YOU CAN GET HOOKED ON SPOTTING CALICO BASS IN WINTER.

Byline: Brett Pauly Daily News Staff Writer

If you've always been tempted to try ocean fishing but fear you've lost your chance for this year, take heart - the calico bass is swimming just below the surface, waiting to be hooked.

This popular game fish may be the easiest species for beginners to catch because it is so abundant and often swims close to shore. Yet it still lures veteran anglers who enjoy its tenacity or like to use more challenging gear to tackle it.

The calico bass, also known as the kelp bass, is arguably the most important species in the Southern California party-boat fishery. And since it is largely thought not to be a migratory game fish - although some biologists believe it to be more mobile than previously suspected - the calico is caught more frequently in the winter than many other fishes that are driven away by the colder water temperatures.

``They are more homebodies than other fish. They move a little bit seasonally and the population kind of re-centers each year, but you can pretty much count on finding them all year round,'' said Merit McCrea, skipper of the Seahawk LXV out of Santa Barbara, traditionally one of the most popular holding areas for calico bass.

That's good news for the uninitiated who may want to board a party boat, get into the fish and be back into port all in quick fashion.

For those types, a half-day charter, which generally depart from the region's many sport-fishing landings is the ticket. Most depart at 10 a.m., return at 3 p.m. and cost about $25. Those who prefer more time to fish and don't mind boating a greater distance can try a three-quarter-day boat ($35), which is out from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you get the hang of it and become ``hooked,'' opt for a full-day boat ($65) that is on the water from about 2 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It's best to call the landings first to see what boats and bait they have available, and what fish customers have been catching. And while you can rent a rod aboard most boats, you'll want to make sure you've purchased your bait and tackle ahead of time.

Don't forget your state ocean-fishing license; anglers 16 and older are required to display one while fishing.

Live squid or fresh dead squid is the bait of preference for calicos and many other game fish.

``It is good for a beginner because the techniques for fishing the squid are easier to learn,'' McCrea said. ``It takes relatively simple tackle. You aren't fishing with a giant old reel. And there is no complex rigging.''

And because calicos are a topwater fish - that is, they live in very shallow subtidal waters and prefer kelp, reefs, oil derricks and other structure at depths of 10 to 70 feet - you won't be spending an inordinate amount of time lowering the bait and reeling in the catch. (Rockfish, for example, which actually bite best during the fall and winter and attract a strong winter following, dwell at depths of 60 to 400 feet or more and can take forever to reel in.)

Using squid, it is reasonable to catch six or seven calico bass in a single outing. The limit, in combination with sand bass, a similar species, is 10 fish; all must be at least 12 inches long.

A conventional rod and reel setup with 12- to 20-pound test line is recommended. Those who aren't adept at casting a line can may make things easier on themselves by using a spinning rod and reel.

Use a half-squid on a large live-bait hook (preferably a No. 4/o) and a -3/4- to 3-ounce sinker to get the bait to the bottom. Landing operators or tackle shop managers can suggest what type and amount of weight to use, but typically it will be a sliding-egg sinker (-3/4 to 1 ounce), a torpedo sinker (up to 3 ounces) or a leadhead (-3/4 to 1 -1/2 ounces).

``Let the squid soak on the bottom,'' McCrea advised. ``The smaller fish will come up and pick at it. They are like the advertising campaign. Then the bigger fish notice it and swoop in and steal it from the smaller fish.

``They might not run very far, maybe taking three or four feet of line. You'll notice it because the rod will feel very heavy. Then take a swing (pull up hard and fast on the rod), and it will either be a fish or you're caught on the bottom.''

When using anchovy bait - they are less appetizing to the target fish but more available - use a smaller hook (No. 2). Grizzled anglers enjoy using plastic lures; however the bass tend to be less aggressive on artificial baits in the winter.

When it comes to taste, the calico bass - a handsome specimen with a checkerboard pattern of brown, gray-brown or olive alternating with pale blotches - has its fans and its detractors. Some consider it a delicacy and prepare it every fathomable way, from sauteing to barbecuing. Others can't palate it and prefer to catch and release it simply out of the joy of fishing.

Calico bass are found from the mouth of Oregon's Columbia River to the tip of Baja California; they are most prevalent from Point Conception southward.

They can be solitary, found in loose, small aggregations or in compact schools during breeding season, which runs from April to November and peaks during summer.

They can reach 28-1/2 inches and, remarkably, can live more than 33 years.

Adults are most active at dawn and dusk, feeding on a variety of mid-water and bottom-dwelling organisms, such as fish, octopuses, squids, crabs, shrimps and algae.

The calico bass is thought to have been a part of the diet of Southland Indian tribes.

Good luck and don't forget your state ocean-fishing license; anglers 16 and older are required to display one while fishing.

Where to find winter charters

Following are area landings where anglers can inquire about winter charter fishing for calico bass or other ocean game fish:

Marina del Rey Sportfishing, [phone].

Redondo Sportfishing, Redondo Beach, [phone].

Skipper's 22nd Street Landing, San Pedro, [phone].

L.A. Harbor Sportfishing, [phone].

Belmont Pier Sportfishing, Long Beach, [phone].

Long Beach Sportfishing, [phone].

Seal Beach Sportfishing, [phone].

Port Hueneme Sportfishing, [phone].

Cisco's Sportfishing, Oxnard, [phone].

Gold Coast Sportfishing, Oxnard, [phone].

Ventura Sportfishing, [phone].

Harbor Village Sportfishing, Ventura, [phone].

Sea Landing, Santa Barbara, [phone].

Hornet Sportfishing, Santa Barbara, [phone].

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: Woodland Hills angler Dan Fink, foreground, and others from the Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club and the San Fernando Valley Saltwater Fisherman club work the waters off Santa Barbara for calico bass.

Brett Pauly

Box: Where to find winter charters (See Text)