Hello RP Family;

We started the day with a flurry of fish in the dark followed by a slow pick on smaller tuna and beautiful wahoo. The balance of the day we tried several spots and had issues with toothy critters stealing our gear. However, by late afternoon, we found a few fish willing to cooperate. It started with a couple of live flyers getting smashed yielding 90lbers for Gary & Stan (team Santa Barbara). The next group of fish to follow were much larger, taking ripping runs off our big gear. At one point, we four large fish going. Unfortunately, only one came to gaff for our talented lucky angler, Yacoob Vahed.

Yacoob was new to our group and fit in well from the start. He defines rail time as one of the first out to fish in the morning and one of the last to leave the rail in the dark. He went up on the kite and hooked his fish as it was starting to get dark and it became very dark by the time it was finished. This fish was one of those wild & squirrely tuna that took a long outside run and had a finish reminiscent of a kamikaze fish. It darted down the side and to the back of the boat with gaff handlers in chase and Yacoob wedged in between getting bounced around. It came over the rail and looked fat enough to be a 300lber but just a little on the short side. It went up on the scale and settled in at 257lbs. Unfortunately, it was 5lbs short of his personal best, but we showered him down anyway. Congratulations to Yacoob!

He asked to pass along a special note to his lovely wife Lali and says he misses you. He also claims there is nothing as special as time with you, except maybe catching a 257lb tuna (my addition). He asked if he could please put a deposit down for next year.

We have tomorrow morning left to catch a few more for the RSW. Wish us luck!