Andy Cates slid into the Red Rooster III's slip November 26 after the 11-day (eight with a flyback option) Accurate trip with reel developer Jack Nilsen. Jack exercised his option to fly home, as did most of the 26 anglers.

Cates took the group to the southern banks off Baja, anchored on one of the southernmost, and got the first cows to come from the area this year. He called the fleet, but only Royal Star was in position to take advantage of the discovery. Cates ended his trip with nine cows, including the 353.7-pound super cow landed by Judith Montague of Cardiff.

Ken Pickett of La Mesa won first place for a 292-pound whopper he got with a mackerel on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu hook on 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Line One Spectra backing. He used an Accurate 50 W reel and a six and a half-foot Calstar rod.

"I had a good time," he said of the fight. "It lasted an hour and 45 minutes."

Allison Shuman of Venice won second place for the 247.5-pound tuna she hooked, fought and landed after it bit on a sardine on a ringed 6/0 Super Mutu hook. She used 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a topless Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.

"My best fish before was 125 pounds," said Allison. I fought this one in the harness and I had to get in the skiff at one point. He bit, he ran, he went down and took me around the boat once.

"Then he got wrapped on the anchor. Andy pulled it part way up and we went in the skiff to get it off. I used a balloon to get the hookup."

Gary Gillingham of Duarte got a 234.7-pounder to win third place.

Stas Velonakis found a 217.5-pounder.

Kevin Leong had the fourth-best qualifying fish at 231 pounds. Since there was no best troll fish, he won a jacket. Kevin said he used a mackerel on a 5/0 Gorilla hook on 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Blackwater Spectra backing on an Accurate 12 reel and a Calstar 6465 XXH rod. He also had a 217-pounder.

Calvin Benton of Oakland pulled in a 205-pounder with a sardine on a 7/0 Eagle Claw hook. He fished with 100-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader, 100-pound Spectra, an Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar 655 XXH rod.

Miles Yamaguchi of Riverside got a 201.6-pounder on a sardine and a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook on 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline Spectra backing. He used an Accurate 50 reel and a Yo's custom Calstar 6460 XXH rod.

That leaves only the super cow to account for, something already done by Jack Nilsen. It's repeated here so any newcomers can find the information with that of the rest of the catch.

"She fought it the normal way???did a nice job," said Jack, "without any undue assistance from the crew. Judy has fished with us before, and this tuna came on an Accurate ATD 30 on Blackwater 100-pound hollow Spectra, and 130 Blackwater flourocarbon shock leader. The rod was a Calstar 6465 XXH, and it bit on a mackerel on an Owner Gorilla 6/0 hook.

"Her fish is the best yellowfin tuna caught so far on an Accurate 30," said Jack. "It was a pretty damn nice trip, as it all turned out."