The last seven times Roy Rose took the Royal Polaris out on long range tuna trips, he plugged the boat with cows. That's probably a record. The 86 cow tuna he brought in to Fisherman's Landing February 4, included a 301-pounder (the 12th this season) taken by Joe McBride of Spokane, WA. Joe wasn't in the jackpot, and his fish wasn't a record, but the number aboard the RP was, eclipsing the record set by the Independence January 23. McBride got his giant on a sardine and a 10/0 Mustad 7691 hook, with 130-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 50 SW reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXH rod.

The fish fought for a half-hour," said Joe. "He pulled my butt down the rail to the bow. After 15 minutes we were back on the stern, and me and Billy Santiago pulled it in to the starboard corner; my best fish." Skipper Rose said, "Everybody on the boat, all 19, got a cow and a Jerry Brown jacket. After trolling a bit for wahoo the first day we didn't move the boat." Dan Gaudy of Upland won first place for a 282-pound tuna. He had ten tuna over 200 pounds. Dan Said he fished bait and chunks, with 7691 Mustad hooks. He used 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 70 VS reel and a Calstar 6460 XH rod made by Yo's.

Karl Fechner of Palos Verdes was second, for a 273-pounder. He got his fish on a chunk and a 16/0 Mustad hook, and said he used 130-pound Izxorline and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Beastmaster 50/80 reel and a 655 TSS rod. He also had a 238-pound tuna. John Mulay of Atascadero was third, for a 272-pounder. He said he got it with a chunk on a 10/0 Mustad 7691 hook, 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Line One Spectra, on a Penn 50 reel blueprinted by Cal Sheets and a 760 H Wright Rod. Mike Brown of Redway got nine, at 242, 237, 226, 220, 219, 212, 206, 205 and 200 pounds. Vince Biondo of Del Mar took a limit of wahoo with his home-made bombs. He had five cows: 232, 225, 218, 217 and 206 pounds.

John Bradford of San Luis Opisbo had six: 233, 223, 223, 222, 214 and 203 pounds. He fished sardines on 6/0 Eagle Claw hooks, with 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 50 S reel and a Seeker 6463 XXH rod. Mike Stanton of San Luis Opisbo used sardines to take three tuna of 221, 217 and 213 pounds on 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hooks, 130-pound fluorocarbon leader, 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Spectra backing. He said he fioshed with a 50 VSW reel by Cal Baker and a 7460 XH rod. Joe Amagrande of Monrovia had five at 255, 250, 238, 227 and 219 pounds. He fished chunks on ringed Super Mutu 6/0 hooks, with 130-pound Jin Kai line and 130-pound Line One backing on a 50 SW reel and a 7464 H rod.