Anglers Haul In Calico Bass During Surface Boil

Anglers out of Newport Harbor saw improved surface action this week, with one group pulling up 35 calico bass after their boat's captain spotted dozens of the fish boiling up from the depths.

Lia Mendoza from reported that the 12 anglers aboard the Patriot for a 3/4-day trip caught the calicos on live anchovies on Tuesday afternoon. 

For the day the Patriot had 35 calicos, 24 bocaccio, 96 chilipepper rockfish and one sheephead.

Also on Tuesday, 39 anglers aboard the Western Pride out of caught nine calicos, seven sand bass, 10 sheephead, 24 blue perch, 21 sculpin and two rockfish on a afternoon half-day trip.

On Saturday, the Thunderbird fished San Clemente Island with 23 anglers and landed 93 Reds, 97 rockfish, three lingcod, 46 boccacio, six whitefish and one sheephead.

David Schmitt at Davey's locker had a few tips for anglers going out on spring trip.

Schmitt advised anglers to come prepared to fish in deep water and on the surface. He suggests bringing a dropper loop set up with a 6-ounce sinkers for rockfish and sculpin and also be prepared to have a lighter tackle with a 1/4- to 1/2-sliding egg sinker to fly line for bass.

 John Dough of J.D.'s Big Game Tackle on Balboa Island landed took home the first place prize for spotfin croaker during last weekend's Lily Call Bay tournament. He caught the 6.6-pound fish caught on a strip of an innkeeper worm. Dough caught, weighed, photographed, resuscitated and then released the prize winning fish.