Intrepid docked under Kevin Osborne's hand March 30 at Pt. Loma Sportfishing, after a 15-day Catchy Tackle trip with 21 anglers that visited the waters offshore from Clarion Island. They found ten tuna over 200 pounds. The biggest one had a story to go with it.

"Wind was a factor," said skipper Osborne. "Last night in the harbor was the most peaceful one of the trip. But it was a decent trip. We had a few good days, and some were scratchy."

The big fish taped at 300 pounds, caught by Paul Jessup of San Clemente, but it came in (gilled and gutted) with an adjusted weight of 289 pounds. It wasn't eligible for the jackpot.

"Holy crap!" exclaimed Jessup to dock reporter Bill Roecker. "He was just a brute. I hooked him right at the boat and he went under and wrapped himself on something. We finally got him off with a 16-ounce torpedo sinker. He spooled me twice and took me around the boat three times and he played with the anchor line about 40 times. It took three hours and 45 minutes to get him in!"

Bruce Watters of Thousand Oaks won first place for a 252-pounder. He said he got it with a mackerel on an 8/0 ringed Owner Gorilla hook tied to a BHP wind-on leader with 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon. He used 130-pound Line One spectra on an Accurate ATD 50 reel and a new Super Seeker 3 X 5 rod.

Dennis Ulich of Granada Hills found a 244.4-pounder with a big mackerel on a 9/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hook. He used a wind-on leader of 100-pound strength from Cosmos Sportfishing and 130-pound Line One spectra on a Penn 50 VSW reel and a Calstar 7450 XH rod wrapped by Cosmos.

Mike Lovelle of Boulder City, NV got third place for a 241-pounder that bit on a mackerel pinned to a 5/0 Eagle Claw hook. He said he used 130-pound Line One spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Super Seeker 2 X 4 rod.

Bill Gilpen of Camano Island, WA caught a 230-pounder on a mackerel and a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He said he used 130-pound Yo-Zuri leader and 130-pound Line One spectra on a topless Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar 770 XH rod wrapped by Taka Tanaka.

Eric Traut bagged a brace of tuna that were boat-weighed at 215 and 200 pounds. Kevin Cosca got a 206-pounder. Jared Waid took a 204.4-pound tuna, and chartermaster Wayne Martin got a 201-pound yellowfin tuna.