The Seeker Rods/Soft Steel 13-day trip aboard Shogun with skipper Norm Kagawa ended December 6 when the boat arrived at Fisherman's landing with five cows and a good catch of smaller tuna. The best fish wasn't in the jackpot. Peter Gutierrez of Monrovia hooked his 254-pound whopper on a sardine under a balloon just after dark on the last day of fishing.

"The captain was saying we had to leave and we should reel in," said Gutierrez. "So I started to reel, and it came tight and there he was. It was way after dark when I got him in an hour and 20 minutes later."

The big tuna ate a sardine on an Eagle Claw 8/0 hook. The rest of the gear was 130-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on a Cal Sheets-treated Penn 50 reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXXH rod.

Peter won the Seeker Trophy for his fish, even though he wasn't entered in the jackpot. The trophy was presented by Seeker president Joe Pfister, who is back up and working after a bout with chemotherapy. Joe said he now has a clean bill of health, though he lost weight.

Stan Greco of Simi Valley won first place for a 235-pound tuna. He bagged that fish with a sardine on an 8/0 rionged Super Mutu hook,, 100-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Line One Spectra, on an Avet 502 reel and a Calstar 7460 M rod.

Jake Ehret, a Marine from Jacksonville, FL won second place, for a 230-pound tuna. He also got his fish after dark, but he pulled it in after only 15 minutes. Jake said he used a sardine on a 7/0 Eagle Claw hook, with 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.

"It's my first trip," said Jake, "and my first big fish."

Pat Doyle had the fish of the year in the 2006-07 season, a 323-pounder also caught on Shogun. This trip Doyle had to settle for third place, for his 211-pounder. He said he got it with a sardine on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu hook, 125-pound Soft Steel Ultra line and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on a Penn 50 VSW reel and a Seeker 6455 XXH rod,, home-rapped by his wife.

The cow catch was filled out by a pair of 210-pounders. The first was caught by Jeff Stephens of Anaheim, on a sardine and a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He used 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 50 SDS reel and a Seeker 6463 XXH rod.

The second 210-pounder was taken by Laurens Rhinelander of San Diego, with a sardine on a ringed 8/0 Eagle Claw hook and 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Blackwater Spectra. He used an Avet 50 SDS reel and a Calstar 7460 H rod.