The Wahoodad/Willy 11-day charter aboard Intrepid returned under Captain Kevin Osborne's hand November 26. The boat made the run down to Hurricane Bank to fish trophy yellowfin.

"We had very few casualties," Osborne said. "We had some highly skilled fisherman on this trip, probably the best group as a whole that I've ever had."

Co-chartermaster Bill "Willy" Casper, Jr. echoed the skipper.

"Probably the greatest group of guys I've fished with," he said at Point Loma Sportfishing, "and I've been fishing a long time."

Jamie Massion of Calabasas took first place with a 220.8-pound yellowfin tuna. Jamie fished a 2004 9/0 Eagle Claw hook ringed by RingedHooks.com, Line One 130-pound hollow Spectra on an Accurate 30 reel and a Calstar 755XXH rod.

Chris Klein of La Verne took second with a 203-pound tuna that bit a live flying fish on the kite. His previous best fish was a 26-pound yellowtail. Chris used the boat's gear, an Avet 50 reel on a Super Seeker 6364 XXXXH rod, to haul in the cow. Chris received the Seeker Trophy for best fish caught on a Seeker rod.

Third place went to Lowell Dickson of Irvine for a 200.8-pound tuna. Lowell used the boat's Avet 50 reel and Super Seeker 6364 XXXXH rod to land the kite fish. "It bit double-trouble sardines on Owner 8/0 hooks," he said. "I fought it for about 40 minutes in the port corner."

Co-chartermaster David "Wahoodad" Choate and Jim Hall both agreed that the Hurricane Bank yellowfin were real "mean" fish.

"I just rail-fished mine in the corner," said Hall of his 181-pound tuna. "My hand was shaking.

"Willy (Bill Casper) was on a fish that straightened out his hook. It came back shaped like an L."

"Fishing with David and Willy was a real pleasure. You just sit back and watch them, and try to learn from them the best you can. Fishing the reds up at St. Martin was an added bonus. Mama always likes it when I bring those home."