The fourth-largest yellowtail ever caught by a San Diego sportboat arrived on a Red Rooster III with skipper Andy Cates August 27, after a seven-day trip to Alijos and Cedros Island.

"We spent three days at the Rocks," said Cates, "on the Jeff Johnson trip. We got a good catch of tuna and yellowtail, and 55 wahoo. The water was 75 degrees, and we had nice weather; no problems from the storm that passed."

The giant yellowtail was caught by Don Lyon of Pinon Hills, and it weighed 84.4 pounds on the certified scales at H&M Landing.

"He came off the bottom," said Lyon, "where we fished in 24 fathoms. After he came up about 50 feet he started pulling really hard. He made three or four runs. About 20 minutes later, I got him to the boat."

Don said he fished a scad mackerel on a big Mustad 9/0 hook. "I've had a box of ???em for about five years," he remarked. "I got ???em to fish big tuna. This was the first time I needed one."

Lyon used 80-pound blue Izorline in his dropper loop rig with a 10-ounce sinker, and a 6/0 Penn reel and a Daiwa five and a half-foot rod. He posed for numerous photos, including the jackpot lineup, where he was fourth, by four ounces.

J. R. Baxter of Albuquerque, NM won first place for a 103.5-pound tuna. He said he got it with a sardine on a 4/0 Super Mutu hook, 50-pound clear Izorline on a Penn 30 reel and a Calstar six and a half-foot rod, after a 45-minute fight. "A great day of fishing," he said.

Mike Portman of Santa Maria was second, for an 88.7-pounder, and "Coach" Cliff Clark of Union City was third, for an 84.8-pound yellowfin tuna.