Mike Ramirez skippered Excel on a six-day Ryes Integrity Auto trip to Guadalupe Island and offshore, returning September 30 to dock at Fisherman's Landing and offload his 22 anglers with their catch. The trip was very good for tuna up to the mid-fifties in weight.

"We had a great paddy the first day," said Mike, and fishing was good at Guadalupe Island in 70 to 71-degree water. There's lots of 25 to 30-pound yellowfin tuna at the island."

Docksiders were almost astounded at the albacore in the catch.

"On the way back," continued Ramirez, "we had multiple albacore jig strikes over a 15-mile stretch near The Cross. Most of the albies were peanuts, but some were 25 to almost 40 pounds.

Nestor Murillo of Oxnard won first place for a 54-pound yellowfin he bagged with a sardine on a 7/0 Mutu hook. He said he used 50-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 50-pound Spectra on an Accurate 665 two-speed reel, with a Calstar 700 H rod.

"I got him in about 15 minutes," said Nestor.

Frank Batren of Long Beach won second place for a 53.4-pounder.

About to enter sixth grade at Gardner Middle School, Andrew Price of Temecula bagged a 50.1-pound tuna with a sardine to win third place.

Also aboard the Excel was 92-year-old Jean Tolson of Gaardena.

"He's one of the best bait fishermen I ever saw," remarked Excel owner Bill Poole. "He got the first-ever 300-pound tuna when he was with me on the Cape Polaris, now the Searcher. He came out with the first monofilament line I ever saw.

"We said, ???What's that crap? It's gonna tangle everybody up! But, as it went on, mono got better and better.

"We were at the south end of San Benedicto," remembered Poole, "fishing for wahoo. We put out some chum for tuna and he got bit. He had an old long rod and a 9/0 Penn reel and the drags were chirping. Four hours later and five miles away, that tuna came up dead, on his 80-pound mono."

Excel departed again the same afternoon (September 30) on the annual Big Al's charter, this year with eight wounded Marines (Purple Heart recipients) aboard as Al's guests.