"We saw an awful lot of fish out there on the albacore grounds," said Sam Patella after docking his American Angler September 3, "but they didn't want to bite very well."

The five-day trip with 25 passengers produced a decent catch of albacore anyway, judging by the fish on the Point Loma Sportfishing Landing pad.

Nobe Takasaki of Parlier had the best longfin, a 38.6-pounder. He said he enticed it with a sardine on a 2/0 ringed Mustad hook tied to 30-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 30-pound Izorline. Nobe used a Trinidad 30 reel and a Calstar 700 M rod.

Tim Ebner of Atwater won second place for a 36-pound albacore, and Andy Smith of Santa Barbara got third place for a 35.8-pound albie.