Tuna Providing Anglers With Plenty of Action

A variety of exotics dominates fall fishing.

The hottest run of tuna in weeks is under way and the fish are within reach of the overnight South Bay sportfishing fleet.

Long Beach Sportfishing’s Aztec returned Monday from a trip to the Cortez bank with 103 bluefin tuna that tipped the scales between 30 to 55 pounds.

Curtis Wegener, captain of the Aztec, said anglers used small mackerel for bait and heavy tackle. The tuna gave fishermen an average fight of 25 minutes per fish.

Ed Band of West Los Angeles was the trip’s jackpot winner with a 55-pound bluefin tuna.

Brad Shroyer of Torrance was a contender with four tuna that weighed 35 to 44 pounds. He also caught a 26 1/2-pound yellowtail.

Dan Speece of Torrance caught four fish that averaged 30 pounds. Orun Perdun of Torrance caught three bluefin and three yellowtail. Don Davis of Gardena also landed four tuna and a yellowtail. Armond Washington of Long Beach caught the trip’s only dorado. It weighed 28 pounds.

Jerry Newman of Long Beach caught seven bluefin and two yellowtail.

Wegener said on a previous trip he had a catch of 140 big-eye tuna. Alan Kato of Gardena was the jackpot winner on that trip with a 117-pound big-eye tuna. Rich Westhalan of Gardena caught a 109-pound big-eye.

Marlin catches continue to increase off the east end of Catalina Island.

Avalon weigh master Rosie Cadman said the season’s total catch has reached 161. This does not include fish tagged and released.

Rick Beivold and Chip Upton of Avalon were fishing for marlin off the Avalon bank and had a double strike.

After 30 minutes, the marlin surfaced. It was hooked by both anglers. The fish weighed in at an even 140 pounds.

South Bay Catches: Marcus Larson of Carson, fishing off San Clemente Island aboard the Shogun, pulled out a yellowtail from the kelp. The whopper of the week weighed in at 38 1/4 pounds.

Roger Unmard of Santa Monica, fishing aboard the Happyman at Venice reef, caught a 34-pound halibut.

Zahid Hussan of West Los Angeles, fishing off San Clemente Island aboard the Blackjack, caught a 30-pound yellowtail.

Tom Lee of San Pedro, fishing aboard the Diawa off Catalina, caught a 26-pound yellowtail.

Margaret Trullinger of Torrance, fishing aboard the Matt Walsh at the horseshoe kelp, caught a 17 1/2-pound yellowtail.

Paul Beyers of Inglewood, fishing aboard the Betty G off Catalina, caught a 16-pound yellowtail.

Louie Garcia of Santa Monica, fishing aboard the Spitfire off Venice reef, caught a 14-pound white sea bass.

Fish Reports: Halibut have been showing at local fishing areas along with bonito and sculpin. Yellowtail and bullet tuna catches are reported off Catalina and San Clemente islands.

At Marina del Rey Sportfishing: The Del Mar trip to Venice reef had a catch of 230 sculpin, 45 calico bass, 39 yellowfin croaker and 17 halibut.

The Spitfire fished the bay and returned with 80 bonito, 31 calico bass, nine yellowtail and a barracuda.

The Betty O rock cod special had a catch of 310 rock cod and a lingcod.

At Redondo Sportfishing: The Sea Spray fished the outside of rocky point for 163 sculpin, 150 bonito and 74 calico bass.

The Blackjack worked San Clemente Island for 132 rockfish, 32 yellowtail and 12 bonito.

The City of Redondo, on two half-day trips to rocky point, returned with 161 bonito, 144 calico bass and 40 rockfish.

The Redondo Special, on two half-day trips, returned with 147 bonito, 95 calico bass and 33 rockfish.

At 22nd Street Landing: The First String fished Catalina and returned with 215 rockfish and 61 calico bass.

The New Image worked San Clemente Island for 55 bonito, 58 calico bass and 16 yellowtail.

The Monte Carlo, on a half-day trip, returned with 64 calico bass, 27 sculpin and eight bonito.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing: The Sportking fished Catalina and returned with 53 bonito, 26 bullet tuna, 17 yellowtail and 14 sheephead.

The Matt Walsh, on a half-day trip, returned with 41 bonito, 28 rockfish, 25 calico bass and a yellowtail.

The Annie B barge had a weekend count of 350 bonito, 235 mackerel, nine calico bass and four sand sharks.

At Long Beach Sportfishing: The Victory worked the rigs and returned with 165 bonito, 86 calico bass and two white sea bass.

The Southern Cal, on a half-day trip, had a variety catch--72 sculpin, 29 calico bass, 16 bonito and two barracuda.