AT SEA\Big tuna off Clarion.

Byline: Philip Friedman Special to the Daily News

"The big fish are here, and they're on the bite," radioed an exuberant skipper Randy Toussaint aboard the Qualifier Excel out of San Diego.

Angling off Clarion Island, a part of the Revillagigedo Islands, Toussaint's words should send shivers down the spine of anyone who has ever dreamed of catching a mammoth yellowfin tuna.

The waters near the Mexican island chain is home to some of the world's largest yellowfin. The Revillagigedos, situated some 300 miles southwest of Baja's Cabo San Lucas, are the primary target of the San Diego long-range fleet. A minimum of 16 days is required to fish the region from the starting port.

Toussaint was just finishing up a long-range trip when he called in the report.

"This was an excellent big-fish trip," he said. "We've got 16 to 18 fish (yellowfin tuna) over 200 pounds and two over 300," he said.

The majority of fish over 250 pounds were caught on chunk bait, while those in the 150- to 200-pound class were hooked on sardines.

Toussaint suggested that any anglers planning a trip to Clarion should heed the following advice:

"Bring some 10-o, 11-o and 12-o mustad-circle hooks with you. We've been fishing with sardines and 60- to 80-pound mono (monofilament line) and having great success with the circle hooks. The circle hooks enable anglers to hook the fish in the corner of the mouth so the line doesn't wear out. We're catching more 200 pounders on sardines than ever."

Skippers Steve Loomis of the Royal Polaris and Tommy Rothery of the Polaris Supreme, both also out of Fisherman's Landing in San Diego, radioed in to verify the great bite at the island.

"We've spent our whole time at Clarion and have on board 20 fish over 200 pounds with our biggest weighing around 280 pounds," Loomis said.

After two days of tuna fishing, Rothery said his party had 30 over 100 pounds and three over 200 pounds, with the biggest tipping the scales at a hefty 275 pounds.

"We're anchored at the northeast end of Clarion, and we're just hoping the cow-fish (giant yellowfin) keep biting," he said.

Just last month, Corky Yokoe, a Monterey Park businessman, fought a 376-pound yellowfin for 45 minutes before it came to gaff. The catch is a pending world record in the 130-pound line class. (See photo.)

By Monday, things had begun to slow somewhat, but the skippers believe it is a temporary lull and not the end of the big-tuna bite.

Southland waters: Locally the weather couldn't be any better. Calm seas and 80-degree days promise to heat up a very cold surface bite.

Skipper Merit McCrea took the Seahawk LXV up the coast from Santa Barbara's Sea Landing to tackle Naples Reef.

Aboard were 16 anglers from the Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club. They boated 100 calico bass on squid - live and frozen. McCrea believes the bite should continue to improve as long as the weather holds up.

Catalina Island is another place waiting to explode. Dreamer skipper Alan Watson out of Los Angeles Harbor Sportfishing said there is a big volume of white seabass around the island.

Recently, the calico bass fishing has been poor. But the last time there was a stretch of good weather, the calico bite was excellent.