The 16th anniversary of Sherman Lim's charter group arrived July 26 aboard the Independence with skipper Jeff DeBuys at the helm. There were 29 Paddy Hoppers aboard the five-day trip with the boat tied up at Pt. Loma Sportfishing.

"We had good weather, and we saw some boomer albacore schools," said DeBuys to dock reporter Bill Roecker at the scales. "We fished a bit at The Bush, Cedros and offshore."

Mike Takaki of Torrance won first place for his 37-pound albacore. He used a sardine on a 3/0 Mustad hook, with 30-pound Izorline, and Avet JX reel and a Calstar 800 ML rod.

Takaki was tied by his brother Rick, also of Torrance. Rick's 37-pound fish was a bluefin tuna. The pair posed with third-place winner Mike Giardino of San Pedro, who got a 36.8-pound albacore.