Skipper Roy Rose brought Royal Polaris home to Fisherman's Landing January 18 after the annual Taka Tanaka trip. Chartermaster Taka Tanaka owns Taka's Tackle, and many of his friends were aboard, using gear they bought from him. It was a good trip, though like others lately had to deal with some rough weather. There were 21 cows in the fish holds.

Taka Tanaka had a 216 and a 293-pounder. The big one won first place. Taka told dock reporter Bill Roecker the giant yellowfin bit on a salami mackerel on a 9/0 Mustad 7691 hook. He fished with 130-pound Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon tied to 130-pound Izorline spectra on a Penn 50 W reel and a Calstar 6460 XH rod. "I hooked him at daybreak," said Taka, "up on the bow, and about 40 minutes later he came to gaff on the stern."

Ron Kusumi of Rancho Santa Margarita won second place for a 263-pound tuna. He said it came on a salami and a 9/0 Mustad 7691 hook. He used 130-pound Yo-Zuri, 130-pound Izorline spectra on a Penn 50 W reel and a Calstar 6460 XH rod. It was the same outfit, he said, that he handed to Taka when Ron's kite rotation came up, and Taka put it to good use on the bigger fish.

Calvin Fujimoto of Burbank also had a brace of cows at 201 and 243 pounds, with the big one taking third place. He pinned his salami on an 11/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Yo-Zuri and 130-pound Izorline spectra, and he fished with a Penn 80 reel modified by Cal Sheets on a Calstar 770 XXH rod. "It was at gray light," said Calvin. "He bit real slow and then swam off slow. I got him in 40 minutes."

Duane W. Gray, Photo #1 of Laguna Beach took a 274-pounder on a sardine and a 10/0 Mustad circle hook. He said he used the kite, 130-pound spectra on a Penn 50 SW reel by Sheets and a Calstar 770 XH rod wrapped by Taka.

Robert Maes of Whittier got a dandy pair at 251 and 267 pounds. The bigger one took 45 minutes to land, he said, after it bit on a flying fish under the kite. He hung his flyer on an unknown hook and 130-pound Izorline spectra, and used an Avet 50 W reel and a Calstar 770 XH rod by Taka, and said his previous best fish was a 204-pounder.

Susan Gentry had yet another brace at 243 and 257 pounds.

Bob Ito of Cerritos also got a 257-pounder on a sardine and a 7/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hook connected to 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline spectra on a Penn 50 W reel and a Calstar 770 XH rod by Taka.

John Woodard of Anaheim bagged a 243-pounder with a fling fish under the kite, on a 20/0 Mustad circle hook. He used 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline spectra on a Daiwa 50 SLT reel and a Calstar 6460 BTG rod wrapped by Taka.

Kim Hofer of Greenwood spent 55 minutes brining in a 243-pounder that fought"...like a S.O.B.," he said. It ate a flying fish under the kite. He used a 16/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hook, 130-pound Line One spectra, a Penn 50 VSX reel and a Calstar 770 H rod by Taka.

Jack Preston bagged a 236-pounder.

John Corrigan of Garden Grove caught a 234-pounder with a flyer under the kite. He employed a 20/0 Mustad circle hook, 130-pound Izorline spectra on a Penn 80 reel by Taka and a Calstar 6460 XH rod.

Steve Gato got a 230-pounder.

Ron Watanabe found a 230-popunder with a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu tied to 130-pound Yo-Zuri, 130-pound Izorline spectra on a Penn 50 W reel and a Calstar 770 XH rod.

Bob's son Craig Ito of Cerritos fished a flying fish under the kite to improve his personal best fish from 184 pounds to 225 pounds. He said he got it with 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline spectra on a Sheets-treated Penn 80 reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod built by Taka.

Zack Mouradian caught a 218-pounder.

Melvin Tanaka (no relation to Taka) of Coronado took a 211-pounder with a sardine on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu hook, 130-pound Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon, 130-pound Line One spectra on a Penn 50 reel by Baker and Sheets and a Calstar 770 rod by Taka Tanaka.

Gary Ahsing of Gardena bagged a 204-pounder with a flyer under the kite. He used a Mustad 20/0 hook, 130-pound Izorline spectra on a Penn 80 reel and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod by Taka.