Even in a year of big fish like no other, this 15-day trip was a good one. Two supercows were among the 23 tuna over 200 pounds brought in by skipper Justin Fleck when the Excel docked at Fisherman's Landing February 6 with 25 anglers aboard.

The big one, a 356-pounder caught by Neil Peters of Long Beach, wasn't eligible for the jackpot, being a hook and hand fish, but it was likely the best fish ever to come over the rail of the big rig, said Fleck.

"Three hours," said Peters to dock reporter Bill Roecker. "I had to go on my first skiff ride to get him. He just pulled us around in circles until he got tired. My best before was a 286-pounder."

Neil said the big boy bit on a sardine and an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook. He fished with 130-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Big Game Spectra on a Penn 50 VSW reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.

Rick Iwatsubo of Carmichael won first place for the second supercow, a 302-pound slugger. He also got a 229-pounder.

"The little one was my first cow," said Rick. "And the last fish boated was the big one, so I got my best fish and my first cow ever on this trip."

Rick baited sardines on 8/0 Eagle Claw hooks, he said, on 130-pound Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He used a Penn 50 S reel and a Sabre 655 XXH rod. The big fish came aboard after a fight of an hour and a half.

Bob Buckland of Simi Valley won second place for his 294-pound whopper yellowfin.

"They let five of us drop back baits on each stop," said Bob. "They threw bait out, but my bait was way back there and I had to reel in to get it back to the right spot. He came to the boat in 25 minutes, up by the bow."

Bob fished a sardine on a 5/0 Hayabusa hook on 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 100-pound P-Line, with 130-pound Power Pro Spectra on an Avet 50W EX reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXXXH rod.

"That rod killed that fish in a hurry," said Buckland. "I put it to ???em with a tight drag when they're straight up and down. This guy never even maxed out the rod."

Fishing with his dad Carl, Mark Dorton of Woodland Hills bagged a 282-pound tuna on a sardine and an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook. He said he used 120-pound Ande fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a spanking new Accurate B-2 50 reel and a Calstar 7465 H rod.

"The reel was incredible," said Mark, who won third place for his tuna. "It casts so smooth and has real power in it. It was great, and my first Accurate reel. I also liked the rod, with those SIC guides."

Jim McCaffrey of Medford, NJ snaked out a pair that weighed 263 and 219 pounds. Sardines on 8/0 Eagle Claw hooks undid the sicklefins. He said he used 100-pound Big Game fluorocarbon leader on 130-pound Power Pro Spectra to take his best fish ever, with an Avet 50 W reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.

Dr. Lee Erlandson of Rancho Mirage got two tuna at 262 and 220 pounds.

"I was sick and I was snake-bit for a while there," he told Roecker. "And I sprained my ankle. You had to have a hot sardine to get bit, back-hooked and running. You had to bump ???em, cattle prod ???em to get a bite. But I've never seen so many big fish!"

Nonon Alvarez of Cerritos bagged a brace of biggies at 255 and 215 pounds.

"My first cows and my biggest fish," he said. He baited sardines on 9/0 Eagle Claw hooks tied to 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Spectra on a Penn 50 W reel and a Calstar 7455 XH rod.

Phil Ruemmler of Pasco, WA caught a 251-pounder on a sardine and an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook. He said he fished with 80-pound Big Game fluorocarbon leader tied to 100-pound Soft Steel Ultra line and 130-pound Izorline Spectra. He used a Penn 30 W reel and a Calstar 6455 XXH rod to beat the fish in a half-hour.

Bob Maugh of Apple Valley took an hour and 20 minutes to take a 250-pounder. His sardine went on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook on 100-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Big Game Spectra on a Penn 80 STW reel and a Calstar 6455 XXH rod.

Pete Price of Woodinville, WA got a 248-pound yellowfin tuna.

Ger Steinberg of Malibu breezed for 20 minutes on a 242-pounder. He said he used an 8/0 ringed Mustad hook by Carl Burns. He fished with 130-pound Soft Steel fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 70 reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 760 H rod.

Eric Griggs of Melbourne, FL bagged a bovine brace at 237 and 230 pounds, both personal bests. He said he fished his sardines with balloons, on 9/0 Eagle Claw hooks. He used 130-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Line One Spectra with a Penn 80 STW reel and a Calstar 760 XH rod.

Al "Big Salmon" Scow of Rancho Palos Verdes took a 237 and a 200-pounder.

"I lost my best fish ever," he said. "He spooled my 50 VSW reel and busted the line at the hook. My rig had to go over the side, but I got it back."

Al said he fished sardines on 8/0 Eagle Claw hooks on 100-pound Penn fluorocarbon, 125-pound Soft Steel line and 130-pound Power Pro Spectra, on an Accurate 50 reel and a Baja Boomer rod. The big tuna fought him for 40 minutes.

Austin Egan of Seaford, NY had a 232-pounder.

Carl Dorton of Tarzana got a 228 and a 207-pounder. The big one took 20 minutes, he said. He fished sardines on 9/0 Eagle Claw hooks tied to 100-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 30 W reel and a Sabre 655 XXH rod.

Sal Proetto of Lake Forest caught a 270-pounder on a sardine and a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He said he used 100-pound Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on a Tiagra 30 reel and a Calstar custom 760 H rod.

"It was a strong fight," he remarked, "and it went on for an hour."