"We had a wonderful trip," said Frank LoPreste on the dock July 7. He had just stepped off his Royal Polaris, after an eight-day journey to Alijos Rocks, The Ridge, Cedros Island and the albacore grounds.

Frank's trip, with Guy MacDonald as chartermaster, found very good fishing for yellowtail and albacore, with three dozen yellowfin and a couple of bluefin tossed into the mix. Guy posed with a nice yellowtail.

George Swarberg, maker and owner of the Knobbie ("Put a Knobbie on your rod,") rod butt cushion was also aboard, and showed off another big Cedros Island ???tail.

"We sold out here at Fisherman's Landing," noted George. "I'll have to put in another case of Knobbies."

Manfred Schiruska of West Hills won first place on the trip, for an 83-pound tuna. He said he took it with a sardine on a 3/0 ringed Super Mutu on 40-pound Izorline, with an Avet LX reel and a GRUSA seven-foot rod.

"I got him in about 15 minutes," said Manfred. "He went down like a yellowtail."

Jay Ahrend of Long Beach was second, for a 67-pound tuna, and Scott Shilling of Temecula won third place, for a 62.8-pound yellowfin tuna.

Betsey Biondo of Del mar, fishing with her hubby Vince, got a nice yellowfin at Alijos on the kite with the "double trouble" sardine rig. She posed with her 74-pound tuna and again with her new grandson Jack.