Jeff DeBuys docked Independence at Pt. Loma Sportfishing January 6 after a good ten-day trip into southern waters. The trip, with 30 anglers, was sponsored by Baja Fish Gear and owner Ed Tschernoscha was chartermaster. "We connected with big tuna on all of our fishing days," remarked DeBuys. "They bit on bait and 100-pound line, and some bit early in the morning on jigs like the Salas PL 68 and the Tady 15. When the jig stopped on the way down, you were on!" Vladmir Kustudic won first place for a 180-pound tuna. He bagged that one, the third to bite in the pre-dawn of New Year's Day, on a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Mustad Demon hook tied to 100-pound fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on an Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar rod. Kerry Iwanaga of Placentia won second place for a 177-pound jig-biter, the second fish to come aboard that morning. The iron was a chrome Tady PLQ, tied to 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra on a Penn 50 SW reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 7465 XH rod. "It was a pretty quick fight," said Kerry. "He bit in the dark, went up and down and I got him in a half-hour." Ivan Fujunaka of San Francisco won third place for the first tuna of 2011. The 167.6-pounder came on a sardine and a 6/0 ringed Super Nautilus Gamakatsu hook. Ivan fished with 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 100-pound Line One Spectra on an Accurate ATD 30 T reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod. Josiah Chaminade of West Hills is 16. He got a 171.4-pounder in an hour. He plays football and wrestles and pulls a 4.0 average at West Hills High.