"We saw several schools of yellowfin tuna, one albacore school and one bluefin school," noted Excel skipper Justin Fleck June 15 at Fisherman's Landing. His 29 anglers had just wound up a five-day trip.

"From Guadalupe Island to about 80 miles from San Diego we saw good water," he added. "The bubble should bust in a week or so."

Jackpot winner on the trip was David Dow of Austin, TX, who got his trip for his 16th birthday present from his mother, who helped him out in the lineup shot by holding his 31.6-pound halibut, while David posed with his 35-pound yellowtail.

He said he got the yellow on a sardine, a 3/0 Gorilla hook, 40-pound Big Game line and a rental outfit of a Penn 500 reel and a Seeker six and a half-foot rod.

Richard Cooper of Downey caught the season's first "local" yellowfin tuna, a 27-pounder, and also won second place, for a 34.6-pound yellowtail.

Paul Briscoe of Tustin was third, for a 34-pound yellow, and the winners were joined by Rich Howe of San Clemente, who got a 16.4-pound white seabass at Cedros.