FISHING / DAN STANTON : Crew Strikes the Gold a Day Late

The Long Beach Sportfishing boat Reel Special was one of 200 boats entered in the $160,000 Catalina Marlin Gold Cup, but its crew failed to catch a marlin during the Sept. 21-22 tournament.

But with hopes of making the trip worthwhile, captain Pat Whitaker decided to stay an extra day after hearing reports of tuna being caught at Osborne Bank.

On Sept. 23, Whitaker guided the boat 10 miles off the west end of the island. The crew began trolling using jigs and mackerel for bait.

Captain Keith Brewer was the first to notice a strike. He grabbed the rod and started to battle a jumping marlin.

Whitaker, who was at the controls of the boat, put the vessel in reverse to follow the fish.

Brewer was using 80-pound test line and it took him 20 minutes to bring the fish to the boat. Three gaffs were used to haul it aboard.

Brewer’s marlin weighed 168 1/4 pounds. The first-place marlin in the Gold Cup was a 164 1/2-pounder.

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South Bay Sportfishing boats returned with some impressive catches last weekend.

Long Beach Sportfishing’s Toronado, fishing at the 60-mile bank, returned with 131 yellowfin tuna and 30 skipjack.

Long Beach anglers with big catches included jackpot winner Stan Koplan with a 32-pounder, Marilyn Robinson with a 28 1/2-pounder and Mike Gavdenti with a 28-pounder.

On trip aboard L.A. Harbor’s First String, a school of yellowfin was located six hours offshore. Anglers caught 65 yellowfin and 10 yellowtail.

Carol Plano of Redondo Beach, who was making her first tuna trip, was among the anglers who caught yellowtail. She had to battle her fish for 15 minutes. It was worth the battle, because she won the jackpot with the 30-pounder.

Redondo Beach resident Eileen Wyatt was also on her first trip and landed a 28-pound tuna.

Yellowfin have also reportedly been moving into an area from San Clemente Island to the 14-mile bank.

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Six South Bay fishermen returned Monday from a trip 28 miles off Point Loma aboard the Crest. The six anglers aboard the boat caught 57 yellowfin, with most of the fish weighing 18 to 24 pounds.

Bob Alvarez of Torrance had the largest catch--a 24-pound yellowfin.

South Bay catches: Bob Martin of Long Beach, aboard the Vagabond about 35 miles offshore of San Martin Island, caught the whopper of the week--a 97-pound big-eye tuna.

James Tani of Long Beach, aboard the Toronado at the 60-mile bank, caught a 36-pound yellowfin tuna.

Randy Potch of Long Beach, aboard the Pacifica at Cortez Bank, caught a 32-pound bluefin tuna.

Jim Foreman of Hermosa Beach, aboard the Sea Spray offshore of Catalina, pulled a 32-pound yellowtail out of the kelp.

Tami Sawa of Culver City, aboard the Sumo at Tanner Bank, caught a 30-pound yellowfin tuna.