Full Circle at Big Fish: Ron Kwan, Golden Pheasant Memories, and El Niño 2026 Marlin Madness

This morning I walked into Big Fish Bait & Tackle in Seal Beach and ran into Ron Kwan. We started talking fishing like we always do around here, and then he asked me if I remembered the Golden Pheasant restaurant in Torrance.

Did I remember it? I used to go there at least once a week. The Mongolian beef was to die for. The people who worked there were so nice. It felt like family every time you walked through the door.

Ron smiled and told me he remembers being a bus boy there when I used to come in all the time. Wow. How the years have flown by.

The Golden Pheasant at 1077 W. Carson Street was run by Danny and Estella Kwan, immigrants from Hong Kong who opened the restaurant in the early 1970s. Their daughter is Michelle Kwan — one of the most decorated figure skaters in U.S. history. She won Olympic silver in Nagano in 1998 and bronze in Salt Lake City in 2002, plus nine U.S. championships and five world titles. She did not win Olympic gold, but she is still regarded as one of the greatest ever. Later she served as U.S. Ambassador to Belize. The family sold the restaurant in 1997, but the memories of that place and those people never left.

Ron was so cordial and good to talk to. We covered this crazy El Niño 2026 season and how the Southern California striped marlin bite has been phenomenal. Yellowtail everywhere. Great bluefin tuna fishing. Yellowfin tuna. Dorado. The whole mixed bag that usually stays farther south is sitting in our backyard right now.

Then I learned Ron runs his own charter boat — Swift & Salty Sportfishing. They operate a fast 6-pack Invincible 40 catamaran targeting trophy bluefin, yellowfin, yellowtail, mahi, and other pelagics on one-day offshore and island trips. Website: http://swiftandsaltysportfishing.com. Phone: (949) 346-4449. Email: mailto:swiftandsalty@gmail.com.

Ron is headed out marlin fishing tomorrow. He said last weekend they had eight hookups on marlin in a single day. That’s the kind of number that makes you sit up straight.

Meeting Ron this morning made me realize how fast life goes by. It also brought back great memories of sitting in that restaurant, eating wonderful meals, and being treated like family by the staff and owners. Small world. Big Fish Bait & Tackle is one of those places where those connections still happen.

Check http://friedmanadventures.com for Captain’s audios, landing and boat counts, bait availability, Friedman Adventures AI, kids corner, and lots more.

And don’t forget the end-of-summer Surf Fishing Festival — Saturday, September 12, 2026, 9am–12pm at Anderson Street and PCH in Sunset Beach. Noon raffle. Parking across PCH and at Big Fish Bait & Tackle in Seal Beach. Free event. Bring the family.

If you want to chase that marlin bite with Ron, look up Swift & Salty Sportfishing. Tell him Phil sent you from Big Fish this morning.

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