Returning after a 22-day trip with 23 anglers, Frank LoPreste's Royal Polaris docked at Fisherman's Landing April 24. Fishing was hard at the targeted designation, Clipperton Atoll, so LoPreste moved to the Hurricane Bank to make his catch.

"We fished from one sunset to the next at Clipperton,"said Angler Mike Gauger, who works at Seaforth Sportfishing.

(Royal Polaris crewmen off load the catch from the boat's latest trip to Clipperton and the Hurricane Bank.)

There were two tuna over 200 pounds. Neither was eligible for the jackpot, since they were caught on the kite. Bill Nakaki of Tracy got a 204-pounder, and Galen Stewart of Simi Valley took a 235-pound yellowfin.

Brian Nobori of Oakland got his first big tuna on the kite, with a flying fish for bait. The tuna weighed 187.5 pounds. It was mentioned in the report from the boat for April 14:

(Brian Nobori weighed in a 187.5-pound tuna at Fisherman's Landing, his best fish ever.)
"The largest Yellowfin tuna was caught by Brian Nobori, just before dark. This is his first long-range trip and up till now his largest fish was a 32 pound King Salmon. Wahoo fishing was quite fun from about 08:00 hours until lunch time."

Mike Hieshima of Santa Barbara won first place in the jackpot for his 160.6-pound tuna, a fish that bit on a Salas PL 68 jig in glow-in-the-dark paint. He said he fished with 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 50 T high speed reel configured by Cal Sheets, and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod.

"He bit the jig about four a.m.,"said Mike. "It was darker than hell. He bit deep and stayed down until I cranked him up about 20 minutes later. This is my third trip to Clipperton."

(Royal Polaris winners enjoyed a sunny San Diego morning at Fisherman's Landing.)

John VanDeventer of Canyon City won second place for a 155.4-pounder, and Gene Coombs of San Mateo was third, for a 147.2-pound yellowfin tuna.

LoPreste had some compliments for a Mustad hook the boat has been using on kite baits recently.

(Frank LoPreste worked hard for his fish, but had a good smile at the dock.)

"That 20/0 Mustad circle hook is deadly on the kite,"remarked Frank. "It doesn't come out."

The Royal Polaris will return from her next trip May 12.