Qualifier 105 docked at Pt. Loma Sportfishing January 18 under Joe Crisci's hand, after a trip into southern waters with 17 anglers aboard the Paul Lepore charter. There were two fish over 300 pounds aboard, and three over 200 pounds. Accurate Fishing Products was the primary sponsor.

Dick Allen of Fresno won first place for a 335.2-pound yellowfin.

"My best fish before was a 268-pounder I got on the Royal Polaris," he told dock reporter Bill Roecker. "This one beat me up for two hours and 20 minutes. I'm 70, and he was a load. He came up on the starboard corner, thanks to a great crew."

Dick said he baited a pair of sardines on 9/0 Mustad hooks tied to 100-pound Big Game line and 100-pound Line One Spectra. He used an Accurate ATD 50 reel and a Calstar 6465 XXXH rod.

Rookie Steve Benson won second place for a 328-pound tuna. He wrote about it and chartermaster Lepore put it on paper.

"My favorite fish came when I pinned on a sardine and let it fly one morning. The reward for a guy that was told he was in over his head was a 328-pound yellowfin tuna. I hooked this fish in the early morning and just about got spooled."

Talking with Roecker on the dock, Benson said, "I hooked him in a gray bite, close, maybe 25 yards from the boat. He ran like hell, got all of the line and stopped. He stayed way out there, at about a 45-degree angle. The fight lasted an hour, and he came up on the starboard bow.

My best fish before," continued Benson, was a 125-pounder I got in Hawaii on the troll."

Two other cows came aboard. Bob Frank of Huntington Beach got a 235-pounder with a sardine on a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He said he fished with 100-pound Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon and 100-pound Line One spectra on an Accurate ATD 30 reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod.

Dan Harnes used a mackerel under the kite on a boat rig with 100-pound Big Game line and 100-pound Line One spectra on an Accurate ATD 50 reel and a Calstar 6465 XXXH rod to take a 220.2-pound tuna.

Skipper Joe Crisci said this was the last trip for Qualifier 105 this winter. The boat will resume operations in April.