We loaded bait at Everingham Brothers receivers October 16, before heading into moderate seas on our way south. The swell and chop increased over the next few days, but going downhill on the new 110-foot stabilized sportfisher Intrepid, we were totally comfortable. We felt a little yaw but no roll as we surfed along.

Next day, after we had our orientation and tackle talks from skipper Dan Nichols and second skipper Kevin Cleary, chartermaster Wayne Martin of Catchy Tackle handed out packages of Catchy 33 jigs, Spinnerhead wahoo bombs, hats and coffee cups. Wayne also donated numerous 26-ounce Spinnerhead wahoo trolling jigs. One of those bagged the only wahoo of the trip for Milo Rivera next day.

We ate like kings during this long trip, with Chef Javier Quintanar and his brother Hector preparing five-star meals and snacks. Javier wowed us with his trademark seafood mountain one afternoon for our snack. We also enjoyed a platter of smoked fish from processor Mario Ghio of Sportsmen's Seafoods. Mario and Five-Star fish Processing met us at the dock at the end of the trip to cut and wrap, smoke or jerk the catch.

Accurate, Mustad, AFTCO and other sponsors for FishingVideos.com made the trip memorable for our 17 anglers with gift packages that included the 2008 Sportfishing Calendar and assorted hooks and free spoolings of 40, 50 and 60-pound Mustad Ultra Pro Plus line for all aboard. There was also a drawing for some valuable prizes. Ted Crane of Huntington Beach won a new Accurate 870 reel, and Mark Winbigler won a spanking new AFTCO Socorro belt and harness. A donated Mustad Ultra Point 4/0 hook later caught the jackpot fish.

Our first fishing began at the 13 Spot, shortly after Milo bagged that wahoo. Nichols anchored Intrepid, and small tuna and yellowtail showed the eagerness characteristic of the place, known as very productive among long rangers. The 13 is the first of a series of high spots along a 60-mile rise called The Ridge. Big sheephead were biting on the bottom, but at 72 degrees it was a bit too cool for pargo or grouper. A year ago it was 80 there.

The water was green, off-color, but that didn't inhibit the fierce little tuna and jacks. The five to 20-pounders took flylined sardines and iron jigs like the Catchy 33's or Salas and Tady iron in four to six-ounce weights. The latest reports indicated the water at Alijos Rocks was dirty and 68 degrees, which prompted the skipper's choice of fishing down The Ridge.

We came across a pod of sperm whales, more of them than anyone on the boat had ever seen together, maybe 30 or 40. A few were large adults, 50 or more feet long; most of the whales were smaller. They moved very slowly on the surface, spouting forward with low plumes. We were awed by the sight of their black, barrel-shaped heads, but not so much that the anglers didn't try to fish while they watched. The whales seemed unconcerned by our nearby presence. They looked like they were watching us. Maybe they were resting after a dive, since the species is known to favor squid, and to dive to extreme depths to catch their prey.

Conditions at each high spot grew worse as we pushed south. Little was caught at the next couple of spots, so skipper Nichols elected to keep going to the end. We stopped at Thetis Bank and fished on the high spots there to no avail. Nothing showed on the meters or on the surface. There were a few birds around, but they weren't doing anything except sitting. We headed for the southern banks, where the best recent catches of yellowfin had been made.

Yellowfin are the staple of the long range fleet, but after an unprecedented year for big fish (almost ten times the normal catch) two seasons ago, tuna fishing has been tougher, and not just for yellowfin. Fishing for cool water tuna (albacore and bluefin) this past summer was also difficult. Many short trips opting to fish yellowtail at Cedros and the Benitos Islands rather than trying to coax visible but reluctant albacore. Bluefin were rarely seen.

After another day's travel we got to the outer southern banks. We found clean water of 76 to 78 degrees there, with a couple of other boats fishing along a temperature break. The blue water had small amounts of baitfish and pelagic "red crab" in it. We looked at bird school and sparse meter marks for two days. It was breezy, 15 to 18 knots with a six to eight-foot swell and some chop.

We found three schools of tuna under diving terns and shearwaters, but were rewarded with just a few smallish tuna for our efforts. We could see the other boats through our heavy lenses on the forebridge, but they weren't doing much either, just driving around the area like we were.

There were plenty of marlin around. Everybody seemed to hook two or three stripers, but we weren't after marlin. The stripers were very good at releasing themselves, although we had to handle at least one fish that ate a trolled Spinnerhead. It swam away as though it was feeling all right. Our next move, said the skipper, would be to the Spud.