"We had 28 anglers on our 18-day trip," said Royal Polaris skipper Roy Rose at Fisherman's Landing January 19.

"On our way north we got a good catch of yellowtail and some dorado and wahoo. There's good sign of 12 to 18-pound tuna on The Ridge. We released all of those.

"We did very well on 18 to 30-pound yellowtail at San Pablo and Clam Bay. Those fish averaged about 25 pounds. All methods worked on the yellows, but the yoyo jig was best."

Susan Gentry of Westminster had the best fish of the trip, a 246.1-pound yellowfin tuna. It was caught on the kite and so wasn't eligible for the jackpot."

Susan said her fish bit a flying fish on a 9/0 Mustad 7691 hook. She fished with 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Spectra backing on a Penn 50 SW reel and a Calstar 6460 XH rod. She said the tuna came to gaff after an hour and 15 minutes.

Ron Kusumi of Rancho Santa Margarita won first place for the best-ever, 235.6-pound tuna that took his sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He said he fished with 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra on a Penn 50 S reel and a Calstar BT6 6460 rod made by Taka Tanaka.

Ray Bliem of Anaheim caught a 239.9-pounder on a squid under the kite with a 9/0 Mustad 7691 hook. He fished with 130???pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra on a Penn 80 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.

"I lost a bigger fish," he remarked. ???This was a good trip."

Sam Lewis of Chino bagged a 225-pounder on a squid/kite combo using the boat's kite rig.

Ken Kobayashi of Arcadia brought in a 250.9-pounder with a flying fish on the kite. The flyer was pinned to a 10/0 Mustad 76791 hook, tied to 130-pound Zizorline and 130-pound Jerry Brown Spectra backing on a Penn 80- reel modified by Cal Sheets, and a Calstar 7460 XH rod. The fight went one hour.

David Bebb of Hermosa Beach won second place for a 220-pounder that took a chunk bait on a 9/0 swiveled Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Jerry Brown Spectra backing on a Penn 50 reel by Cal Sheets and a custom Pete's Calstar 655 XH rod.

Gary Ahsing won third place for a 209-pound tuna that ate his sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He fished with 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra, on a Penn 50 W reel and a Calstar 6465 XH rod. He said both the rod and reel were built or modified by Taka Tanaka.

"It was a tough fish," he added. "It fought for an hour."