Frank LoPreste docked his Royal Polaris at Fisherman's Landing November 21 after the annual Harold Davis 13-day expedition to the Buffer Zone. Chartermaster Harold was aboard, along with 26 other passengers and 15 tuna over 200 pounds.

Rich Vos of La Mirada had the big one, a 250-pound yellowfin tuna that ate his salami mackerel pinned to an 11/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hook on 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon. He fished with 130-pound Izorline spectra on an Accurate ATD 50 reel and a Super Seeker 2 X 4 rod wrapped by Baja Fish Gear. "He didn't run much," commented Vos. "After 20 minutes I got him up on the bow, where he went right away."

Kahamahl Murray of Brooklyn, NY bagged a 234-pounder, good for second place. He said it came on a sardine and a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon. Murray used a Tiagra 50 reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXXH rod.

Steve Nero of Huntington Beach needed only 20 minutes to deck his 243-pound tuna after it took his mackerel on a 6/0 Super Mutu and 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon. He employed 130-pound Line One spectra on a Penn 50 reel modified by Cal Sheets, and a six and a half-foot Calstar rod.

Another 243 came on the kite to Nick Borgwat of Shasta, after he cranked it in with one of the boat's kite rigs. Those rigs use 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline spectra on a variety of reels. In this case the reel was a Penn 50, Nick said.

Charles King of New York City produced a 245-pounder with the kite and a boat outfit: 20/0 Mustad circle hook on 100-pound Yo-Zuri and 100-pound Tuff Line spectra. He fished his prize with an Accurate ATD 30 reel and a seven-foot Viper rod.

Marcus Bondy of El Cajon caught his best fish ever, a 241.9-pounder, with a flying fish under the kit. He posed with the fish for dock reporter Bill Roecker. His personal outfit had a 20/0 Mustad circle hook, and 130-pound Line One spectra on a Penn 50 SW reel and a custom Calstar 770 XXH rod.

Tom Hartigan of Thousand Oaks got a 231-pound tuna with a flyer under the kite. His boat rig used a 20/0 Mustad circle hook, 130-pound Izorline and Izorline spectra on an Accurate ATD 50 reel and a Calstar 770 H rod.

Rod Jordan of Redding got his best fish, a 234-pounder and also got a 214-pound tuna with sardines on 6/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hooks and 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon connected to 130-pound Line One spectra. He used an Okuma Makira 30 reel and a Super Seeker 2 X 4 rod.

Mark Van Wagner of Paso Robles got a 228-pound tuna.

Jim Oates of Paso Robles took 45 minutes to best his best fish, a 207-pound yellowfin. He said he baited a sardine on a 5/0 Gorilla hook on 100-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline spectra, on a boat-owned Tiagra 50 and a Super Seeker 2 X 4 rod.

Jerry Stanley of West Covina bagged his best, a 200-pounder, with a sardine on a 6/0 Super Mutu on 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline spectra. He fished with an Avet 50 T Rex reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod.