Sam Patella docked American Angler at Pr. Loma Sportfishing February 16 after the 14  ? day Ken's Custom Reels trip with 18 anglers aboard, including chartermaster Ken Corwin.

"We had tough conditions," said Ken, but everyone had a great time."

Jackpot winner Ron Kaufman of San Diego agreed.

"We fished at the Hurricane Bank, off Clarion and on the southern banks," he said. "The sharks were real bad on the outside. It was hard to get a tuna up sometimes. But we enjoyed the fishing, and it was a nice group of people."

Kaufman had a cow, a 212-pound yellowfin tuna for his win. He said he got it with a sardine on a Mustad 6/0 ringed Hoodlum hook, tied to 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Blackwater Spectra. He used a Penn 30 reel modified by Baker, Cofe and Sheets, and a Super Seeker 2 x 4 rod.

"The rod was a killer on the rail," he said, adding that he got the fish in 20 minutes.

"He stayed outside, mostly. He came up on the portside bow."

John Metcalf of Danville won second place for a 191-pound tuna. Dale Pruett of Oceanside won third place for a 143-pounder, noting he got the fish with a "small" Penn 12 W reel modified by Baker and Sheets.

American Angler now goes in for boatwork, and will resume fishing May 15.