ROOKIE COMES BACK BIG!!! Roy Rose docked Fran LoPreste's Royal Polaris at Fisherman's Landing December 23 after an Izorline-sponsored trip with 19 anglers and chartermaster Howard Hada that lasted 14 days and visited Hurricane Bank, the Clarion Buffer Zone and the southern banks. There were nine cows caught, with the largest an ineligible 291-pounder. In an impressive display of memory, skipper Rose recalled the name of each angler who got a cow, along with the weight of the fish, as all were weighed on the boat. That largest tuna was taken by first-timer George Iwata of Montebello, on a sardine (skipper Rose said all the fish but one came on 'dines) on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra backing on an Accurate 50 reel and a new Seeker 2 x 4 rod. This fish fought hard for over an hour and Iwata needed some help, so his catch didn't count in the jackpot. "It was fantastic," said George. "We got a lot of fish. I'll be back again next year." Neal Campbell of Fallbrook won first place for his 262-pound yellowfin, caught on a sardine and a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He said he fished with 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 50 S reel modified by Cal Sheets, on a Calstar 760 H rod. Ken Kuchi of Huntington Beach won second place for his 240.3-pound tuna. It ate a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu tied to 130-pound Izorline fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izor Spectra backing on a Sheets-treated Penn 50 reel and a Calstar 6465 XXH rod. The fish fought for an hour. Bob Ramirez, an RP regular, got three cows at 240.1 (that one won him third place), 213 and 201 pounds. He said he fished sardines on 6/0 ringed Super Mutus, on 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He used a Penn 50 reel revamped by Sheets and a Calstar 770 H rod. "That rod helped a lot at the end of the fight," he told Bill Roecker. "The tip just keeps bringing 'em up." Garry Cotter of Santa Barbara got a 223-pound tuna with a Salas PL 68 jig. "It was about 4:30 in the morning," he said. "It was dark, and he grabbed it one crank off the bottom. I fought him for 30 minutes. He came up close to the boat and then took off again. He broke one of the first two gaffs. One floated off and was recovered, then he was re-gaffed with two more." Cotter said he used 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Sheets-treated Penn 50 T reel with a high speed gear and a Calstar 7656 H rod. Valeen Garrison of San Jose took a 213-pounder with a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu on 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. She used an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod. Hank Hamada, a restaurant owner from Anaheim Hills, bagged a 210-pounder in 45 minutes after the fish ate his sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu on 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He fished with an Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod. Royal Polaris was the last boat in port before the holidays. Watch this space for at sea reports. Coming up soon: the latest accounting of cows and super cows. Don't forget to pick up your 2010 Sportfishing Calendar at your local salt water pro shop, or order some for you and your friends from Bill and Paul at FishingVideos.com! The Christmas Specials will be honored until January 1.