FISHING NOTES : Warm Water Lures Fish From King Harbor to Rocky Point

There may be a chill in the air but the ocean is warming up.

A massive area of warm water has surfaced from King Harbor south to Rocky Point.

At Redondo Sportfishing Pier there has been a wide-open bonito bite since last weekend for pier anglers and those fishing the rocks.

Warm water flowing from the Edison Plant heated the ocean’s temperature in the harbor, which was already warmer than normal for this time of year. This unquestionably attracted the bonito.

The pier’s fishing space was tight as anglers hooked fish on nearly every cast.

Two pier regulars, Ken Schultz and Barney Cohen of Redondo Beach said it’s is just like the good old days when they had wide-open fishing for all species of surface fish.

Cohen said: “When we caught the five-fish limit, instead of hooking more just to release them for sport we put the rod up and gave the space to two youngsters.”

Mona Green of San Pedro was at the pier Monday and caught her five-fish limit of bonito in 10 minutes. Green changed her fishing gear to a halibut rig, inserted a squid on her hook and brought up a halibut that weighed six pounds.

Five South Bay anglers who returned from Mexico after fishing aboard the private yacht Instinct reported outstanding success using kelp patties to lure yellowtail.

Rick Lyman and Pete Hoffman of Manhattan Beach caught easy limits. Phil Friedman, Bob Alvarez and Leon Campazzie of Torrance also bagged limits.

Skipper Mitch Fowikes said this was the best trip of the fall. All fish weighed 15 pounds or more.

South Bay Catches:

Joe Lepe of West Los Angeles, fishing in Santa Monica Bay on the Spitfire, caught the whopper of the week, a 36 1/4-pound halibut.

Ed Hopkins of Mar Vista, aboard the Betty O at the Rockpile, won the jackpot with a 22-pound lingcod.

Bob Kernes of Long Beach, using cut squid at Rocky Point aboard the Victory, won the jackpot with a 20-pound white sea bass.

Garth Mildner of Long Beach, fishing at Rocky Point on the Matt Walsh, caught a 18-pound white sea bass.

Jay Drimer of Lomita, aboard the First String at Rocky Point, brought a 13-pound white sea bass out of the rocks.

Pat Shoales of San Pedro, fishing aboard the Top Gun, caught a 12 1/2-pound white sea bass at Rocky Point.

Eric Fugimoto of San Pedro, on the Diawa at the oil rigs, caught a 12-pound white sea bass.