Roy Rose docked Royal Polaris December 19. His 19 anglers had been on an 18-day trip sponsored in part by Izorline. With the boat tied up at Fisherman's Landing, Rose said, "They started biting good down there. We saw a lot of 300-pounders jumping."

A pair of those jumped onto the deck of the RP, assisted by crewmen wielding gaffs. Ron Nakamura had the best one, a 326.5-pounder, just a half-pound or so smaller than the best one caught so far this year. "It was late in the day when he bit," said Nakamura, "almost dark. It was only a short soak with my mackerel."

Ron said his fight with the beast, which won first place, lasted an hour. He used a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook, 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline Spectra backing on a Daiwa SLT 50 reel and a Seeker 6463 XXH rod. He also caught tuna of 208, 251 and 254.6 pounds.

Ken Kochi of Huntington Beach won second place for a 325.8-pounder.

"He was a tough one," said Ken. "I knew he was big by the way he took out line. After he bit he stayed on the bow."

Kochi fished a sardine on a 5/0 Gorilla hook, and used 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra on a Penn 50 reel modified by Cal Sheets, and a 765 H Calstar rod. He also had a 206.8 and a 247.6-pound tuna.

Ken Shaleen of Chicago won third place for a 262-pounder. He said it took a sardine on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu, tied to 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra, on a Penn 50 W reel and a 6460 XXH rod. He also took a 262-pounder.

Parked in the four position (honorable mention) of the four-man lineup shot, Steve Williams of Lakewood got a 292-pound tuna, his best ever, on a mackerel pinned on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu tied to 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Spectra backing. He used a Tiagra 50 reel and a Calstar 7460 H rod. He also got a 245-pound yellowfin.

Dale Wisler of Placentia bagged a 267-pound tuna with a sardine on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu on the klite after a fight of an hour and a half. He said his line was 130-pound Izorline and the backing was 130 Izor Spectra on a Tiagra 50 reel and a Calstar 755 XXH rod.

Roger Hawtree got a 247-pound tuna. Dick Freeman of Seal Beach copped a 242-pound yellowfin with a sardine on a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu, 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Jerry Brown Spectra on a Penn 50 S reel and a 7465 H rod.

Kent Fukimoto of Santa Ana caught a 233.3-pounder with a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu tied to 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Spectra on a Saiwa 50 reel and a Calstar 765 H rod.

Hank Hamada of Anaheim Hills took a 223-pound tuna with a sardine ona 6/0 Super Mutu, 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra with a Penn 50 S reel and a 765 H Calstar rod.

Jim Martin caught a 215-pounder.

Neil Campbell of Fallbrook nabbed a 242-pounder with a mackerel on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu, tied to 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Spectra on a Penn 50 W reel and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod. He also bagged a 209.4-pounder.

Howard Hada an Izorline rep from Cerritos only need 45 minutes to beat a 205-pounder. "Boy, was I snake-bit this trip," he sighed. "I lost a lot of big fish."

Howard fished a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu, with 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Spectra backing on a Penn 30 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.

Keith Patterson also got a 205-pound tuna.

The trip brought back a total of 21 yellowfin tuna over 200 pounds, including the two 300-pounders.