Kevin Osborne docked Intrepid at Pt. Loma Sportfishing December 18, just as a fresh storm was moving into the area. Those attending were pleased that rain had not yet begun to fall, and anglers stayed dry as they moved the fish to their numbered spots on the pavement. The 14-day trip was chartermastered by Larry Brown, who had 14 anglers aboard. "The water was about 81 degrees on Hurricane Bank," said Osborne to dock reporter Bill Roecker, "and in the mornings the skipjack were so thick we had to move the boat in order to flyline for tuna. They'd stack up under there all night. We scratched away at a lot of 180 and 190-pound yellowfin. There were only a few wahoo around. We had some bad weather early in the trip, but it got nicer, and there's an impressive grade of fish there."

Charles Pratty of Yorba Linda won first place for a 227-pound tuna that he got on the kite with one of the boat's rigs: 130-pound Soft Steel fluorocarbon and 130-pound Soft Steel Ultra mono, with 130-pound spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXXH rod. He said the fish fought hard for an hour and a half.

Mike Pihl of Oceanside won second place for a 219-pound tuna, another fish that worked the angler over for an hour and a half. He said it bit a sardine on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon. He fished with 130-pound Line One spectra on a Okuma 30 reel and a Phenix seven-foot XXXH rod.

Rookie long ranger Michael Dunn of Dallas TX bagged a 216-pounder for third place, with a sardine under the kite on one of the boat's kite outfits: the same as the one Pratty used. "I thought the trip was awesome," he remarked, "one of the best times of my life."

Kurt Kohler of La Mesa baited one of the pesky skipjack on a 16/0 Mustad Demon hook connected to 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon, 130-pound Line One spectra on a Tiburon 20 reel and a Calstar 770 XH rod. He said he pulled it to the boat in 11 minutes.

Patrick Dunn (Michael's brother), also of Dallas TX, was along on his second long range trip, and he got a 209-pound tuna to round out the cows of the trip. He said he nabbed his with a skipjack on a 9/0 Mustad 7691 hook attached to a Basil Pappas wind-on leader of 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon tied to 130-pound Line One spectra. He used an Avet 80 three-speed reel and a Super Seeker 3 x 5 rod.

Skipper Bill Cavanaugh will take the Intrepid out on an 11-day trip, leaving the day after Christmas, with three spots still open.