Norm Kagawa docked his Shogun December 23 at Fisherman's Landing after the 13-day Will Fish Tackle charter. Co-owner Jack Hill was aboard as chartermaster, and the trip produced seven cows, or tuna over 200 pounds.

"We had good fishing," said Norm, "with a variety of methods working. Afternoons were better than the mornings."

Here's what the Shogun's Internet log said December 20:

"Yesterday the Shogun passengers and crew said farewell to Hurricane Bank for 2008. Once again we landed tuna over 200# with the average a little smaller than the day before. The kite had a hot spell in the afternoon when the baits wouldn't sit for 5 minutes before a strike. We emptied the slammer of the last of the sardines to make way for RSW tuna, and the wahoo put on a show boiling on all the bait around the boat.

"All in all the fishing was good every day for tuna and wahoo and the bite varied from day to day. Sometimes it was the kite and other times it was strictly a fly line bite. Right now we are traveling home in bumpy seas but all of our fishing days were in fair seas and light winds. Only yesterday did the kites for moderate winds come out. The Shogun will be back out in early January, the crew and our staff in the office thank you all for fishing with us this year, and hope to see you back on the Shogun soon in the New Year."

Lew Hurlbutt of Tehachapi won the first spot in the jackpot for his 229-pound tuna.

"He got tail-wrapped," said Lew, "so I brought him to gaff in ten minutes."

Lew said he baited a sardine on a 5/0 Super Mutu ringed hook, and used 100-pound blue Izorline and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a new Accurate B-2 50 reel and a Seeker Black Steel rod that appeared to be a 6364 XXXH model.

Mel North of Buena Park won second place for a 30-minute, 226-pounder that bit a sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook. He said he used 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Power Pro Spectra backing on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 655 XXH rod.

Gus Angelides of Roseville won third place for a 218-pounder. He said he bagged it in 45 minutes after it took his sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook. He fished with 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Blackwater Spectra backing on a Penn 50 VSW reel and a Calstar 7465 H rod.

Joe Lentini of Cool got a 203 and a 217-pounder on sardines and 6/0 Mutu hooks. He used 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a TLD 50 with a Will Fish modified frame and a Calstar 760 H rod.

Ed Budney of Auburn had a 200 and a 206-pounder. The bigger one took two and a half hours to land, he said. He fished a sardine on an Eagle Claw 8/0 hook for that one, on 100-pound P-Line and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a TLD 50 reel with a Will Fish Tackle frame on it and a Calstar 655 XXH rod.

Kevin Cooney of Santa Ana took a 205-pounder on a sardine and a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He fished with 100-pound Blackwater leader and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on a Penn 30 S reel with a Baker conversion and a Calstar 7465 M rod.