"We fished at Cedros Island and we fished on offshore kelps," said Polaris Supreme skipper Drew Henderson July 28. He'd just ended a five-day Catchy Tackle trip with 24 anglers, and was weighing the catch at the Fisherman's Landing scales.

"We got yellowtail, dorado and some non-biting albacore," he added, "and; wow!"

The albacore he hung on the scales pushed the numbers up to 41 pounds even.

"That's the best one so far this season," I remarked. Henderson high-fived angler Al Brandenburg, who grinned and brought his fish over to the side for some photos.

Brandenburg said he got the big longfin on a sardine and a 2/0 Flyliner hook. He used 30-pound Izorline on a Trinidad 30 reel and a Calstar 700 M rod. He won second place in the jackpot.

Harvey Rosen of Benecia bagged a 43.6-pound yellowtail on the dropper loop to win first place.

"He fought like a bulldog," said Rosen, who used a sardine on a 4/0 Mustad hook with 60-pound Izorline XXX mono, an Avet 4-2 reel and a Seeker 6460 glass rod to beat his fish in ten minutes.

Don Spitzer of Petaluma was third, for a 33.8-pound yellowtail.

Chartermaster Wayne Martin hoisted a dorado he said was typical of those encountered on kelps.