The albacore are a bit perplexing so far this season, noted Bruce Smith after he docked Norm Kagawa's Shogun July 10. He'd been on a three-day trip with 29 anglers who had to work for their albacore.

"They bit in the afternoon one day," said Smith, "and then the next day they bit in the morning. They're full of tiny anchovies, so they act funny when they come to the boat; they don't want our sardines. We found the best schools at 89 miles from San Diego.

Michael Casey of Costa Mesa won first place on the trip, for a 33-pound albie. He said he got it with a sardine on a 1/0 Flyliner hook and 30-pound Suffix line. He fished with an Avet JX reel and a Shikari 8030 rod.

Jim Stok of Long Beach was second for a 32-pounder, and Steve Reed of Menifee won third place for a 30.8-pound longfin.