Jeff DeBuys docked Independence at Pt. Loma Sportfishing after a 15-day Save On Tackle trip with Roger Eckhart as chartermaster. There were 15 cows for 28 anglers. "I only made the one anchor job," remarked Jeff about his location. "We had steady action with a shot in the morning for the big ones and a lull until two PM and then a good bite until closing time, until midnight some days."

One of the most interesting tuna wasn't a cow. It was a 160-pounder that bit on a skipjack being reeled in by the cook, "Frenchie," on 50-pound line, after dinner one evening. The white Tady 4/0 with a red lightning stripe got the skippie to bite, and then the tuna ate the skipjack.

Vlad Chernoguz of San Francisco won first place for his 283.6-pound yellowfin tuna. He said it bit a chunk on a 12/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hook. He also caught a 227-pounder. Vlad told dock reporter Bill Roecker his winner came to the boat on 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon, 130-pound Line One spectra, an Accurate ATD 50 W reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod.

The second-biggest tuna wasn't in the jackpot, though it won the side jackpot. The 270-pounder was caught by John Hancock of Prescott, AZ, who posed with his grandson John Hancock and the fish. Granddad John used a 5/0 ringed Hayabusa hook, 100-pound Momoi and 100-pound Line One spectra on an Avet HXW reel and a Calstar 6465 XXH rod. He also caught a 206-pound tuna. John took the honorable mention spot at the right end of the lineup.

Joseph Solomon of Brooklyn, NY won second place for a 264-pound tuna. It went for the double sardine rig under the kite, on one of the boat's kite outfits. He also had a 230-pound yellowfin.

Ron Barron of La Crescenta won third place for a 236-pound tuna, and he also had one at 200 pounds. He said the big one ate a sardine on a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu tied to 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 100-pound Line One spectra, on an Avet 4/0 reel and a Shimano six-foot rod.

Dale Lethcoe of Sunland bagged three cows of 223, 215 and 215 pounds. He used sardines on 6/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hooks, tied to 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline spectra, with an Avet HXW reel and a Calstar 770 XH rod.

Dan Hoover of Irvine got a 217-pound tuna with a chunk on a 10/0 Owner Offshore hook on 130-pound Izorline fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXXXH rod.

Don Klahs of Valencia got his first two cows at 210 and 211 pounds. Don fished with chunks on a 9/0 Offshore hook tied to 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One spectra. He fished with an Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.

Sam Raiter of San Francisco took 40 minutes to nab his best fish ever, a 216-pound tuna. It bit on a chunk and a 10/0 Owner Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One spectra. He fished with an Accurate ATD 50 W reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod.

Mike Banda of LaVerne bagged his best one, a 225-pounder, with a skipjack at night on an 8/0 ringed Super Mutu hook on 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXXXH rod.