FISHING : Banning High Students Helping in Study of Grunion Migration Patterns

A study hopes to answer several questions about migration patterns of grunion, tiny silvery fish that spawn along Southern California beaches from March to August each year.

The two-year study was started in April, 1990, by Dr. Susanne Miller of the Cabrillo Marine Museum and now has been expanded to include 60 Banning High students.

Also involved in the project is Gary Scott, a Banning biology teacher, and Mark Crew, a biology analyst at UCLA.

The group will try to find out if females return to spawn on the beach where they were born. The fish bury their eggs in the sand and return to the sea with the tide.

Scott said much of the work for the study will be conducted along the Cabrillo Beach area.

Much of the analysis will be conducted by Banning students, who will use facilities at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Local fishing remains unchanged with catches of calico bass, sculpin, bonito and halibut being reported. Anglers have been catching half-to-full limits.

Calico bass fishing off Catalina and San Clemente islands has been excellent.

South Bay anglers returning from long-range trips to Mexican waters report some outstanding catches.

Angelo Rios fished off Acapulco and hooked a sailfish. After a 30-minute fight, he was able to bring the 135-pound fish aboard.

The Bay of Los Angeles has been a hot spot for yellowtail. Fishermen Frank Hall, Bill Nazaroff and Nick Kornoff caught 27 yellowtail in three days of fishing. The largest yellowtail weighed 23 pounds.

Fishing off San Felipe, John Palomino, Joe Quintero and Mike Wang caught limits of dorado and yellowtail. They released several fish, including a 122-pound sailfish.

Rico Perez fished off San Felipe for corbina and boated 12, although what appeared to be his biggest fish went under the boat and broke the line.

Tom Larkin of Long Beach celebrated his 10th birthday by going fishing aboard the Lucky L.

Larkin was trolling using a mackerel for bait. He hooked a fish and after a 22-minute fight brought a 57-pound mako shark to gaff.

South Bay Catches: Jason Allen of Long Beach, fishing off Catalina aboard the Toronado, caught the whopper of the week, a 30-pound yellowtail.

Ernie Martin of Redondo Beach, aboard the First String off Catalina, caught a 21-pound yellowtail.

Fred Berg of Carson, fishing at horseshoe kelp aboard the Hitless Miss, caught a 17 1/2-pound halibut.

Mike King of Hermosa Beach, fishing aboard the Amy Lynn at rocky point, caught a 15-pound white seabass.

Steve Miller of Long Beach, fishing the rigs, caught a 14-pound yellowtail.