Roy Rose docked Royal Polaris February 25 at Fisherman's Landing, after an 18-day trip to the Hurricane Bank; a fly down, fly back excursion with 23 anglers, sponsored in part by Accurate reel. Chartermaster was Jack Nilsen of Accurate.

"The water was 76.2 degrees on the bank," said Roy. "Sharks were a pain. I had to move the boat to trick ???em."

There were six tuna over 200 pounds in the catch. Gary Lacroix of Torrance got the best one, a 269.3-pounder, on the kite with a flying fish. All the cows came on that rig, so none were eligible for the jackpot.

Lacroix got his big one with a 20/0 Mustad circle hook tied to a three-foot leader of 130-pound Jin Kai and 130-Line One Spectra, on an Accurate 50 W reel and a Seeker 59 XXH rod, but only after 40 minutes of pulling.

"He bit about nine a.m." said Gary. "I saw the boil, but he never took line until he was straight up and down. He was at color for 20 minutes. Ryan and Jesus (deckhands) did a great job, helping me to finish him off.

"This one is my best fish. In fact, I've been on the RP four times, and each time I've got my best fish."

Lacroix own the Highliner, a 42-footer he operates as a ten-pack from Redondo Sportfishing, usually to Catalina or Santa Monica Bay, he added.

Chris Louchios of Oceanside took a 230-pounder with his flyer pinned to an Eagle Claw 20/0 hook. He said he fished with 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Line One Spectra, on an Accurate 50 W reel and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod.

"It took about 40 minutes," said Chris. "He exploded on the bait; he was the most exciting of all the fish we got that way. He took a run, and I had to get low and put a hard bend in the rod. He took me around the boat once and ended up in the stern.

Fred Reich of Granada Hills was about as close as Louchios' skin, with a 229.9-pounder. He said he used a 12/0 Mustad 7691 hook, 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader, 130-pound Momoi line and 130-pound Tuff Line Spectra on a Tiagra 50 W LRS reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.

"It took two hours," remarked Reich. "He went down to the bottom and just about wore the leader out on the rocks and coral. It was all chafed when he came in.

"This one is absolutely my best fish," he continued. "My best before was a 158-pounder.

Gail Johnson of Torrance bagged a 226.8-pounder with a 20/0 Eagle Claw 2045 hook on 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline Spectra. She used an Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar 6465 XXH rod.

Susan Langdale of San Clemente caught a 219-pound tuna on an orange and black Marauder. She trolled it with 100-pound Izorline and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar 765 H rod.

"It was a half-hour fight," said Susan. "He took over 300 yards of line."

The Marauder was so firmly embedded in the tuna's throat it couldn't be retrieved at the dock, and the tuna went to Mario Ghio, the processor, with the jig still inside.

Larry Eilbot of St. Louis, MO bagged a 201-pounder after a 45-minute fight. He used the boat's kite rig: 20/0 Mustad hook, 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on an Accurate 80 reel and a Calstar 6465 XXH rod.

Bob Ramirez won the jackpot for his 170.6-pound yellowfin, which he baited with a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook.

"I used the new Seaguar Premier 130-pound fluorocarbon leader," he said, "on a Penn 30 with the new Cal Sheets conversion and 1.1 to 1 gears. My rod was a Calstar 765 H."

Brandon Krentel of Escondido won second place for a 168-pounder, and Bob Pound of Lake Elsinore was third, for a `56-pound tuna.

Royal Polaris will be doing whale-watching or ecology trips for the next few weeks, and then will be in for boat work.