Fishing Notebook / Dan Stanton : Southland Waters Get Best Barracuda Bite of Year, but Wind Rough Seas Slow Action

Spring barracuda action is beginning.

With the exception of the weekend’s high winds and rough seas, the double Bs--barracuda and white sea bass--catches continue to reward anglers with spring action.

The sportfishing party boats from Redondo Beach to Long Beach reported the past week has seen the best barracuda bite this year.

The Southern Cal from Long Beach Sportfishing and the First String from San Pedro returned with 200-plus counts a day until the winds slowed the action.

Conditions returned to normal on Monday and Tuesday and the barracuda have been showing signs of chasing the bait.

Catalina Island continues to be the hot spot for white sea bass, calico bass and bonito.

South Bay Catches: Dan Mun of Long Beach, fishing aboard the Redondo Special at rocky point area, made several casts with his P-1 Dolphin jig when he hooked the whopper of the week, a 39-pound white sea bass.

Joe San Parsi of San Pedro, fishing at Catalina aboard the Charisma, brought to gaff a 25 1/2-pound white sea bass.

Harold Thistledorf of Harbor City, fishing aboard the Victory, hooked and reeled in a 17 1/2-pound yellowtail. Several others had been lost when tackle parted.

Fish Report: At Marina del Rey Sportfishing--The Spitfire, fishing the bay, had a count of 116 sculpin, 43 bonito and 14 sand bass.

The Happyman on the morning trip Monday chalked up a catch of 9 halibut plus 180 sand bass.

The Del Mar caught 110 sculpin, 43 sand bass, 11 calico and 11 barracuda fishing the Sunset Beach area.

At Redondo Sportfishing--The Sharpshooter, fishing the rocky point area, had a near limit of barracuda with 62, plus a 12-pound halibut.

The Redondo Special, fishing rocky point, caught 67 barracuda and 20 bonito on the morning trip.

The Blackjack fished Catalina and returned with 50 calico, 50 sculpin and 30 bonito.

At 22nd Street Landing--The First String, fishing the Marineland area, chalked up a big count of 200 barracuda, 21 bonito, 18 calico and 5 halibut.

The Monte Carlo fished the flats and had a sand bass count of 108 plus 212 sculpin.

At L.A. Harbor Sportfishing--The Sportking, fishing the bend area, had a catch of 92 bonito, 32 barracuda, 38 sculpin and 14 sheepshead to 11 pounds.

The Grande 85, on a two-day trip fishing the islands, returned with 202 calico to 8 pounds, 93 sheepshead, 57 bonito and 28 barracuda to 7 pounds.

The Annie B Barge had a big weekend count of 1,601 queenfish, 1,217 croaker, 25 bonito, 2 sculpin, 11 shark and 115 herring.

At Long Beach Sportfishing-- The Southern Cal on the morning run brought to gaff 200 barracuda and 30 bonito fishing the Marineland area.

The Victory fished the rocky point area and returned with 171 barracuda, 135 bonito and 63 sand bass.