Fishing Report: Tuning up for derby with big catch

By Wayne Shaw
Special to The Tribune

This could be the year a record fish will be caught in the 15th-annual Port Side Marine Halibut Derby.

Drew Brandy tuned up for the event Monday by catching a flattie that would have eclipsed the existing record of 39.4 pounds set by Arroyo Grande’s Brian Sato in 2005.

The retired marine warden with the Department of Fish and Game cranked up a 39.9-pound halibut while fishing in 55 feet of water off the Port San Luis Lighthouse. He was five days too early, however; the Port Side Marine scale is digital but not the certified scale used for derby weigh-ins.

The two-day Halibut Derby will be contested Saturday and Sunday.

Brandy waxed philosophical when I caught up with him by phone Tuesday.

“Well, at least someone else won’t beat me with that fish,” he said.

“At first I thought it was a thresher shark. There are a lot of them in that area.”

He was fishing with another DFG retiree, Bob Koch of Templeton.

“We tried to net the fish but it jumped out of the net twice,” Brandy said.

The first gaffing try brought the halibut on board Brandy’s boat.

“I’m conservative when I estimate the weight of my catches. I thought this halibut would go 25 pounds,” he said.

The pair also reeled in two small halibut and a pair of lingcod.

Bandy is looking forward to the weekend.

“Deke (Wells) has some quality sardines,” he said. “Maybe he’ll also have a mix of some anchovies prior to the tournament. The forecast is for some wind so it will take both stamina and patience.”

Brandy says he will fish the derby with Wes Burke of Santa Margarita. Koch has relatives coming in for the weekend.

Brandy has entered nearly all 14 prior halibut events, but he has never had a big fish place in the top five either day. Three times he has finished in the top three in the three-fish total bag weight category. That phase of the competition was eliminated after 2004.

Fifteen fish of 30 pounds or more have been caught in competition.

Last year, Bob Hardy of Atascadero became the second two-time winner. He won with a 35-pound halibut. His 2001 winner weighed 34.2 pounds. Joe Vaughan of Sisquoc won in 2002 and 2003 with fish weighing 29.6 and 29.2 pounds, respectively.

The entry fee is $75 per person. It entitles participants to fish one day or both and includes a ticket to the barbecue Sunday that begins at 4 p.m. The derby begins at 5 a.m. Saturday. Weigh-in deadline is 4 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Nonparticipant barbecue tickets are $10.

The Harbor District is offering free moorings and trailer parking to those who have registered for the derby and desire to avoid the long lines to launch. Arrangements must be completed before Saturday. A $500 cash prize will be awarded to the angler catching the heaviest halibut while fishing from a boat 16 feet or less in length. The minimum size halibut for weighing is 24 inches. The daily bag limit is three fish. Seventy percent of the entry fee money will be paid out in prizes. Proceeds after expenses will go to a local youth ocean fishing program. Virg’s Landing

Sundowner fishing trips from 3 to 7 p.m. are offered Saturdays. Long Range trips from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. are scheduled Fridays and Sundays.

The next overnight trip will depart at 3 p.m. Aug. 2 and return by 5 p.m. Aug. 3.

On the July 13 Long Range trip aboard the Princess, 24 passengers caught 7 lingcod and 240 red rockcod while fishing seven miles north of the Piedras Blancas lighthouse.

Call 772-1222 for reservations and more information.

For the week ending July 19, the take by 443 anglers was 13 lingcod, 1,225 red rockcod, 2,333 assorted rockfish, 2 halibut and 1 sole.

Jackpot winners included Chad Merrel, Cambria, 20-pound halibut; Jim Webb, Cambria, 12-pound lingcod; Michael Cromer, Mountain View, 10-pound red rockcod; Shane Dunaway, Fresno, Joe Muller, Ventura, both 7-pound red rockcod; Bill Burke, Morro Bay, Ken Phelps, Morro Bay, Kreg Brockray, Tulare, Matt Kensengor, Reno, Sam Mecham, Wasco, and Richard Baldono, Glendale, all 6-pound red rockcod. Patriot Sportfishing

Long Range trips to the Point Purisma area are scheduled Thursdays and Sundays. Departures are at 6 a.m., with return by 4 p.m.

Call 595-7200 for reservations and more information.

The catch by 337 passengers last week included 63 lingcod, 412 red rockcod, 1,686 assorted rockfish, 983 bolina and 10 cabezon.

Jackpot winners included Brett Wood, Grover Beach, 16-pound, 6-ounce lingcod; Chris Hoofard, Bakersfield, 12-pound lingcod; John Dalton, Lemoore, 11-pound lingcod; Ed Clark, Lindsay, 9-pound, 8-ounce lingcod; Joe Vidaurri, Pismo Beach, 9-pound lingcod; Chad Miller, Taft, 6-pound, 8-ounce red rockcod; Don Wittington, Bakersfield, 4-pound brown rockcod; Ronald Toon, Santa Maria, 4-pound copper rockcod; Jeremy Kerekes, Arroyo Grande, Spencer Nieblas, Bakersfield, Troy Hamilton, Bakersfield, Austin Peterson, San Luis Obispo, all 4-pound red rockcod. Port Side Marine

An 11.3-pound lingcod caught by Lindsey Gannon of Atascadero on July 14 was the Whopper of the Week. Thirty-two lingcod and 13 halibut were caught by anglers aboard the 113 private boats embarking out of the Sports Launch last week. Three-quarter to full rockcod limits were logged six days. Half to three- quarter limits were posted July 16. Lopez Lake

A probable lake record largemouth bass was caught by an unidentified angler July 22. He reported the fish weighed 13 pounds, 15 ounces on a hand-held scale. The fish was released.

The official lake record is 13.72 pounds set by Paul Pierce of Pismo Beach on March 2, 2000.

Tom and Tony Castleberry of Arroyo Grande caught two largemouths up to 5 1/2 pounds and one smallmouth while fishing with crankbaits in the lake’s Lopez Arm.

On July 20, Austin Bright of Arroyo Grande caught a 2-pound largemouth by the boathouse. Santa Margarita Lake

Isaiah Davis from Inglewood caught an 18-pound catfish as well as bluegill and redear July 18 and July 19. His No. 10 hook was baited with pieces of red worms.

Marina manager Don Lopez reports fishing is good for bluegill and decent for bass using tubes and frogs pitched onto grass mats. Some catfish are being taken while trout have disappeared. Nacimiento Lake

“There’s an excellent catfish bite lately, especially in coves. Fish up to 9 pounds are being taken on presentations of anchovies, nightcrawlers and hot dogs,” marina staffer Dave Rymal said.

Spotted bass are being caught most often by trolling silver Shad Raps. White bass are being caught in the same location between the marina and the dam.

Bluegill are biting again around docks and under pontoon boats. Cachuma Lake

Marina spokesman Clay Sanchez says the crappie bite is “real good” on red, orange and chartreuse crappie jigs.

Trout are down 50 to 80 feet. Trollers using downriggers or lead core line are hooking up between the mouth of Cachuma Bay and the dam and E Point. Pearl Bikini, Fire Hot Banana, and Nickel Bikini Needlefish or Rapalas are working. Bass continue to be elusive. Lake San Antonio

Bob Begley of Lompoc caught 17 stripers last week using anchovies for bait. The fish were in the 6- to 8-pound range. Bass Tourneys

The Gold Coast Bass Club will hold its seventh tournament Saturday at Lopez Lake. Tri Valley Bass Club’s seventh test will be at Santa Margarita Lake. Camp Roberts Fishing

One hundred twenty-five trout were bagged last weekend, 60 on Saturday and 65 on Sunday.

On base Saturday were 50 adult and 9 junior anglers. Sunday’s turnout included 49 adult and 12 junior fishermen. Four of the five weekend guests were on base Sunday. One non-game fish was caught each day.

Whale Rock Reservoir

Steve Tong caught a 12-inch trout on a T Bouyant. Only three of the 19 fish caught this season have been bagged since week 8, which was June 11-15.