 barracuda.

The BlackJack, working Catalina, reeled in 91 barracuda and 45 bonito.

The Isle of Redondo barge caught 1,700 mackerel, 135 Spanish mackerel, 61 bonito and 4 barracuda.

22nd Street Landing, San Pedro: The Monte Carlo, on a morning trip to Horseshoe, scored with 191 barracuda and 1 yellowtail caught on a jig.

The First String, fishing the flats and oil rigs, reeled in 208 barracuda, 24 sand bass and 2 bonito.

The Queen of the Sea worked the oil rigs and returned with 112 barracuda, 9 bonito and 3 calico bass.

L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking, trying the middle grounds, reeled in 273 barracuda, 98 rock fish and 15 calico bass.

The Matt Walsh fished the Rock Pile area and returned with 11 barracuda, 8 sculpin and a 10-pound yellowtail.

The Annie B barge brought in 150 mackerel and 4 halibut that weighed up to 11 pounds.

Long Beach Sportfishing: The Victory, fishing the oil rigs, returned with limits of 253 barracuda, 23 sand bass, 86 rock fish and 1 yellowtail.

The Southern California twilight trip produced a near limit of 167 sand bass plus 1 halibut.

The Toronado, working Catalina and Horseshoe Kelp, returned with 246 barracuda, 19 calico bass and 12 sand bass.

Bluefin showed up again but refused the baited hooks.