Big Halibut, Rockfishing Rolling and Fish Elevator

Halibut fishing has been surprisingly good so far this fall out of Dana Wharf  Sportfishing. Scott Buchert from Corona del Mar took a trip on the ¾-day boat Clemente on Tuesday and nabbed a 25.8-pound halibut and the lead in the Dana Wharf Halibut Derby. Buchert lured the big flattie in to biting with a live squid and used 25-pund test line to haul the monster up from the depths.

Rockfishing remained good out of the Newport Beach area as Paul Rodriguez Jr. landed a 14-pound lingcod out of Newport Landing this week. There has also been a few halibut as well as some decent sand bass fishing at times.

Surf fishing has been quite good around San Clemente for barred perch. The feisty little fish are being taken on sand crabs and small chrome lures. Bob Osborne and Tom Raftican have been catching lots of perch around Surfside along with some guitarfish to over 20 pounds. They have been releasing everything, but enjoying solid action.

Sometimes I wonder if sportfishing is just an excuse to get out on the water. Especially in these troubled times for so many, a day on the ocean refreshes ones soul and lends itself to a feeling of optimism. That certainly was the case on the half-day boat Southern Cal out of Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach over the weekend. The weather forecast was dead wrong for the Long Beach area. Instead of gale force winds, calm seas and sunshine greeted Lorena Ballesteros and her two sons Matthew, 9, and 12-year-old Nathan.

The two boys and their mother from Long Beach caught a variety of fish including treefish, perch, sugar bass and the boys' first two sheepshead. Mom said some of the freshly caught fish was destined to marinate in lime juice and provide a Sunday ceviche for Nathan’s 12th birthday.

Tom Raftican was on board from the Sportfishing Conservancy with the West Marine Fish Elevator. The fish elevator was assembled with parts from West Marine, while the Sportfishing Conservancy has been out in the field helping to release rockfish suffering from barotrauma. The fish take a ride down to the depth where they were caught and theoretically swim away in better shape than they arrived on the surface. You’ll see how the fish fare with the aid of an underwater camera.

The fortunate group of anglers were not only treated to a great days fishing but they saw pods of dolphin, huge bird schools and hundreds of pelicans diving into the water, and great boat burgers thanks to galley cook Amie Zimmerman. John Belli took the $50 Sportfishing Conservancy catch and release prize while another $100 went to the Southern Cal crew for all their help in the toss back project.

The Enterprise out of Long Beach Marina Sportfishing has been reporting some of the best bottom fishing they have seen in many years. Veteran Long Beach angler Mike Butchco was on the Enterprise on Saturday and said it was the best local rockfishing he had seen in 50 years. Captain Andy Siratt said they fished in about 150 feet of water and limited out on vermillion rockfish.

The Redondo Special was out with 17 anglers on Sunday for 121 rockfish, 21 vermillion rockfish, 1 sheepshead, 91 rockfish and 34 boccacio. Same kind of bite out of Marina del Rey Sportfishing with limits of rockfish common along with a few nice lingcod. They have also had some good sand bass fishing at times in the Santa Monica Bay.