Fat and happy after a four-day trip aboard Shogun, Bill Roecker returned September 8 with skipper Bruce Smith and 22 anglers, including jig maker Matt Salas, who gave each angler a sample of his products.

Mustad donated hooks to all aboard and other goodies for raffle prizes. Roecker and cameraman-editor Paul Sweeney garnered a portfolio of photos and enough HD video for a DVD at the San Benitos, Cedros and Geronimo islands.

When Shogun left San Diego September 4, reports from the fleet indicated 25 knots of wind and unfishable conditions at the albacore haunts near the outer banks, so skipper Smith elected to travel south and fish for yellowtail. Fishing was fair at the Benitos, good at Cedros and very good at the Sacramento Reef near Geronimo. The biggest fish were at Cedros, where yellowtail to nearly 42 pounds were caught.

At Fisherman's Landing, Smith weighed the best of the catch to determine the jackpot winners. Terry VanDeWalker of Ramona won first place for a 41.6-pound yellowtail he took with a Spanish mackerel on a 3/0 ringed Mutu hook. He used 30-pound Izorline and 65-pound Izorline Spectra on a Trinidad 30 reel and a Yo's custom Calstar 700 ML rod.

Bernard Glasser of LA was second, for a 38-pound yellowtail, and Bill Hanagami of West Hills won third place for a 30-pound yellow. The full story, with photos of the island adventure will be posted on FishingVideos.com Monday, September 10.