Fresh from a win on the five-day Seeker trip aboard Excel that returned July 14, Phil Ruemmler of Pasco, WA did a turnaround trip on the Big X with skipper Mike Ramirez. His luck wasn't quite as good, because he had to settle for second place on this trip, which arrived July 21, but his fish was four times larger than his first-place fish on the first trip, a 23.6-pound yellowtail. His second-place winner this time weighed 97.8 pounds, a yellowfin tuna from Alijos Rocks, where the group of 23 anglers found good fishing on the flyline and the kite.

Chartermaster Ken Bell of Camarillo won first place at Alijos, for a 100.5-pound yellowfin. He got that baby on a sardine and a 5/0 Eagle Claw hook, tied to a50-pound Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon, 40-pound P-Line and 60-pound Line One spectra. He used an Avet JX reel and a Calstar 700 M rod.

"He fought me for an hour and 25 minutes," said Ken to dock reporter Bill Roecker. "He really kicked my butt. I was using a small reel, fishing for yellowtail. He surprised me!" Most of the anglers said they resorted to stealth tactics to hook a large tuna. Ruemmler was also using 40-pound line on an eight-foot rod, and paid the price, a 40-minute fight on his tough fish.

Clay Smith of Reno, NV took a 95-pound tuna, good for third place.