Sam Patella brought his American Angler home to Pt. Loma Sportfishing December 19 following an 11-day trip with 24 anglers. Chartermaster Skip Stenbro was aboard to represent Tiburon reels.

The big fish was a 322-pound supercow caught by Ross Dale of Trenton, NJ on a sardine and an Eagle Claw 8/0 hook. He said he fished with 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Accurate 50 reel and a Super Seeker 2 x 4 rod he called, "awesome."

John Lopez won second place for a 312-pound tuna he got under the advice of his son, skipper Ray Lopez. Granddad Joe Lopez posed with the boys for a photo or two. John, whose best previous tuna was a 125-pounder, said he got the fish in 40 minutes.

"I killed him," he told Bill Roecker, "with a little advice from Ray. This is my 6th trip."

Lopez baited a mackerel on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a 7465 H Calstar blank wrapped by M&M.

Craig Holmes bagged a 301-pound tuna ineligible for the jackpot. He said it bit a sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook tied to 130-pound fluorocarbon and130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 6465 XH rod.

Solomon Rosenweig of San Rafael took a 261-pound tuna with a sardine on a 7/0 Eagle Claw hook. He used 130-pound fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 7455 XXH rod.

"A rockin' fish," he told Roecker, "my best one. It took an hour and a half."

Ray Jordan of California, MD took a couple of hours to play his 240-pound tuna. It took a mackerel on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon on a Penn 50 VSW reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 655 XH rod.

Bruce Wheeler of San Diego caught a 231-pound tuna on a sardine and a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He used 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Accurate 50 W reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXXH rod.

Dan Spiegel of Venice bagged a 220-pounder after a two-hour fight. The tuna ate a squid on a 12/0 Mustad 7691 hook tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He fished with an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.

Paul Pangdurn of Sunland caught a 216-pound tuna with a sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook on 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He used an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 6465 XH rod.

Ken Olson of Newbury Park brought home a 207-pound yellowfin that bit his sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook. He fished with 130-popund fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 7465 XH rod tied by M&M.

Gerald Gaugher of Los Alamitos had a 203-pounder that bit a sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXXH rod.

"It was in the dark," he said, "and it was rough. This is my best fish. The crew performed like a SEAL team."

Paul "Planet" Yarnold of San Diego got a 203-pound fish with a sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Accurate 50 W reel treated by Cal Sheets and a Super Seeker 2 x 4 rod.