Skipper Justin Fleck docked Excel after a Haj Shimada chartered five-day trip. The boat unloaded 34 passengers at Fisherman's Landing. "We've been doing this charter for 14 years now," said Haj of Monterrey Park, "and this one was one of the better yellowtail fishing we've had."

"The albacore will float for a day," said Fleck, "then they'll go down for a week. They'll come back up, and then back down for another week. This trip just missed them.

"And Cedros was our savior, it's been that way all season long."

At the certified scales, Fleck saw many "cookie-cutter" yellowtail weigh 30.6-pounds. One angler joked that "we must have been fishing the same school all trip."

Ed Fincel of Yreka, CA took first place with a 35.6-pound yellowtail. It was his second time aboard the Excel.

"We couldn't find the albacore," said Fincel, "but everybody still had a ball, laughin' and joking around the whole time. On some trips, you'll see the corners crowded with anglers, but that wasn't the case this time. It was a lot of fun."

Steve Williamson of Fontana was second for a 34.6-pound yellowtail. Williamson stood in with his 25.7-pound halibut in the jackpot, and chartermaster Haj Shimada took third with a 31.2-pound yellowtail.