Independence docked at Pt. Loma Sportfishing December 19 after the Fisherman's Hardware 10-day trip with 26 anglers. Mark Pisano skippered the trip and co-owner Paul Strasser assisted as second. There were seven cows in the catch.

"We had better weather this trip," said Mark, "We went down and came back between the fronts. We got fish every day. We had good action in the mornings, and the bigger fish bit in the afternoons. Most were on sardines, but we got a few on squid with the kite."

John Arndt of Huntington Beach won first place for a 300.7-pounder that ate his sardine on a 7/0 Eagle Claw hook. He fished with 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.

"I saw the boil," said Arndt. "He stayed up on the bow most of the fight, but he came up on the portside stern. He fought an hour and 25 minutes."

Russ Rihel of Long Beach won second place for a 284-pounder. He said he got it with a sardine on a 6/0 Super Mutu hook, 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra with an Avet 50 reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXXH rod.

William Edmiston of West Sacramento won third place for a 276-pounder. He got his prizewinner with a sardine on a 5/0 Super Mutu hook tied to 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon leader, 100-pound P-Line and 100-pound Line One Spectra backing on an Accurate 50 reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXH rod.

"I lost a monster, a fish a lot bigger," he remarked.

Paul Geurts of Santa Rosa got honorable mention and stood in with the winners for his 272-pounder. He said he got that baby with a sardine on a 6/0 VMC hook on 120-pound P-Line fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Soft Steel Ultra line with 130-pound Line One Spectra backing on an Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar 6455 XXXH rod.

"The fish stayed on the bow, but he came up on the stern, mid ship," he said. "It took an hour and five minutes."

Joe Amistead and Rob Filson teamed up to bag a 243-pounder, after it ate both their sardine baits. The two hooks were side by side in the fish's mouth.

Steve Alpinieri caught a 222-pounder with a sardine on a 4/0 ringed Super Mutu hoo tied to 100-pound Izorline and 130-ppound Izorline Spectra. He used an Avet 50 reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXH rod.

Modesto Alcala of Fisherman's Hardware caught a 215-pounder with a sardine on a 3/0 Mutu hook. He said he used 80-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 80-pound Power Pro Spectra on a Tiagra 16 reel and a Calstar 6465 M rod.

Two fish with archival tags were caught. The tags will be worth $500 each to anglers Dennis Evans of Cedar Park, TX and Rob Filson of Chula Vista.