FISHING : Bass There for Those Who Braved Heavy Seas

Despite recent storms, it was mostly business as usual for the local sportfishing fleet last week.

Most sportfishing boats were limited to local kelp and rock areas as wind and heavy seas curtailed outer island trips.

On Tuesday, sportfishing landings returned to regular scheduled trips, although most have yet to resume two-day trips to Cortez Bank.

Calico bass were plentiful for anglers who did battle the rough weather. The best areas for bass were along kelp beds and coves off Catalina Island.

The L.A. Harbor boat Pacifica returned from Catalina over the weekend with 324 calico bass and 15 sheephead. They also caught a black seabass that was released.

San Pedro angler Nancy McElroy hooked the black seabass and said she was using only 20-pound test line. After a 15-minute battle, the fish was finally brought to the surface. Deckhands, who estimated the fish weighed 60 pounds, released it unharmed.

Carson anglers Al Alexander and Randy Long, fishing from their skiff Fishing Toy at the Rocky Point area, had little success with calico bass.

The two fishermen were working an area along the edge of the kelp when Long felt a strike. He set the hook and the fish ran into kelp and stripped his reel down to the end.

Moments later, Alexander had a strike, but the fish broke his line before he could set the hook.

Long was fighting to move his fish out of the kelp. He succeeded only to have the fish wrap the line around the anchor rope.

The anchor was raised and battling to free itself was a white sea- bass that weighed 22 1/4 pounds.

Keith Brewer and Chris Williams of San Pedro, fishing in Brewer’s skiff, drifted along the Palos Verdes kelp beds before the weekend rains and managed to catch several good-size calico bass.

Williams also caught a 16-pound white seabass.

John Oreta and Danny Salas of San Pedro, fishing outside of Rocky Point, caught calico bass weighing up to eight pounds.

Both anglers also caught the three-fish limit of white seabass that averaged 16 pounds.

South Bay anglers returned from fishing trips in Mexico with good catches.

Gart Mildner of Harbor City returned Monday from a three-day trip to San Felipe.

Mildner said it was one of his best trips to the area this year, Mildner caught sargo, corbina and a 6-pound trigger fish that was part of his daily limit.

Michael Luden of Redondo Beach returned from a 10-day trip aboard the Royal Star and won a jackpot with a 74-pound 4-ounce yellowfin tuna.

Scott Linkletter of San Pedro, won a jackpot on the Royal Polaris with a 63-pound wahoo.

South Bay Catches: Ernie Schlitz of West Los Angeles, fishing aboard the Aztec off Catalina, caught the whopper of the week--a 40-pound yellowtail.

Milton Freeman of Lomita, fishing aboard the Shogun at the deep hole, caught a 25-pound white sea- bass.

Frank Singer of Wilmington, fishing aboard the Hitless Miss at the rigs, caught a 24 1/2-pound yellowtail.

Gary Bethel of Culver City caught an 18-pound ling cod while aboard the Betty O.

Freshwater Notes: Russ Izor of Gardena returned Monday from his yearly end-of-the-season trout fishing trip to the Sierra.

Izor said it was a very successful trip, adding that weather and water conditions were ideal. He fished three days, catching his five-fish limit each day.

Tina Aneve of Torrance fished Silverwood Lake last weekend and caught a 12-pound catfish.