Rockfish Ride 'Fish Elevator'

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 over the weekend on the half-day Southern Cal out of Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach. Fortunately for the passengers, the weather forecast was dead wrong for the Long Beach area. Instead of gale force winds, calm seas and sunshine greeted the boat.

Tom Raftican from the Sportfishing Conservancy was aboard the Southern Cal with the West Marine Fish Elevator—a contraption designed to release rockfish suffering from barotrauma, or a swollen swim bladder that leaves them unable to dive.

The elevator transports fish deeper into the ocean so they can swim away easily.

Also aboard the boat were Long Beach residents Lorena Ballesteros and her two sons Matthew, 9, and Nathan, 12.

The rest of the group of anglers was not only treated to a great day’s fishing, but also pods of dolphin, huge bird flocks 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. For more information on the trip, watch the video above.

Quick bites

• The Redondo Special out of was out with 17 anglers on Sunday and caught 121 rockfish, 21 vermillion rockfish, a sheephead, 91 rockfish and 34 boccacio. Marina del Rey Sportfishing has seen the same kind of bite, with anglers catching limits of rockfish and a few nice lingcod. They have also had some good sand bass fishing in the Santa Monica Bay.

• 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 three-quarter-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 into biting with a live squid and used 25-pound test line to haul the monster up from the depths.

• Rockfishing remained good out of the Newport Beach area. Paul Rodriguez Jr. landed a 14-pound lingcod out of Newport Landing this week. Anglers have also caught a few halibut. Additionally, there has been decent sand bass fishing at times.

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

• The Enterprise out of Long Beach Marina Sportfishing has been reporting some of the best bottom fishing the crew has 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 anglers fished in about 150 feet of water and limited out on vermillion rockfish.