Local Fleet Has Edge in ‘Tail of Two Fisheries

Don Ashley is not one to slight the friendly fleets to the south, but the owner of Long Beach Sportfishing was quick to point out, in essence, that “Our yellowtail are bigger than theirs.”

Ashley will get no argument from the San Diego skippers, who have been

putting their customers on five- to 15-pound yellowtail every day for the last two weeks.

Anglers aboard Long Beach boats, meanwhile, have been racing up and down the rails battling the fork-tailed jacks in the 20- to 30-pound class, with a few closer to 40 pounds and one that hit the deck of the Aztec at 46 pounds.

As Ashley points out, anyone who has ever hooked up to a 40-pound yellowtail “knows he’s had something on his line.”

Indeed it has been a phenomenal week for Long Beach and Los Angeles Harbor vessels targeting the popular game fish. The Toronado a few days ago turned in a count of 118 yellowtail.

“The only bad thing is that all the fish are being caught on the back side of San Clemente Island,” Ashley says. “That’s a 65-mile run.”

Another negative is that the Navy closed the back side of San Clemente on Wednesday for maneuvers, as it often does, which explains the significant drop in the yellowtail count in The Times’ fish report.

“They were scheduled to reopen it today,” Ashley said Thursday. “But they don’t always act according to the schedule. We could get out there [this morning] and they could turn us back. Meanwhile, all those fish are just sitting there . . . resting.”

Meanwhile, in San Diego, those boarding any of a number of overnight boats, which are making runs of 40 miles or less, are returning regularly with limits.

Says Ross Hecht, manager of Point Loma Sportfishing, “It’s been limit fishing for the last week or so down here. Last year, the yellowtail showed up about the third week of April, and we fished them clear through until the tuna showed up around the third week of July. And when the tuna showed up, everybody started fishing for them.”

And when the tuna show up again, which could happen any time, Ashley probably will wish his fleet were a little farther south.

LOG JAM

Yellowtail may be the talk on the waterfront, but those without the means to get to them are being kept busy right here in the San Pedro Channel, locking horns with the slenderist, slimiest, speediest, most villainous-looking game fish in these parts.

Barracuda are so thick in local waters that you need only to hook and toss a poor anchovy over the rail and watch it get snatched up by a five-pound “log,” as they are commonly called.

“I heard a radio comment [Wednesday] morning that one of the party boats with his scanning sonar reported he had a sideways spread across of 500 yards wide and 30 feet thick of solid, solid barracuda,” said John Doughty of J.D.’s Big Game Tackle on Balboa Island.

Doughty, who monitors local and long-range fishing via marine radio, said most of the barracuda are from the Huntington Flats south to Dana Point.

Ashley says his fleet is catching them as far out as Catalina and as far north as Redondo Beach, and The Times’ fish report has them being caught all the way up to Oxnard.

“It was an early winter and an early spring, and now it looks like summer out there,” Ashley says. “Everything’s on a roll right now.”

KING CROAKER

Say all you want about yellowtail and barracuda. Henry Clayton will tell you about the 48-pound white seabass that inhaled his sardine and towed him around the Santa Monica Bay for 1 1/2 hours.

“We were fishing for barracuda and not catching anything and then this thing hits,” recalled Clayton, 54, a truck driver from San Bernardino who was fishing on his 19-foot boat with Virgil Adams, also of San Bernardino. “I thought it was a shark, and then I thought it was a seal because he pulled like hell. My whole body was trembling.”

Adams eventually gaffed the titanic croaker and heaved it onto the boat. Clayton didn’t want to cut up the evidence so he crammed the whole fish into his freezer.

“I had to take out all the racks and give away all my other food to get this thing in there,” he says. “I’m going to keep him there a while. I’ve got bragging rights now.”

And one smelly freezer.

CATCH OF WEEK

Despite all of this other activity, the honor goes to Stan Easter of Capistrano Beach, who won last Monday’s Oceanside Angling Club thresher tournament with a 241-pound thresher shark that struck a bleeding mackerel-pattern Ballyhood deep-diving lure.

Easter’s was one of 12 threshers weighed in at the derby, which also produced 218- and 215-pound sharks. One of 50 anglers competing, Easter was fishing six miles off south Oceanside aboard David Anderson’s vessel, Koinonia, with Eric Anderson as skipper. The crew knows its stuff--it won Oceanside’s mako tournament last year.

“The makos will fly around on you a bit,” Eric Anderson said of the difference between the species. “But the threshers, they mostly just stay down deep and pull like bulls.”

Easter’s bullfight, on 80-pound test, lasted 1 1/2 hours.

BEWARE OF BAJA

It was reported here not long ago that a man and woman sleeping in their trailer in a dirt turnout along Mexico’s Highway 1 about 150 miles south of Ensenada were robbed by machete-wielding bandits who smashed their windows and slashed their tires before demanding their money.

Baja police responded by telling the couple that in an impoverished land, desperate people do desperate things, and advised them against spending the night on a dark, deserted highway.

Now it seems the bandits in the area are getting bolder, sneaking into San Quintin hotel and campground parking lots, breaking into cars and trucks--in some cases while people are sleeping only a few feet away--taking what they can find.

“So far, nobody’s been hurt,” says Jan Williams of San Diego’s Baja Outfitters, which handles bookings for the popular Old Mill Hotel in San Quintin. “They’re just getting into cars very quickly and quietly and taking off with property such as clothing, food, money--whatever they find.”

The Old Mill has responded by hiring armed security guards, and other businesses are expected to follow suit.

“A lot of them are getting security and, yes, they are armed, mostly officers who are moonlighting,” Williams says. “It didn’t used to be like this, but times apparently are changing.”

BIG BUSINESS

Fishermen, hunters, bird-watchers and other wildlife-related recreation enthusiasts spent a whopping $96.9 billion while supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs in 1996, according to preliminary figures released last week by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The “National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Related Recreation,” conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, concludes that recreation accounts for about 1.3% of the nation’s gross national product.

The $96.9 billion represents a 59% increase since 1991, when the survey last was conducted.

There were 35.2 million anglers and 14 million hunters in 1996, who spent a combined $67.9 billion, anglers accounting for $36.2 billion.

AROUND SOUTHLAND

The Watersports Aerial team will be performing stunts today as the Great American Outdoors Show and Demo Days gets underway at Irvine Lake. The event also features equipment displays and demonstrations for campers, hikers, fishermen and boaters. Show hours are 1-7 p.m. today, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m Sunday. Cost is $5 for adults, free for children 12 and under. Details: (714) 633-1427.

May is water-awareness month, according to the Department of Water Resources, which is conducting related events around the state. The nearest is a bike ride Saturday celebrating biking access to a 28-mile section of California Aqueduct in the Antelope Valley--from the community of Pearblossom to Main Street in Hesperia near Silverwood Lake. Registration is at 8 a.m. and the ride begins at 9. Details: (805) 946-1976.

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FRESHWATER REPORT

17. CASTAIC LAKE--Few big bass, but lots of small ones. Joe Herring, Glendale, fished two days, catching and releasing 10 fish to five pounds one day, and 40 bass the next, all on night crawlers. Jim Sojka and Bill French, Valencia, with guide Troy Folkestad, 32 bass, largest 3-4, on small plastics. Bluegill action fair. Joseph Hart, Panorama City, 24 bluegill, on mealworms in upper lake. Trout biting on practically anything tossed their way in lower lake.

18. LAKE PIRU--Largemouth bass fair on plastic worms and night crawlers fished off points at 20-25 feet. Trout striking Needlefish lures trolled near dam and at east side. Some crappie.

19. PYRAMID LAKE--Largemouth and smallmouth bass biting readily around shoreline, with plastics getting most. Top catch, a 23-pound striped bass by Robert Jameson, North Hills, on night crawler near ramp. Some catfish.

20. LAKE CACHUMA--Trout best bet. Ron Marshall, Marina del Rey, five trout totaling 10-8, on night crawlers at Barona Cove. Needlefish lures also accounting for limits. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits and plastic worms. Some red ear perch caught on mealworms and night crawlers, mostly at island and narrows.

21. LAKE CASITAS--Catfish best bet. Harvey Kunkel, Oxnard, eight catfish totaling 64 pounds, largest 11-0, on night crawlers. Mackerel also a good bait. Largemouth bass activity has slowed, with live shad accounting for the bigger fish. A few trout caught by trollers using lead-core line and Needlefish lures at dam.

22. CORONA LAKE--Heat has yet to totally shut down trout bite. Eddie Taylor, Long Beach, 11-7 trout, while trolling a Panther Martin. Double limits (10 trout per person) can be caught Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. And there is no limit on trout Monday-Thursday.

23. SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Same bag limits for trout as Corona. Top rainbow a 12-8 by Gwenn Kano, Huntington Beach, on Power Bait. A 28-pound sturgeon was caught on a night crawler and several catfish were caught on night crawlers and mackerel.

24. IRVINE LAKE--Catfish season in full swing. Top stringer, six fish totaling 53.85 pounds, on mackerel at Santiago Flats. Top fish, a 25-pound blue catfish by Irineo Maldonado, Anaheim, on mackerel behind trees near dock. Some trout activity. Largest, a 10-8 by Bill Finch, Costa Mesa, on inflated night crawler at Sierra Cove. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits and plastic worms.

25. LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Recently planted catfish still getting used to lake, but bite is picking up, with fish averaging 1-3 pounds, biting on shrimp and mackerel. Largemouth bass are feeding on spawning bluegill, so bluegill-pattern lures are working best, catching fish to 6 pounds. Bluegill are biting on mealworms and Darter jigs.

26. LAKE SKINNER--Striped bass bite isn’t great, but Drew, Karen and Emily Blankenship, Lake Elsinore, filled a stringer totaling 52 pounds, topped by a 4-pounder, using anchovies at dam. Largemouth biting sporadically, with most action on night crawlers at east end. Catfish slow to fair, with dam and south shore most productive.

27. LAKE PERRIS--Largemouth bass active throughout lake, with fish averaging 10-14 inches. Pat Myers, San Bernardino, 5-pound bass, on blue-flake Power Worm at east end. Bluegill fair in marina area, but bigger fish are being caught at Fisherman’s Rock on night crawler halves. Trout to 2 pounds being caught by deep-water trollers at dam.

28. SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--Largemouth bass bite has tapered some at all lakes, with San Vicente remaining the top producer. A 15-12 was caught at Hodges by Mike O’Sullivan, Escondido, on a black plastic worm. A 14-4 was caught at Otay by Ed Morrison, Lemon Grove, also on a dark plastic. Bluegill bite picking up at Otay and El Capitan. Trout bite is fair but waning at Murray and Miramar. A 30-pound catfish was caught at El Capitan.

29. LAKE CUYAMACA--All species fairly active, but largemouth bass are receiving the most attention. A 9-10 was landed by Dan Cheeseman, Sun City, on a shiner at south end. Several slightly smaller bass were caught as well. A dry-fly trout bite is in progress in mornings and evenings.

BIG BEAR LAKE--Lots of limits of small trout, with one fish reported at nearly 4 pounds. Power Bait and small spinners getting most. A largemouth bass at 4-10 was caught on a crankbait at the observatory and a 3-pounder was caught on a night crawler at Boulder Bay. Some crappie.

BISHOP--Limits reported throughout Bishop Creek Canyon, with South Lake the top producer, yielding fish to 4 pounds. A 7-pounder was landed at Lake Sabrina by Greg Hyland, Rosemead, on green Power Bait. Road to North Lake still closed because of snow. Down in the valley, the Owens River is too swift for productive fishing. Owens River Gorge a “no-brainer,” according to Gary Gunsolley at Brock’s Flyfishing Specialists. A size-18 cahill as an indicator trailed with a midge emerger will do the trick for small browns. Rattlesnakes pose a danger here.

MAMMOTH LAKES AREA--Crowley Lake action is hot--for perch, that is. The scrappy fighters are hitting night crawlers and mini-jigs as though there’s no tomorrow. Trout fair. Convict Lake producing occasional limits, and a few plump trout in the 3-pound range. Trollers doing best for those. Convict Creek action better than lake. Mammoth Creek and Rock Creek fair. Twin Lakes slow. Road to lakes Mary, Mamie and George is finally open and fishing is fair.

JUNE LAKE LOOP--June Lake a good bet for quality fish. Trollers (Thomas Buoyant lures) and bait fishermen (Power Bait, night crawlers) catching trout to 5 pounds. Grant Lake yielding browns and rainbows. Silver Lake has perhaps the best catch rate, with limits coming on Needlefish and Toomas Buoyants. Rush Creek fair on night crawlers.

BRIDGEPORT--Hard to go wrong at East Walker River for plump browns and rainbows, or at Bridgeport Reservoir for rainbows averaging 2-3 pounds. Night crawlers and Rapalas good bets. Twin Lakes action has tapered some, but limits are still being filled by some using Power Bait and small lures. Robinson Creek fair. Kirman Lake fair to good for brook trout.

SALTWATER REPORT

2. MORRO BAY (Bob’s Sportfishing)--5 anglers (1 boat): 20 red rock cod, 1 lingcod, 55 rockfish.

3. AVILA BAY (Avila Beach)--11 anglers (1 boat): 125 rock cod, 3 lingcod.

4. SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--7 anglers (1 boat): 37 calico bass, 1 sand bass, 7 barracuda, 13 rockfish. (Hornet’s Landing)--11 anglers (1 boat): 19 red snapper, 26 whitefish, 32 rockfish, 15 mackerel.

6. OXNARD (Cisco’s)--53 anglers (4 boats): 167 calico bass, 9 halibut, 210 rock cod, 42 rockfish, 4 sculpin, 19 sheephead, 6 whitefish, 8 opaleye perch, 3 cabezon. (Gold Coast)--21 anglers (2 boats): 2 barracuda, 38 calico bass, 1 halibut, 2 rockfish, 1 sand bass, 1 whitefish, 2 white sea bass.

7. PORT HUENEME--15 anglers (1 boat): 5 halibut, 8 sand bass, 12 calico bass, 53 rockfish.

8. MARINA DEL REY--66 anglers (4 boats): 1 halibut, 209 barracuda, 72 calico bass, 65 sand bass, 30 sculpin, 6 rockfish. (In-Seine Sportfishing)--45 anglers (3 boats): 3 halibut, 9 barracuda, 42 sand bass, 18 calico bass, 10 sculpin, 50 mackerel.

9. REDONDO BEACH--89 anglers (3 boats): 9 yellowtail, 84 calico bass, 58 sand bass, 161 barracuda, 1 white sea bass, 16 perch.

10. SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--86 anglers (4 boats): 472 barracuda, 22 yellowtail, 139 calico bass, 5 sand bass, 1 halibut, 6 bonito, 12 perch, 6 white sea bass. (22nd St. Landing)--109 anglers (4 boats): 21 yellowtail, 2 white sea bass, 165 calico bass, 4 halibut, 521 barracuda, 7 sand bass, 27 bonito, 15 whitefish, 18 rockfish.

11. LONG BEACH--101 anglers (3 boats): 10 yellowtail, 425 barracuda, 100 calico bass, 1 white sea bass, 25 bonito. (Belmont Pier)--38 anglers (1 boat): 108 barracuda, 1 sand bass, 1 white sea bass.

12. SEAL BEACH--56 anglers (3 boats): 283 barracuda, 6 calico bass, 75 sand bass, 25 mackerel.

13. NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--73 anglers (4 boats): 384 barracuda, 2 yellowtail, 1 halibut, 2 sculpin, 4 rockfish, 52 calico bass, 22 sand bass, 43 mackerel. (Davey’s Locker)--173 anglers (7 boats): 38 yellowtail, 879 barracuda, 42 bonito, 255 calico bass, 58 sand bass, 28 sculpin, 11 rockfish, 6 whitefish, 36 blue perch.

14. DANA WHARF--123 anglers (4 boats): 286 barracuda, 7 bonito, 283 calico bass, 31 sand bass, 31 mackerel, 1 halibut, 7 sculpin, 1 whitefish.

15. OCEANSIDE--49 anglers (3 boats): 12 yellowtail, 6 bonito, 285 calico bass, 46 sand bass, 1 halibut, 2 sculpin.

16. SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--178 anglers (7 boats): 666 yellowtail, 7 sand bass, 27 barracuda, 42 bonito. (Seaforth)--163 anglers (7 boats): 108 yellowtail, 17 barracuda, 32 bonito, 297 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 26 rockfish, 22 mackerel. (Islandia)--96 anglers (4 boats): 42 barracuda, 23 bonito, 120 yellowtail, 12 sand bass, 110 calico bass, 1 sculpin, 15 mackerel.

TROUT PLANTS

LOS ANGELES--Big Rock Creek, Crystal Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Little Rock Creek, Little Rock Reservoir, Puddingstone Lake, San Gabriel River (East, North and West forks), Santa Fe Reservoir. RIVERSIDE--Lake Hemet, Lake Perris. SAN BERNARDINO--Big Bear Lake, Lake Gregory. SAN DIEGO--Doane Pond, San Luis Rey Creek. INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek, Cottonwood Creek, Georges Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Owens River (below Tinnemaha and Laws Bridge downstream to Steward Lane), Pine Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Shepards Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek. MONO--Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lee Vining Creek, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Tom’s Place and Tom’s Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Rush Creek, Sherwin Creek, Silver Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport.