Independence docked January 7 at Pt. Loma Sportfishing after a 12-day trip with 30 anglers headed up by skipper Jeff DeBuys and chartermaster Ed Tschernoscha of Baja Fish Gear. "This was our New Year's Special," said DeBuys. "We fished at The Buffer Zone, where we found really good biters in the 80 to 130-pound range. We had three cows; early and late in the day were the best times for a shot at a cow."

Jimmy Jimenez of Colton won first place for his 278-pound tuna. He bagged it with a salami mackerel on a 9/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One spectra. He fished with a Penn 50 reel modified by Cofe and a Calstar 770 XXXH rod. "He fought me for two hours," said Jimmy. "He took me around the boat three times. My best fish before was a 211-pounder."

Roy Sakul of Ontario would have won second place, but a shark ended that possibility with two large bites after a little taste of the tuna. Its taped weight was over 240 pounds, on the deck after the mutilated remains were boated.

Shawn Thompson of Bonita took 45 minutes to land his 204-pounder for second place. He said it bit on a sardine pinned to a 4/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hook. He fished with 100-pound pink Yo-Zuri and 100-pound Izorline spectra on a Makira 20 SEA reel and a Super Seeker 2 X 4 rod. Van Nguyen of Anaheim won third place for a 189.2-pounder.