Bill, Good morning:

Mark Frankenberger here writing you (April 28, 2008) in reference to the information that I sent you Friday about the 314-pound Tuna caught at Hurricane Banks.

The strangest thing happened this weekend. I was having a telephone conversation with a fishing mate that I met on the boat. We were reminiscing about our trip and all the big fish we caught. We starting talking about the tackle and fishing techniques we used in landing the big tunas. He brought to my attention some detail of me catching the big one.

With this being my first long range trip I didn't even realize what bait that I was using when I caught the 314-pound Tuna. Actually I was my turn on the kite and the bait was a large flying fish with 20/O Mustad circle hook. (Frankenberger's fish came on 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon, 130-pound Black Water Spectra, an Accurate 50 W reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXH rod.)

It took me about one hour to land the fish and trust what I'm saying, it was the toughest hour of my life. The power of this fish pound for pound is the strongest that I have ever caught.

I guess what made it the hardest was, SHARKS they were everywhere you could not take a break for 1 second. I had to keep the pressure on all the time or they would have gotten me. If it wasn't for the coaching of Jesus Companioni from the Royal Polaris and supreme tackle that I was using, I don't think that I would have landed this fish.

I would especially like to thank Jack Nilsen from Accurate Reels for donating the reels for our use on the trip. It was my first experience using this reel and one of the greatest factors for me to land this fish.

Not much else to say, except that it was a trip of a lifetime and I would love to have the opportunity to do it again.

Thanks again for everything.

Mark Frankenberger
Dalton Beverage Co.
Dalton, Georgia 30721