Skipper Jeff DeBuys brought Independence home to Pt. Loma Sportfishing after a five-day trip with a nice mixed catch of tuna and yellowtail. Rick Ozaki was chartermaster.

"We fed Whitey pretty good at Guadalupe," he remarked. "We had good yellowtail fishing at Benitos, and we spent two days fishing offshore. You can say that fishing is now in gear."

William Michicoff of Whittier won first place for a 38.8-pound bluefin tuna. He said he bagged it with a squid and a one-ounce slip sinker. The squish was pinned to a 2/0 Mustad 91450 hook, on 40-pound Seaguar premier fluorocarbon and 40-pound Big Game line with 65-pound Power Pro spectra backing on an Avet JX reel and a Calstar 700 M rod. The fight lasted half an hour.

Dale Lethcoe of Sunland won second place for a 35.6-pound yellowtail. Onik Alajajyan, son of Harry, an owner at Avet Reels, won third place for a 26-pound yellowtail.