Sam Patella brought American Angler home to Point Loma Sportfishing July 2 from a five-day trip that started with Cedros yellowtail and ended fishing albacore.

Rick Lea of Vista drifted a sardine a hundred yards out that hooked a 50.6-pound bluefin. The tuna was good for first place in the jackpot. Lea used a 2/0 Mustad hook on 25-pound P-Line, a Daiwa Saltiga reel on his "go-to" Seeker rod.B
"Everybody was catching albies, and my fish just refused to get in the boat," said Lea. "I'm thinking 'What is going on?' He just pulled and pulled, I'll ride those all day long."

"This is a great boat with a great crew," continued Lea. "The weather was nice and we got some monster yellows."

Webmaster Barry Gambarana SP saw good signs to come. "As soon as the albacore settle down, we're gonna get 'em. It's real close."

Mark Jacobson of Carlsbad took second place with a 50.4-pound yellowtail caught on a scrambled-egg Salas 6X Jr. Mark used 40-pound line on a Penn 545 with a 6460 Seeker rod. Jack Portell was third, with a 43-pound yellowtail caught on a 1/0 ringed Owner hook, a Saltiga reel on an 800M Calstar rod.

Honorable mention went to Jake Solo of Vista for a 35-pound albacore; the best of the season so far. Jake used a 4/0 Owner hook, 30-pound P-Line, a Shimano 20, and a Calstar rod.