A put-together trip with 30 anglers to Baja's southern banks returned with 20 tuna over 200 pounds.

"We went trophy hunting," said Qualifier 105 skipper Brian Sims at Pt. Loma Sportfishing January 16, "and the catching wasn't wide-open, but we had 17 personal bests (tuna caught) and the first super cow of 2006.

"It was best for us early in the trip," continued Sims, "and the bite was a pick, with excellent quality, though."

The super cow, a 320.2-pound yellowfin caught by Rick Newton of San Diego, won first place. Rick said he fished a sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook, with 100-pound Izorline and 130-pound Power Pro Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Seeker 6463 XXH rod.

"He bit lightly," said Newton, "and he fought like a good one, but not as big as he turned out to be. He went out, and then down. Brook (deckhand) was with me, helped at the end by Brian and Jesse.

"This was my first long range trip," noted Newton, "and I got my fish on the first day, on the first bite. I've caught tuna in Panama and other places, and this is harder than catching ???em from a small boat, where you can chase the fish."

Newton also had a 210-pounder.

Second place went to Ron Reece of San Diego, for a 250.6-pounder, and third place was taken by Paul Rubio of Ontario, for a 246-pound tuna.

Paul Marquez of Lakeside bagged a 292.6-pound tuna that was ineligible because it was kite-hooked. He said he fished a sardine on a 7/0 Eagle Claw hook, with 130-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Spectra backing on an Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod.

Two women had cow tuna.

Tammy Holden of Long Beach got a 229.4-pounder in only 20 minutes after the tuna took a mackerel on an unknown hook. She said she fished with 130-pound Maxima line and 130-pound Spectra backing on a Penn 50 SW reel and a Penn five and a half-foot rod.

Nanette Smith of Huntington Beach took a 213-pound tuna with a sardine on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. She fished 130-pound Maxima line and 130-pound Spectra backing on an Accurate 50W reel and a Seeker 6364 XXH rod.