Six Supercows For Excel

Excel skipper Justin Fleck returned January 5 after a ten-day trip that produced six yellowfin over 300 pounds. The boat also produced 18 tuna over 200-pounds.

"For us," Captain Fleck said while unloading their catch, "it was a waiting game. We didn't move our anchor for four days. Sometimes we saw fish on the meter, sometimes we didn't. But I've never seen anything like it. I've never seen this amount of 300-plus pound tuna before. Never. They were crashing right through the stern."

Chris Kumai of Berkeley used the bow to get away from everyone else to cast a mackerel. After an hour and half long soak, Kumai got a bite off the port side of the stern. His fish weighed 344 pounds all said and done at Fisherman's Landing's certified scales Monday morning.

"He wasn't particularly strong," Kumai remembered. "It was a standard fight, took me around the boat one time. My Cal Sheets one-to-one gears really helped out. That was key."

Kumai used a 9/0 2004 Eagle Claw hook, 100-feet of 100-pound Blue Izorline topshot, 800 yards of 130-pound Jerry Brown Line One spectra, a 50 wide Penn SW reel blueprinted by Cal Sheets, on a homemade Baja Boomer rod.

"Every fish you hooked was a potential 300-pounder," Excel chef Jason Fleck added. "It was just unreal for a ten-day trip."

Bobby Reid of Simi Valley was second for a 321-pound yellowfin weighed at Fisherman's Landing. The hefty tuna started the fight tail-wrapped.

"Once he came undone," Reid said, "that's when he came alive. It's a fish of a lifetime."

Reid fished a squid on the kite with 19/0 Super Mutu hooks, 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon, 130-pound Big Game with 130-pound Jerry Brown Line One spectra, a Tiagra 50 reel and a Calstar Baby Boomer rod. He also caught a 241-pound tuna on 80-pound line.

Dennin Peterson's yellowfin weighed 310 pounds on the boat's scales, placing him third in the jackpot. Peterson, of Port Aransas, TX fly-lined a sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook, 100-pound fluorocarbon, a Shimano 30 W reel, and a Seeker rod.

"We had to use a backup rig," recalled Peterson. "My rod broke and I was sent out on the skiff. We chased it for three miles, it took about three hours to bring him in. Skiff fishing was different, but it was fun."

Bob Smisek of Rosamond took two and a half hours to bring in a 309-pound yellowfin that was "mean and onery."

"I used a 1976 Penn International 50 reel that was modified by Cal Sheets," Smisek said proudly. "This fish would get to the boat and take off, I'd get him back, and he'd take off again. It was a mean one. The crew was fantastic. I had to go around the anchor a couple times."

Smisek watched his fish crash on a squid attached to the boat's kite. He used 130-pound Triple Fish line, 130-pound Izorline spectra, and a Baja Boomer rod to go along with his pre-mentioned antique reel.

Kyle Menath, of Carson City, NV caught a 302-pound yellowfin after he fly-lined a live squid on a 7/0 Mustad hook. Menath hooked seven thresher sharks before he was able to fight his big yellowfin.

"I used 130-pound Big Game fluorocarbon," Menath said, "with 130-pound hollow spectra and a Penn 50 SVX reel.

"I don't know what the rod was," he laughed. "But I got it at Bass Pro Shops."

Michael Spagnuolo caught a 303-pound supercow as well, but was unavailable for comment.

"Everything Was Perfect"

A ten-day trip with 27 anglers aboard Independence with Jeff DeBuys ended January 5 at Pt. Loma Sportfishing.

"This was an Accurate trip," said Jeff. "Everything was perfect, the amount of big fish swimming around. There were big schools of cows. We had two days of the sort every angler dreams about. We had four fish over 3000 pounds and 19 over 200.

"The key was finding fish in the morning. Then you could stay with the school all day. We had a couple of epic days drifting, and on the anchor."

Andy Bosforo of San Diego won first place for his 346.8-pound yellowfin. The fish ate a squid on a 10/0 Mustad 7691 hook under the kite on a boat rig: 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXXH rod. He said his best previous fish was a 130-pounder.

Joao Brasil of San Jose won second place for a 323-pound tuna he got on the boat rig.

"This is my first trip," he said. "The best. He fought me for three hours."

Mike Brenan stood in with the winners holding his 307-pounder. He said he got it with a sardine on a 6/0 Super Mutu hook on 100-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Power Pro Spectra on a Tiagra 50 reel and a Seeker 6465 XXH rod.

Bob Dreessen of Buena Park spent three hours with a 290-pound tuna he got to know very well. It bit a sardine on a 6/0 Super Mutu hook. He fished with 100-pound Izorline fluorocarbon and 100-pound Ande line with 100-pound Big Game Spectra on a Penn 30 W reel and a Calstar 755 XXH rod.

Calvin Kumamoto of Boulder Creek bagged a 258-pounder on the boat rig, on a 14/0 Mustad 7691 hook.

Larry Lauve of Ramona caught a 256-pound tuna on a squid and the kite in just 30 minutes using the boat's rig. His best previous fish was a 216-pound tuna.

Ryal Richards of Newport Beach nabbed a 246 and a 222-pounder. He fished with sardines on 6/0 ringed Super Mutus. He used 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 100-pound Spectra on a Penn 50 reel and a Calstar six-foot rod.

Sam Fillingame of Las Vegas got a 242-pounder. He best before was a 167, he said. He got this one on a squid under the kite, with the boat rig.

"It took 35 minutes," he said.

Ruben Brasil of San Jose won third place for a 322-pounder. He also had a 240 and a 215-pounder. He said he fished squid under the kite with the boat's rig.

Roy Sakul of Ontario was spooled and spent two hours on his 240-pounder. He also got a 230. He fished sardines on 10/0 Mustad hooks. He used 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Accurate 12 reel and a Calstar 6455 XXH rod.

Doal Miller of Encinitas took a 216-pounder on a squid and a 6/0 Super Mutu hook on 100-pound Blackwater and 130-pound Spectra. He used a Tiagra 50 reel and a rod wrapped by P-Bod, a Calstar 665 XH.

Bob Douglas of Rancho Palos Verdes took 25 minutes to bag a 229-pounder on a sardine and a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He used 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon leader and 100-pound Izorline on a Penn 30 W reel and a Calstar 6455 XXH rod.

Mike Williams of La Mesa got a 224-pounder.

Alfredo Besara of Oznard got a 202-pounder with a sardine on a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu tied to a 100-pound Basil topshot and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He fished with a Penn 50 VSW reel and a Calstar 6455 XXH rod. The fight went for one hour.



By Paul Sweeney