SALTWATER REPORT

Capt. Hook's Sportfishing begins its two-month halibut derby Monday on the Seabiscuit.

Little more than a week into that competition, the landing will hold a benefit for one of the derby's former winners.

Dan Gagliani, a longtime Capt. Hook's customer, won a jackpot in August 2006 with a 28-pound halibut. Gagliani recently had heart surgery. To ease the financial hardship of his heath issues, the landing will hold a lingcod special aboard the Island Spirit on May 6, leaving at 5 a.m and targeting lingcod with live mackerel.

"We want to get him back on his feet and back on the fishing boats," said Mark Kiel of Capt. Hook's.

The cost of the trip is $80. All proceeds will go to Gagliani and his family.

There have been sightings of white seabass, yellowtail and even some salmon, which cannot be fished this year, but the chilly weather has limited local anglers to rockfishing.

Mike Poepke of Ventura caught a 14-pound lingcod and Jerry Frye of Ventura reeled in a 12-pound lingcod on the Aloha Spirit. Peter Celeste of Ventura caught an 8-pound red snapper on the Island Spirit. On the Hattsquad, Jerry Sussman of Simi Valley caught a 10-pound lingcod and Bo Bohanan of Camarillo landed a 8-pound chucklehead.

"The rockfishing has been really good," said Kiel. "We expect everything else to pick up once the weather improves."

Joe Flynn of Westlake caught an 8-pound red snapper aboard Channel Islands Sportfishing's Cobra.

"The water is still really cold," said Jim Clark of Channel Islands Sportfishing. "If this water warms up, we'll start fishing the exotics."

Steve Volaski of Ventura Sportsfishing, located in Ventura Harbor, has seen his boats come back with limits from rockfishing trips to Anacapa Island. But he's also been waiting for the weather to pick up.

"It's been good fishing," said Volaski. "It's just been a real horrible month for weather.

"There have been some signs of barracuda, but haven't had the time or weather to fish them yet."

Ventura Sportsfishing has installed new engines on its bait boats.

Channel Islands features boats at 4, 6 and 9 a.m. and a night trip. But perhaps the most interested trips coming up will be on Mother's Day, May 11.

"If you bring your mom, she rides for free on the 6 a.m. or 9 a.m. (trips)," said Clark.

FRESHWATER REPORT

Cachuma Lake: Todd Bright's lucky number was 1588.

Bright of Arroyo Grande won Cachuma's trout derby over the weekend, taking home $2,000 by catching the fish with the highest tag number.

Chris Tatzel of Santa Barbara won $500 for second place and Jean Ussery of Orcutt took home $300 for third.

Nick Langer of Valencia won $1,000 for catching the biggest fish, a 9-pound trout that was 2578 inches in length.

Scott Bodford of Ventura and Dodie Carpenter of Atascadero won $500 and $300, respectively, by finishing second and third. Both landed trout 2018 inches in length, but Bodford's weighed more.

"There's a lot of nice fish coming in," said Craig Lingham of Cachuma boat landing. "They're mostly trolling and drifting about 5 to 20 feet deep. And we're starting to see some bass coming in as well."

Lake hours: 6 a.m.-5 p.m.

Lake Casitas: The bass have been biting in Ojai.

Greg Gherardini of Las Vegas caught a 12-pound bass on swim bait. Dana Steele of Ojai caught a 10-pound bass on plastic worm. Eric Elshere of Ojai reeled in a 10-pound bass on plastic worm. Don Lucas of Oxnard landed a 9-pound bass on plastic worm.

"Bass have been really good," said Randy King of Casitas Boat Rentals. "We're seeing a lot of fish in the 2-to-4-pound range."

But the exciting news is the return of the shad Wednesday, which allowed Mike Kane of Camarillo to catch 22 crappie in a single morning. The average weight was 2 pounds. Kane kept nine fish and released the rest.

"The crappie are just committing suicide on (shad)," said King. "It's been our big story."

Lake hours: 5:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

— Compiled by Joe Curley