Skipper Justin Fleck returned Excel to Fisherman's Landing January 5 after a 10-day trip.

"Even if those big tuna aren't cooperating," said Fleck, "it's nice to fall back on ridge style fishing. We had good action on the yellows."

Chris Kumai of Berkley took first place with a 284.6-pound yellowfin hooked on a mackerel with a sinker rig.

"He picked it up on the drop up on the stern," said Chris, "and I fought him for a good half-hour. Then I had ???em right at the boat and it got a little squirrelly, then ???Boom!' he shot back down and it took another hour to get him back to the boat."

Chris used a 9/0 Eagle Claw 2004 ringed hook with 130-pound Jerry Brown line with 130-pound Izorline spectra with a Calstar Graphite 755 XXH rod with a Penn 50 wide SW reel.

Jason Smith of Mesa, AZ took second with a 123.1-pound yellowfin. Jason used a "butt-hooked" mackerel on a 9/0 Eagle Claw 2004 hook, 150-pound Izorline fluorocarbon with 130-pound Berkeley Spectra and 130-pound Berkeley Hi-Test line, a Calstar 6460 XXH rod, with a Shimano 30 SW LRS reel.

Chris Bright of Westminster was third with a 36.5-pound dorado.

Laurens Rhinelander of Culver City got honorable mention for a 296-pound yellowfin on the kite rig using "Double Trouble" sardines for bait. He fished with 135-pound Izorline spectra on a Calstar 760 H rod with an Avet 50 SDS reel.

The fights lasted about 45 minutes," said Laurens. "He took a little run at first, then he just dogged me the rest of the way."