Sad news was learned from Fisherman's Landing tackle specialist and gate guard John Korogy November 15. Skipper Steve Thompson has died, likely the previous day. Korogy said Steve's body had been discovered in a San Diego hotel where he was staying, in the shower. A coroner's report is forthcoming.

Thompson was well-liked and will be remembered for his expert skippering of the Tracer, Searcher and other boats. He was deeply troubled by the recent loss of his wife. He lived in Belize in recent years but returned to San Diego in 2011.

My own memory of Steve Thompson is vivid. I fished with him aboard the Searcher several years ago on a day and a half trip. He found a kelp paddy in the early afternoon, and told us anglers he could see big tuna on the scope below it. We fished there for an hour or so but got no bites.

As dusk settled Thompson took us back to the paddy and bigeye tuna of 50 to 85 pounds rose up to the surface and attacked everything that fell or was tossed into the water for a couple of hours, well into the dark. It was one of the three best bigeye bites I've ever seen, and Steve did a masterful job of saving as many of the big tuna as possible.

The photo here shows Steve earlier in the day, with a lady's first bluefin. It was featured in one of my Sportfishing Calendars.