Chartermaster Jerry Brown of Gold Hill, OR wasn't there this year, being busy with other things, but his annual trip aboard the Royal Polaris scored big with skipper Roy Rose, who docked the boat February 5 with a catch of 28 tuna over 200 pounds.

"Big Daddy" Don Burnside of San Diego won first and second places for his brace of cows that weighed 284 and 248 pounds. Don has fished chunks a great deal over the past 20 years, and got this score just as the method is returning to favor during a lack of current on the grounds. Don told dock reporter Bill Roecker he bagged the big boy with a chunk on a 9/0 Mustad 39943 hook. "That's my new favorite," he said. "I get a good hookset with the chunk almost every time with that hook." Burnside used 130-pound Momoi leader and 130-pound Line One spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 760 XH rod to take his winner in 45 minutes. He also got a 64.4-pound wahoo on a homemade red and silver bomb, and skipper Rose posed with that fish.

Craig Drummond of Corona won third place for a 227-pounder, but he also had tuna of 208 and 207 pounds. He fished a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Owner Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Momoi and 130-pound Line One spectra, and fished with a Penn 50 T reel by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 760 H rod.

Five cows came to Jim Nailen of Los Osos, as many as anyone has caught on one trip this year. They weighed 206, 209 215, 219 and 222 pounds. He fished chunks on 9/0 ringed Super Mutu hooks, tied to 130 Momoi and 130-pound Line One spectra. He used a Penn 50 reel tuned by Cofe and a Calstar 7465 H rod. He got the best one in 25 minutes. "I would have had six cows," he said, "but I lost a rod and reel under heavy, 44-pound drag when I tried to pick it up out of the corner."

Dan Gaudy of Upland took an hour with his 222-pounder, and also got tuna of 207 and 209 pounds. He fished sardines on a 6/0 Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Momoi and 130-pound Line One spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 6460 XH rod. "We drove into the fishing ground about lunchtime," said Gaudy, "and boom! It was on!"

Jim Tallerico of Las Vegas came home with a 214-pound tuna that attacked his flying fish under the kite. He used a 20/0 Mustad circle hook, 130-pound Momoi and 130-pound Line One spectra backing on a Penn 50 W reel tuned by Larry Coffeen, and a Calstar 7465 H rod.

Vince Biondo of Del May took 45 minutes to coax his 213-pounder to the boat. He enticed it with a sardine on a 6/0 Owner Super Mutu hook on 130-pound Momoi and 130-pound Line One on an Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod.

Joe Amagrande decked four cows. They weighed 204, 204, 209 and 213 pounds. He fished the sardine on 6/0 Super Mutu hooks, with 130-pound Momoi leader and 130-pound Line One spectra backing on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 7465 H rod. "I got one each day," remarked Joe.

Charlie Fouquet of El Cajon found a 213-pounder with a chunk on a 14/0 ringed Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Momoi and 130-pound Line One spectra on a Daiwa 50 reel modified by Cofe and a Seeker Black Steel 6463 XXXXH rod.

A flying fish under the kite worked for Steve Oba of Brea, who popped a pair of yellowfin at 202 and 210 pounds. He pinned the flyer to a 20/0 Mustad circle hook, and used 130-pound Line One spectra on a Tiagra 50 W reel and a Calstar 770 XXXH rod. "My reel jammed up when it freespooled," said Steve, "and the rod and reel went over the side, but a deckhand dived in and got it back for me."

The trip's arrival was delayed a bit Sunday morning, after the boat encountered some sea junk, in this case a piece of heavy line or hawser just inside the Coronados Islands as the RP entered her home stretch. A diver freed up the gear enough for Roy to park the boat, after getting some 30 pounds of the stuff off the prop shaft. Chris Rowland, who manages the canning section at Fisherman's, held a short length of the now cut-up line for the camera.