The last trip to arrive before Christmas docked at Fisherman's Landing Sunday morning December 23 when Roy Rose pulled in with the Royal Polaris. The Izorline-sponsored trip was a limited-load special of 14 or 17 days, depending on whether anglers flew back from Cabo or rode home on the boat, with 18 anglers aboard. Fishing was pretty good, despite a few hook pulls and big boys lost at boatside. The catch included 15 tuna over 200 pounds.

The best tuna was caught by Nick Didovic of Mission Viejo, who caught a 287-pounder made ineligible by the kite used to catch it. Not deterred, Nick brought in a 230-pounder, and won first place anyway. Nick said his giant 287 came on a flying fish under the kite, on a 20/0 Mustad circle hook, with 130-pound Izorline spectra on an Accurate ATD 50 reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod.

Regular RP rider Bob Ramirez, pictured above of Costa Mesa bagged a 226-pounder to add to his cow collection. He told dock reporter Bill Roecker it fought for 30 minutes after inhaling his chunk bait of a 9/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Hi Seas Quattro fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One spectra on a Cal Sheets-treated Penn 30 reel and a Calstar 770 H rod. "I also caught a huge bigeye thresher shark," remarked Ramirez. "The body must have been eight or nine feet long, and the tail was just as long as the fish. I'd guess it weighed 500 or 600 pounds. I released it."

George Iwashita, Photo #1 of Montebello won third place for 203-pound tuna he got with a chunk on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu. There were many larger fish taken, but not by jackpot-eligible means. George, 69 and a retired real estate agent, said his fish came on 130-pound Izorline fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline spectra on an Accurate ATD 50 reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod.

George also caught a tuna with a deformed tail that appeared to be a second tail growing from the lower lobe. See the photo at Photo #2.

Larry Eilbot bagged his best-ever tuna, a 247-pounder.

Bill Doumar of Culver City got a pair at 239 and 203 pounds. He fished sardines on 7/0 ringed Super Mutu and 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon connected to 130-pound Izorline spectra on an Accurate ATD 30 reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod.

Keith Patterson of Santa Fe Springs bagged a 218 and a 202-pounder, with sardines on 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hooks. He said he fished with 130-pound Izorline fluorocarbon, 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline spectra (take a guess at the company he's representing) on a Sheets-treated Penn 50 reel and a Super Seeker 2 X 4 rod.

Matt Walenta caught a 218-pounder.

Neil Campbell of Fallbrook nabbed a 214-pounder on the first day of fishing, with a salami mackerel on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu tied to 130-pound Hi Seas fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One spectra. He used a Sheets-treated Penn 50 reel and a Calstar 770 H rod.

Jim Ross of Bridgeview, IL took 30 minutes to bring his 209-pounder to gaff. His first cow bit a squid under the kite. The hook was a 14/0 ringed Super Mutu, he said, and he fished with 130-pound Line One spectra on a Cal Sheets-treated Penn 70 reel and a Seeker Black Steel 6463 XXXXH rod.

Kent Fukumoto of Santa Ana brought home a 205-pound tuna that bit his sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu and 130-pound Izorline fluorocarbon. He fished with 130-pound Izorline spectra on a Penn 50 modified by Sheets, and a Calstar 770 XXH rod.

Ben Okazaki of Monterey Park got a 204-pounder with a squid under the kite. He used a 19/0 Eagle Claw hook, 130-pound Izorline spectra on a Penn 80 reel and a Seeker 6465 XXH rod. "My first cow," he said to Roecker. "I was on him 40 minutes after I hooked him on the starboard side. He came up on the port side."

Ed Delaney of Laguna Niguel found a 201 pounder nibbling his sardine on a 7/0 Mustad Demon circle hook tied to 130-pound Hi Seas flourocarbon. He brought it boatside with 130-pound Line One spectra on a Baker-Sheets modified Penn 30 reel and a Calstar 770 H rod.