The annual 12-day Seeker trip aboard the Shogun returned to Fisherman's Landing December 10 guided by owner-skipper Norm Kagawa.

"We had a good day on the Finger Bank," allowed Norm. "I think we got about eight cows."

He was correct. The best fish was a 264.6-pound tuna caught by Roger Kang of Fresno, who also had a 232-pounder. He told Bill Roecker about the experience of catching the big one.

"He bit while I was up on the bow," said Roger, "and he got wrapped on the anchor line. He got unwrapped, and we went back to the stern. He pulled me around and I got caught in a trolling strap and almost lost my rod. After an hour and 15 minutes, he came up on the port bow."

Kang baited a mackerel on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu hook, tied to 130-pound Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Line One. He used an Accurate 50 reel and a Super Seeker XXXXH rod that was custom spiral-wrapped by former fish of the year angler Pat Doyle, who was also on the boat.

Warren Carl of Agua Dulce won second place for a 245-pounder he caught on a new Seeker 6463 XXXH rod he won in a raffle earlier in the trip. He flylined a mackerel on an 8/0 ringed Super Mutu hook on 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Daiwa 50 reel.

Dave Brewer of Huntington Beach took third place for a 240.2-pound yellowfin he bagged with a sardine on a balloon and an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook. He used 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 7465 H rod.

Todd Cameron of Long Beach found his best fish ever, a 231.6-pound tuna with a mackerel on an 8/0 VMC hook tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He got his fish with a Tiagra 50 reel and a Shimano TLT 66 rod.

Jim Bowman made off with a 231.2-pound tuna that snapped up a mackerel on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu on 100-pound Izorline and 130-pound Power Pro Spectra. He used an Avet 50 reel and a Seeker CTSF 55 rod.

Ken Houser of Bishop took only 20 minutes to bag a 210-pounder on a mackerel and an 8/0 ringed Super Mutu. He fished with 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 7465 H rod. Mike Robertson of Bishop got a 203-pounder on a mackerel and an 8/0 ringed Super Mutu. He used 130-pound Seaguar and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 765 H rod, and got the fish in 45 minutes.