CI SHOOTOUT WINNING LING, landed by Larry Johnson, left, gaffed by Pacific Eagle deckhand, Nick. The only ling cod taken during the 2026 Western Outdoor News Channel Islands Shootout gave the angler top prize in the competition.
BY BOB SEMERAU
Western Outdoor News Staff Writer
VENTURA — This was the 18th annual Western Outdoor News Channel Islands Shootout, setting a record for prizes and swag. Tourney sponsor Big Hammer Swimbaits, SwimBait.com sent along loads of their softbaits for anglers fishing the shootout.
At weigh-in there were tons of prizes, enough for everyone present to be a winner. Raffel prizes included two pair of Costa sunglasses, four $50 gift cards from Aftco and two more from Hyun’s Tackle, just to name a few.
Anglers in the contest took home swag bags with 450-yard spools of 30-pound Izorline First String monofilament, hook packs from Gamakatsu, a P-line minnow jig, discount coupons for a great Cancun vacation, Costa wiping cloths, and a pack of Big Hammer soft baits.
Two boats got off the docks of Ventura Harbor Sportfishing with Pacific Eagle heading to the Yellow Banks zone off the backside of Santa Cruz Island and Californian making her way to the front side of Cruz by way of Anacapa.
The 45-competing anglers found spotty action on both boats fishing in the competition. Final counts showed a total of 110 whitefish, 3 yellowtail, 17 sculpin, 22 sheephead, 159 rockfish, 73 barracuda, 26 calico bass, 2 cabezon, and 1 surprising ling cod.
Pacific Eagle, the 55-foot sportfisher owned and operated by Captain Mike Mings, made several moves near Yellow Banks, with anglers boating a few mid-sized fish on several drifts. One big move took the PE competitors offshore to a spot in the gap Captain Mike Ming holds special for rockfish. While Cpt. Mings set up for the first drift frequent WON charter angler, Larry Johnson, sat in the galley enjoying a snack, and announced “I’m going out there and getting a big ling.” And he did.
Letting out his two-hook dropper loop rig baited with only squid strips, the experienced angler’s 6-ounce weight just touched bottom when something big took off with the goods. A few minutes later angler Larry was all smiles with a mid-sized ling cod on the gaff of PE deckhand, Nick.
That single ling weighed 9.8-pounds giving first place honors to Larry Johnson along with a swag bag filled with great gear and $225.00 cash.
While Pacific Eagle made its moves, Captain Paredes, piloting Californian, had some moves of his own.
“Captain Tim Paredes made a quick stop at Anacapa Island to catch some mackerel and sardine since the micro-chovie live baits were too small to be usable,” reported Robert Groeber at weigh-in.
“We had two special groups with us. Four folks who work aboard the Victory out of Long Beach, and the Bracamontes family, locals from Ventura,” Groeber continued.
WON associate, Groeber reported from the decks of Californian saying the day started slowly with a few rockfish boated while on the backside of Anacapa but finished up with a strong barracuda bite at days end over at backside of Santa Cruz Island.
Local angler, Ray Mitchell, finished just out of the money, with 6-pound sheephead but two other Californian anglers made the cut.
Mark Williams and Danny Mitchell weighed-in two fish at 6.6-pounds by the scale. For his winning barracuda, a coin toss gave Danny the number two spot, a prize filled goodie bag, and $135.00 cash. Third place honor, a bag of swag, and $90.00 cash went to local angler, Mark Williams, of Oxnard for his 6.6-pound yellowtail.
2026 WON CI Shootout RESULTS:
First Place Pacific Eagle Larry Johnson 9.8-pound ling cod
Second Place (tie) Californian Danny Mitchell 6.6-pound barracuda
Third Place (tie) Californian Mark Williams 6.6-pound yellowtail
Contact: Ventura Harbor Sportfishing, www.venturasportfishing.com
1500 Anchors Way, Ventura, CA 93001 805-676-3474
