SoCal Cabrillo Report 11-19-2010

I got out for about three hours this afternoon on the "inside" at Cabrillo Beach here in SoCal. 

I caught two barred sand bass [see pix].  One was barely legal but I released it.  The other was about the same size. (both were released)   I caught them on the swim bait you see in the 2nd pic. Got a tip from another kayak fisherman coming in who pointed out a kelp bed not far from the dredge operations.  I'd been staying away from the dredge but he said he caught some sand bass there so I tried it.    No halibut bites today -- and thankfully, no lizard fish!   The wind was light and "backwards" from the southeast.   I'm going to have to work that kelp bed again.  ==  Great fun.    dB

Never caught a Barred Sand Bass before.  Are they good eating?  Thanks for the report and pictures Dave.

Never caught a Barred Sand Bass before.  Are they good eating? 

They look yummy to me!!

 

Thanks for sharing the report and pics, and glad you got out OTW to have some fun and catch some cool fish!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

They are good to eat, though I prefer Calico bass.  There's a warning now about eating sand bass due to the high levels of DDT and PCB.  They used to warn only about tom cod.  I think if I caught I big sand bass in the harbor, and they do get bigger, I'd eat it.  We catch them on the party boats all the time.  I believe they still target them.  A lot of people, including my wife, are leery about eating anything caught in the L.A. harbor.

 Love the pics

Sandbass are delicious. They make excellent fish tacos.

Sandbass are delicious. They make excellent fish tacos.

Indeed! They are a mainstay fishery for kayakers in so-cal. Watch out for their "spear" spine on the dorsal!

I'm be leery about eating fish from the LA harbor too.

Personally, I would avoid eating any fish, lobster or crab caught south of Santa Monica.  LA Harbor to Palos Verdes is a known DDT and PCB hotspot.  In addition, the Harbor is where all of the nasty water from LA, the San Fernando Valley and the San Gabriel Valley collects.

Check out Table 1 of the below report:

http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/board_decisions/basin_plan_amendments/technical_documents/66_New/06_0530/Revised%20Project%20Plan%20051006.pdf

Never caught a Barred Sand Bass before.  Are they good eating?  Thanks for the report and pictures Dave.

They are known locally as turd rollers for a reason.