"Conditions are at their best," said American Angler skipper Sam Patella June 15, after docking the rig at Point Loma Sportfishing. He had just returned from and eight-day trip to Alijos Rocks and Cedros Island. The trip was sponsored by Catchy Tackle, and Drew Grindley was chartermaster.

"There's a lot of good water, from 150 to 220 miles down," continued Patella. "It looks like it did two years ago; it looks like it could go off at any minute."

Chartermaster Grindley said, "We picked up five albacore on a three-way jig strike, and we got two on bait. No, I didn't get one. It was a little tougher for tuna at Alijos, but we had limit yellowtail fishing at Cedros Island, on 25 to 35-pounders. We got a white seabass on the yoyo iron."

Bill Nada of Irvine won first place for a 94-pound yellowtail. He said he bagged it with a sardine on a 3/0 Mustad 94150 hook, 40-pound Big Game line, a Pro Gear CS 650 reel and an eight-foot Truline rod.

Glenn Emerson of Torrance was second, for a 66-pounder, and Don Lee of San Francisco won third place for a 60.5-pound tuna. He also got an albacore.

Posing with the winners with their albacore were: Mondo Castro of Santa Clarita , craig Tyler of Joshua Tree, David Dahlon of Venice and Jim Miller of Bakersfield.