By mid morning it all boiled down to one opportunity; and it was a big one. Mind you I've seen my share of “ultimate challenge” big fish battles. I know the true jumbos from the imposters. This son of a so and so that long time Royal Star angler John Turpin tied into was the real deal. And, contrary to the vast majorty of bluefin tuna that we tangle with, this big bruiser was wholly dedicated to inflicting every form of misery it could upon its antognist. It was a case of champion athelete versus everything we could muster; the right gear, perfect conditions – an ideal scenario for success. And we lost. After a grueling hour plus, perhaps the longest battle I've ever seen waged against a big bluefin, the hooks pulled. And that was that. Size estimates ranged from really big to *&%$#$* huge! We all got plenty of good looks at it from several close range passes that seemed to entertain the beast more that anything. The rotten bastard never showed even the remotest sign of being done. From a fish story perspective it's great though. We can insert just about any number we want into yet another infamous “one that got away” yarn. And that's how it stands. With a couple of smaller consolation prizes we ended the longest day on the local giant bluefin grounds with a clear prevailing sentiment. Today this zone was not for us. Or, judging by information coming in over the wire, anyone else. A couple here and there is what it amounted to. A down day for the fleet overall. And that's fishing. In closing many thanks to the annual Phillips Steel sponsors that make this voyage a delight regardless of what makes it way over the rail. Always seeking the ultimate three we fell a little short in the quality and variety category this time. But the quantity section (God Bless those yellowtail) was well in hand. Onward and upward we return tomorrow and depart on the next open four day voyage headed for points unknown. Good weather will welcome the pursuit of offshore gamesters as Captain Randy Toussaint combine our efforts. Reports soon to follow.