FISHING NOTES / DAN STANTON : Yellowtail Bite Slows, but Bonito Action Heats Up

Big bonito provided anglers aboard Redondo Sportfishing’s fleet plenty of action over the Labor Day weekend.

Spokesman Dan Armstrong said that schools of bait fish at rocky point helped lure bonito into the area. The bonito weighed up to eight pounds.

Armstrong said the yellowtail bite slowed due to the heavy holiday traffic. Bonito have accounted for the daily 10-fish limit.

L.A. Harbor Sportfishing’s Shogun returned Monday from a two-day albacore trip. Only 10 albacore were landed along with 15 skipjack and four dorado. Steve Oba of West Los Angeles won the jackpot with his 20-pound albacore.

Debra Johnson of Torrance caught a 22-pound yellowtail and lost one of the jackpots to a dorado.

The half-day boat Matt Walsh from L.A. Harbor Sportfishing was fishing outside the horseshoe kelp area when a marlin jumped near the stern of the 65-foot sportfisher. Felix Cowall of San Pedro had a small mackerel on his hook and made a cast toward the area where the marlin had jumped.

Cowall had a strike and a marlin peeled all his 30-pound test line. Capt. Ray Duane moved the boat with fighting fish.

Cowall was unable to gain any line, and after 15 minutes, his line snapped. Duane estimated the fish to be in excess of 100 pounds.

Giant squid have invaded an area three miles out from Point Fermin. The live bait boat Chovey Clipper, which supplies anchovies to the South Bay Sportfishing fleet, was preparing to make a set for bait when giant squid came up to the boat’s floodlights.

Captain Bill Verner and his crew were able to scoop up four squid, which were placed in the bait well.

A call was made to Larry Fukuhara at the Cabrillo Museum who had the squid transferred to the museum’s holding tanks. Fukuhara said that one squid on display is 15 pounds and 14 1/2 feet long.

Information: Cabrillo Museum (213) 548-7562

Benny Marsh of Wilmington was fishing for bonito from his 20-foot skiff near Portugese Bend and snagged a giant squid. He said it was about eight-feet long and weighed 11 pounds.

Eleven marlin were weighed in during the weekend at Avalon’s scale. Brian Rapf, 7, of Malibu caught his first marlin and it took him only 25 minutes to land it. It weighed 139 pounds.

South Bay Catches--Jim Kinsinger of San Pedro, fishing aboard the Shogun on a tuna trip, caught the whopper of the week, a 48-pound bluefin tuna.

Scott Rubinson of Long Beach, fishing off Catalina aboard the Toronado, caught a 30-pound yellowtail.

Angelo Torres of Torrance, fishing aboard the Outerlimits, caught a 26-pound yellowtail.

Tom Moon of Santa Monica, fishing aboard the Aquaris, caught a 25-pound white sea bass.

Neal Jenstrom of Redondo Beach, fishing at horseshoe kelp aboard the Victory, caught a 22-pound yellowtail.

Patrick Garrett of Redondo Beach, fishing aboard the City of Redondo, caught an 18-pound halibut.

Fish Reports--There are schools of bullet tuna moving into local waters. San Clemente Island is a hot spot for yellowtail and skipjack.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Spitfire fished the bay and anglers caught 90 calico bass, four sheephead and two halibut.

The Sumo fished the flats and returned with 150 sand bass, 12 sculpin and a yellowtail.

The Betty O fished shallow rock reefs and returned with 240 rock cod and two cow cod.

The Happyman, on a half-day trip, returned with 60 sculpin and 20 calico bass.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray worked rocky point for 163 bonito, 27 barracuda, 18 calico bass and a yellowtail.

The Redondo Special half-day trip at rocky point returned with 115 bonito, four yellowtail and two barracuda. The Blackjack fished off Catalina and returned with 157 barracuda and three yellowtail.

At 22nd Street Landing: The First String worked the west end of Catalina and returned with 60 calico bass, 10 barracuda, 10 bonito, two dorado, two skipjack and a halibut.

The Monte Carlo, on a half-day trip, returned with 30 bonito, 24 sand bass and 20 bonito.

L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking fished rocky point and returned with 285 bonito and five barracuda.

The Matt Walsh, on a half-day trip, returned with 106 bonito and 13 yellowtail. The Outerlimits fished San Clemente Island and anglers caught 10 skipjack, six yellowtail and six dorado.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: The Victory got into the bonito bite at rocky point and anglers sacked 273 bonito, 31 calico bass and 10 barracuda.