FISHING / DAN STANTON : Catalina Waters Are Place to Catch Seabass

White seabass and yellowtail have returned to waters off Santa Catalina Island in big numbers.

Anglers appear to be having most of their success shortly before daylight and during late afternoon. Some of the fish were so big last weekend that they stripped reels of line or were lost after running into kelp beds.

Anglers aboard the L.A. Harbor boat First String got into the action last weekend. Captain Danny Flores said anglers were using anchovies and sardines for bait.

Anglers also were catching limits of calico bass, some of which weighed eight pounds.

South Bay fishermen who caught seabass included Michael Dunham of Carson, who reeled in a 42-pounder. Tony Rezzato of Playa del Rey, Pat Conklin of Redondo Beach and Curt Hilton of West Los Angeles each caught seabass that weighed more than 40 pounds.

Three anglers aboard Long Beach Sportfishing’s Phanthom caught seabass, including Alan Toji of Redondo Beach, who won the jackpot with a 35-pounder.

As further evidence of an El Nino effect, anglers have been catching trigger fish in local waters.

Ten trigger fish were caught last week by South Bay anglers, including an eight-pounder by Mas Wantobee of Redondo Beach.

Anglers aboard half-day boats from 22nd Street Landing and L.A. Harbor have been returning from trips to Horseshoe Kelp with catches of calico bass.

Long Beach Sportfishing’s Crest was fishing for bass off Catalina Island when John Acklee of Long Beach hooked a leopard shark. When it was brought aboard, it gave birth to five sharks.

The shark was released and Larry Fukhara of the Cabrillo Museum was called to pick up the newborns.

Fukhara transported the five seven-inch sharks to the museum, where they have been placed in a holding tank.

According to Fukhara, this species of shark, which is not considered aggressive, grows to seven feet.

The sharks will be put on display in two weeks.

South Bay Catches: Chris Barton of San Pedro, aboard the Matt Walsh, was reeling in a calico bass when a blue shark took his catch. He fought the shark for 15 minutes before he was able to bring it to the deck. It weighed 75 pounds and was the whopper of the week.

Ross Mariano of Malibu, aboard the Pacifica off Catalina Island, caught a 35-pound yellowtail.

Richard Jacks of Playa del Rey, aboard the First String off Catalina Island, caught a 32-pound yellowtail.

Richard Rice of West Los Angeles, aboard the Phanthom off Catalina Island, caught a 23-pound white seabass.

Sal Gunther of Lomita, aboard the Hitless Miss at the rigs, caught a 22 1/2-pound yellowtail.

Charles Shalbouock of West Los Angeles, aboard the Grande off San Clemente Island, caught a 22-pound halibut.

Returning from a trip to Mexico, Donald Warren of San Pedro and Gene Rutledge of Redondo Beach caught yellowtail that weighed more than 21 pounds. They also caught barracuda and halibut that weighed up to 25 pounds.

Freshwater Notes: Ron Gunn of Santa Monica, fishing at Lake Castaic, landed a 20-pound bass.

Chris Pisano of Torrance, fishing at Lake Piru, caught an eight-pound bass.