"We had good fishing on bait and jigs at Cedros Island," said American Angler skipper Sam Patella at the Pt. Loma Sportfishing dock September 19. He had just finished the Skinny Pirates charter with 26 anglers and Chris Cruger as chartermaster.

"Then we came up and fished albacore. We did all right. They were all found either by eyeball or on the machines."

The biggest fish of the trip was a 49.4-pound yellowtail caught by Steve Powell of Monrovia. It bit when he had momentarily handed his rod to a deckhand, so it wasn't eligible for the jackpot. He was fishing a sardine on 25-pound line.

Steve Yoshimura of Northridge was the first place winner, for a 40.2-pound yellow that ate his sardine on a 2/0 ringed Super Mutu hook on 40-pound line and 65-pound Izorline Spectra backing on a Saltiga 40 reel. He used a seven-foot Calstar rod.

Steve Powell had a second big yellowtail that took second place, a 39-pounder. He posed with his two big yellows. Ron Tom of Redondo Beach was third, for a 36.2-pound yellowtail.