FISHING NOTES / Dan Stanton : Two Halibut Derbies Will Brighten the Spring Season

There’s nothing like halibut derbies to set the pace for spring fishing.

The first of two local derbies is this weekend with the 16th annual Marina del Rey contest.

Fishing will begin at 5 a.m. Saturday and continue until the weigh-in station closes at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The fishing area is restricted to five miles offshore between Pt. Vicente and Pt. Dume.

The halibut-only derby is a charity event in conjunction with the Marina del Rey Anglers and the Boys Scouts of America Western Los Angeles Council. Entry fees will be equally divided among the Boy Scouts and youth fishing and marine conservation projects.

The grand prize for biggest fish will be a trip for two to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Second prize will be a trip for two to Alaska to fish for giant halibut and salmon.

Other prizes will be provided by tackle companies and landings.

All derby entrants will be automatically entered into a special prize drawing at the awards banquet April 5.

Carl Lambert, derby chairman, is encouraging anglers to use only single hooks and 14-pound test line, and to carefully release all short fish.

Entry is limited to 1,200 anglers. Lambert said a few spots remain open. Late applications may be taken to the derby headquarters at Pardee Scout Base, 13640 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey. The entry fee is $35.

The next derby will be the Santa Monica Halibut Derby on April 7-8.

Mike Vasi of Redondo Beach, fishing at King Harbor breakwater on the incoming tide, was soaking an anchovy on the bottom when he had a strike and brought up a halibut. Vasi weighed it in at the pier at 11 1/4 pounds.

Joe Beck of San Pedro and Curt Cubito of Harbor City returned from a 16-day fishing trip to Mexico aboard the Polaris. Beck won a jackpot with a 220-pound yellowfin tuna. Cubito also won a jackpot with a 156-pound, 9-ounce yellowfin.

South Bay Catches: Tim Weaver of Long Beach, fishing at San Clemente Island aboard the Outerlimits, used 50-pound test line and a squid-baited jig to catch the whopper of the week, a 41-pound white sea bass.

Charles Smith of West Los Angeles, fishing aboard the Blackjack at Cherry Bank, won the jackpot with his 32-pound lingcod.

Bert Mosley of West Los Angeles, fishing at Catalina Island aboard the Southern Cal, caught a 28-pound cow cod.

Eric Mossman of Carson, fishing at Rocky Point aboard the Redondo Special, won the jackpot with a 30-pound white sea bass.

Paul Makasuka of Santa Monica, fishing at San Clemente Island aboard the Toronado, caught a 18-pound lingcod.