Excel returned to Fisherman's Landing September 29 after a six-day Let's Talk Hookup trip with Pete Gray and 22 anglers that fished mid-Baja waters for yellowtail and tuna. "We fished offshore, at Cedros/Benitos and outside Hipolito," said skipper Mike Ramirez to dock reporter Bill Roecker. "Yellowtail fishing was very good."

Jan Howard, a Braid rep, was aboard and confirmed that she had all the yellowtail she needed, fish up into the 30-pound bracket. She said she caught and released so many on one day on the same jig that she got sore.

Joe Jazsa of Tinley Park, IL tied for first place with Pete Simokaitis of Orland Park, IL. Both men had 33.2-pound yellowtail. Joe got his on a sardine and a rental outfit of 30 pounds, and Pete's came on a sardine on a 3/0 Gamakatsu (so did Joe's), with 50-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon, 50-pound Big Game line and 80-pound Power Pro spectra on a Trinidad 50 reel and a Seeker Black Steel 6470 rod.

David Petruescu of La Mirada won third place for a 30.4-pound yellowtail. Numerous dorado were also in the catch, with some of the fish running over 20 pounds, an indicator of what's to come in the near future.