"Big Yummee Flyers Worked Real Good"

Skipper Justin Fleck docked Excel February 6 after a 15-day trip with 21 anglers, who accounted for eight tuna over 200 pounds from the Hurricane and the lower banks.

Justin's brother, Chef Jason Fleck said, "We left with all 10 still fishing hooked up. We got 14 big ones on that last stop and left with 200-pounders still boiling on the corner. Most of the stuff was broken down because of expected rough weather. The big Yummee Flyers worked real good."

Skipper Justin summed it up in his report from February 3: "We started off our morning with steady action on 30-80lb tuna, and after picking up about 75 fish we decided to look around for some bigger models. Right at sunset we got on a school of big, biting fish. They bit right on the corner for a solid half hour and everyone that was at the rail had one on. Thanks to the efforts of the 12 guys that WEREN'T listening to the Super Bowl, we were able to land 14 fish from 160-230lb with 3 over 200 and one right at 200. It was the best way we could have ended our trip. Our pre-game activities included a hot dog eating contest. The challenger, Vince "Fathead" Otani, was no match for our reigning champ, Cpt. Jordan Richards. Jordan put the smackdown on Fathead, as he was stricken down to the ground."

Tony Guiterrez of Oxnard and Eric's Tackle won first place for a whopper of 287.7 pounds.

"He fought for an hour and a half," said Tony. "He came up to the surface at the end. He stayed on the starboard side the whole time."

Tony fished a sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook that came back considerably worse for the scrap. He sunk his sardine with a five-ounce weight on 100-pound Soft Steel line and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He fished a Penn 50 T reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 6460 XH rod.

Al Scow of Rancho Palos Verdes won second place for a 233-pounder.

"He was a tough fish," said Al. "He's in a mean size bracket; those 180 to 250-pounders."

Al's tuna bit a mackerel on a 12/0 Mustad 39963 circle hook, tied to 125-pound Soft Steel line and 130-pound Power Pro Spectra. Scow used a Penn 50 VSW reel and a Baja Boomer rod, and whipped his tuna in 40 minutes.

Kirk Turner of Las Vegas won third place for a 232-pounder that took a sardine on an 8/0 VMC hook. He used 130-pound P-Line and 130-pound Line One Spectra backing on a Penn VSW 70 reel and a Calstar 7460 XH rod.

Chuck DeHart of Aransas Pass, TX bagged a big 264.4-pounder with the boat's rig. The fish took a Yummee Flyer, a plastic flying fish.

Vince Otani of Pt. Hueneme caught a 225-pound tuna with a sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook and 130-pound Izorline. He used 130-pound Line One Spectra and a Penn 80 with a Baker/Sheets conversion on a Calstar 7455 XH rod and brought his tuna to gaff in 30 minutes.

Mike Wickes got a 230-pound tuna with a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He fished with 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader, 130-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Tiagra 50 reel and a Calstar 7460 XH rod, and spent an hour and a half cranking on his cow.

Nonon Alvarez of Cerritos popped a 211-pound tuna with a sardine on the kite. He fished with a 7/0 Eagle Claw hook, 130-pound Soft Steel line and 130-pound Spectra backing g on a Penn 70 VSW reel and a Calstar 755 XXH rod.

Randy Corbin of Ventura found a 203-pounder with a sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook, tied to 100-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra. He fished with a Penn 50 reel and a Calstar 7455 XH rod and brought the quarry to gaff in 30 minutes.

Excel will remain in port for annual boat work, and is scheduled to fish again in May, though some special trips may be possible before then, said office manager Betty Stein.