Jeff DeBuys brought Independence home to Point Loma Sportfishing on December 9, after a 15-day trip with 26 anglers. The Save-On Tackle trip fished inside and outside, as far out as the Hurricane Bank.

"It was an epic trip," summed up DeBuys, who tallied 19 cows, or tuna over 200 pounds.

"Hello from the tired Indy crew," he wrote December 1 at the Hurricane Bank. "We had a spectacular day today here at the bank. We arrived at 0900 and got situated in no time, and immediately started getting fish. We were steady all day long on these beautiful grade tuna, 130 lb. to 190 lb. and 3 over 200 to 240 lbs. We ended the day with 70 fish for our efforts. Everything was the hot ticket today, sardine, mackerel, chunk, squid, and good kite action till dark. The weather is really good, and we hope it stays that way for a while."

When Jeff weighed his catch, the big fish weighed 311 pounds. It was caught by Alex Kastaniuk of La Habra Heights, who also got a 207.6-pounder.

"He fought like a mother," said Alex. "There were times I thought I'd definitely die. He got wrapped up with other anglers four times, and he took me around the boat for an hour and a half. My best fish before was a 190-pounder. I think I'll have him cut and wrapped."

Alex said he fished a sardine on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He used 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader, 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra backing on a Penn 50 SW reel and a Shimano six-foot rod.

Gary Ondrisco of Shelley, ID won second place for a 286-pounder that fell for a sardine on a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu on 100-pound Seaguar, 100-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline Spectra backing g on a Penn 50 reel and a Shimano Talus rod he won on the boat.

"He fought up high, " said Gary. "He never sounded and he fought way out for two and a half hours." Gary also got a 202-pounder.

Chartermaster David Taylor of Downey won third place for a 265-pound tuna. He said he bagged that baby in 15 minutes, after it ate his sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook. He used 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon, 130-pound Izorline Spectra, an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod. He also had a 207-pounder.

Bob Buckland of Simi Valley took tuna of 239 and 226 pounds. He fished squid under the kite with the boat's rig.

Ron Baron of La Crescenta took an hour to beat a 226-pounder. He also got a 222 and a 208-pound tuna. He said he fished sardines on 5/0 ringed Super Mutu hooks, with 100-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Seeker 6465 XXH rod.

Terry Prather of Dallas, TX got a 236-pounder in 45 minutes. He said he fished a sardine on a 9/0 ringed Super Mutu hook, with 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound izor Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Truline six-foot rod.

Fernando Rocha of Whittier caught cows of 221 and 214 pounds. He said he fished sardines on 7/0 Mustad hooks, with 100-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra on an Avet 50 SDS reel and a Calstar 760 H rod. The bigger fish fought for 45 minutes.

Chuck Woyce of Monterey bagged a 210-pounder with a sardine on a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu an d 100-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon tied to 100-pound Izorline on a boat rig.

Clarence Becker of Victorville caught a 209-pounder on a sardine and an Eagle Claw 8/0 hook, tied to 100-pound Ande line and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on an Avet 30 reel and a Calstar 645 rod.

Don Farrell of Laguna Niguel got a 205-pounder on a sardine and a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu on 80-pound Soft Steel Ultra line and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on a Tiagra 30 reel and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod.