David Choate's annual "Wahoo Dad Cowabuncha" charter aboard the Royal Polaris with skipper Roy Rose returned to Fisherman's Landing May 15, with five yellowfin tuna over 200 pounds and a mixed catch of tuna, wahoo, yellowtail and other species. Many of the tuna on the 17-day trip with 20 anglers were caught in open water on the drift or the slide.

"We had really good open water fishing," said skipper Rose, "with most of the tuna running from 70 to 90 pounds and some from 100 to 120 or bigger. It was a lot of fun, fishing them that way. It was just like regular long range fishing.

"We saw lots of albacore coming up the line," Rose added. "There were lots of jumpers. They looked to be 15 to 20 pounds."

Chartermaster Choate said, "The Hurricane Bank was slow, but the offshore tactics from last fall paid off big. I've never seen larger biting fish coming up to the stern. I got a pretty good one that way on a mackerel and an Accurate 50 reel on my Seeker rod."

Jerry Brown of Line One Spectra was also aboard, proud that his two pro-staffers went first and second in the jackpot.

"It was a great trip," said Jerry, "with an excellent captain. Chasing bird schools was productive, and we got a variety of fish. One time everybody on the back end was hooked up and then got the fish during a slide bite. The slides were the best I've ever seen in all my years.

"Just about one hundred percent of the bites were in the afternoon," he added, "even at the Hurricane Bank. But there were plenty of tuna. Several of the guys, including myself, had limits."

Don Asbury of La Mesa, 82, said he had a great time. "I don't think we had one day of bad seas or winds, just a light breeze most of the time."

Don Burnside of San Diego won first place for his 274.2-pound tuna. He got it with a chunk at the Hurricane Bank, on an Eagle Claw 9/0 circle hook, 90-pound fluorocarbon leader and 80-pound Line One Spectra backing on an Avet 50 reel and a Seeker 6460 XXH rod.

"I went chunk lite," said Don, "with a small hook, fluorocarbon and 80-pound Line One. I got five tuna that way and lost one other big one that chewed me off."

Burnside won an Accurate 270 reel for his big tuna. One of the poses Don made for the cameras was with his wife, who jokingly described herself as "?Ķthe long-suffering Laura. Actually," she added, "we have a great time as soon as they're out of sight."

Dan Luke of Bush, LA was second, for a 245-pound yellowfin. "My best fish by far," he said. "It came during an open water bite. I got picked up, and I could tell it was big when it settled down; those big fish pull slow, for a long time. The crew, especially Jesus Companioni, was a big help to me. The skipper was great."

Dan said he fished a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook, with 130-pound fluorocarbon leader, 130-pound Line One Spectra backing, a Tiagra 50 reel and a six and a half-foot Calstar rod, "?Ķan older fiberglass rod. It took an hour."

Brad Baron of Cardiff was third, for a 220-pound tuna. "I saw a big blowout on my mackerel bait about a hundred yards out," he said. He won a Seeker 6470 rod.

Baron fished his mackerel on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook, 100-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader, 130-pound Line One Spectra backing on a Penn 30 T reel and a Calstar 765 H rod.

Jim Fleming of Huntington Beach took a 233-pounder on a mackerel with a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu hook, with 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Line One Spectra wrapped on an Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar 760H rod.

Brian Leaman of San Diego had a 202.4-pound yellowfin tuna.

Two ladies on the trip had their largest fish ever. Teri Santisevan of Alhambra got one at 184 pounds. Shauna Barton of Carson had one just a bit larger.